Exclusive Interview: Alexis Bledel (Post Grad)

Alexis Bledel (Ryden Malby) made her acting debut on the fast talking hit show Gilmore Girls which ran for an impressive seven years and became a fan favorite of millions. Her fresh face caught the attention of Hollywood, and they came calling for more from the down-to-earth actress. During Gilmore Girls, Bledel took the lead role as Lena in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and in 2008 she reprised her role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.

After taking a much needed break after Gilmore Girls ended its seven year run, Bledel wholeheartedly threw herself into the role of Ryden Malby in Post Grad. Ryden had her whole life planned out; got good grades, got into a good college, graduated and planned on working for the best publishing company in Los Angeles. She was so confident that she found herself a spacious trendy loft where all the assistant editors worked and signed the lease.

Ryden quickly learns that life doesn't always go according to plan and when she is forced to move in with her quirky off beat family her nightmare begins. Her family consists of a do it yourself dad, Walter (Michael Keaton), who is always looking for the next big thing, her mother Carmella (Jane Lynch) who is a little off putting but always has Ryden's best interests at heart, her strange little brother Hunter (Bobby Coleman), and rounding off her crazy family is her outrageous grandmother Maureen (Carol Burnett). The only sanity in Ryden's life is her best friend Adam Davies (Zac Gilford) who is always trying to push her into accepting that life doesn't always have to be about lists and planning. PopStar spoke with the Post Grad actress about landing such a great role, funny set stories, and how she was able to relate to her character Ryden.

PopStar: Can you tell us how you happened upon this great role?
Alexis Bledel: I originally read the script when I met Kelly through a friend three years before we ended up shooting it. I found it to be really relatable then just from hearing stories from people I knew from my graduating class. It was set up a couple years later; they had changed it a lot but the core of it was still very much the same and I really wanted to do it.

PopStar: Your role as Ryden is very relatable to many people who are entering the workplace and finding it difficult to get a job. What message do you think this film will bring out to those individuals struggling to find themselves?
Alexis Bledel: I think the message of the film is being open to change and learning to adapt to a new or different situation. It is hard, it is a difficult thing to do, but it is something that pretty much everyone encounters in their life.

PopStar: Spending seven years on Gilmore Girls and having to say goodbye to the friends you made is not dissimilar to leaving college. When the series ended , did you have any plans and were you at all worried about your next step?
Alexis Bledel: I am not much of a planner. I can definitely relate to the feeling of not knowing what’s next when. When the show ended I wanted to take some time off, and then at one point I was ready to go back to work so I started reading lots of different things. It is so different, it is such a different experience not to have that safety net of a show to go back to every year. We were on a network where they didn’t really cancel anything in a hurry; you never know if you are coming back for another season but I kinda felt we would a lot of the time. It is definitely a new experience to go from one thing to the next and not know what’s coming up.

PopStar: Post Grad had a great cast, full of some of the best actors of our time. What was it like working with everyone on set?
Alexis Bledel: It was amazing, I feel that everyone was so perfectly cast. We have Carol Burnett as the grandma whose very concerned about impending death although she is perfectly health. She wants to go shopping for caskets and takes the whole family along. Michael Keaton plays the dad who is always scheming and trying to come up with a new business for Ryden to get involved in with him. They were amazing to work with.

PopStar: Do you have any funny stories or memorable moments from the set that stick out?
Alexis Bledel: Our last day of shooting was fun because we were in a supermarket in the middle of the night. It was massive and Zach and I were running around and we played volleyball over the freezer aisle.

PopStar: You and Zach have such great chemistry in the movie. Zach mentioned that you guys had to do some uncomfortable acting exercises when you began. Can you tell us about them?
Alexis Bledel: We had to look at each other and assume something about the other person. There is one thing I try not do and that is to not make assumptions about people until I get to know them, so this exercise drove me crazy.

PopStar: Your character is struggling to land her first job after graduating college; can you tell us about your first job?
Alexis Bledel: My first job was a photshoot for Seventeen Magazine. I got to fly to New York and do one picture and fly back.

PopStar: Ryden’s best friend Adam in the film seems to be her stability and has the unique gift to calm her down. Do you have friends that are either super laid back or super energized like Ryden?
Alexis Bledel: Yes, I am the laid back one. I have some very energetic friends who jolt me out of my slothdom and get me to do things. I have friends that can do seven fun things during one weekend and I’ll be very satisfied if I get two things done. I don’t have that energy, I don’t think that fast, I have to figure out what I want to do. Amber Tamblyn is a very energetic friend who jolts me out of being slow.

PopStar: What’s up next for you?
Alexis Bledel: I am going to shoot a film called the Kate Logan Affair in Canada. Then I have a film called The Good Guy coming out in 2010.

PopStar: Message to the fans.
Alexis Bledel: I would say thank you for being a fan. Lots of luck with everything and I hope you enjoy the movie.

Forever Rory Gilmore in many of our eyes, Alexis Beldel hits another homerun with Post Grad opening August 21, 2009. The multitalented actress teamed up with a great cast to bring to life a reality that is felt by millions during these different times. Bledel lights up the screen with her warm personality, her passion for success, and her own personal experiences that allow her to relate to her character Ryden.