Sneaky Rory! Alexis Bledel and Vincent Kartheiser have remained steadfastly tight-lipped about their romance over the past 4 years, so it’s no surprise that the couple did the same when they decided to start a family.
As previously reported, the Gilmore Girls alum, 34, and Kartheiser, 37, welcomed a baby boy last fall. Here, Us Weekly takes a look back at their love story — and how the actress covered up her pregnancy!
Mad for Each Other!
Us Weekly exclusively revealed in June 2012 that Bledel and Kartheiser were dating. The couple first met when the former child actress had a multi-episode arc on his beloved, universally acclaimed AMC series, Mad Men, in its fifth season. (Bledel played Beth Dawes, a disturbed mistress who gets involved with his character Pete Campbell.) Kartheiser revealed in April 2014 that they became an item after season five wrapped. “We were completely professional. We never saw each other out,” he told Vulture. “We never — it was nothing, it was just work.”
Kartheiser’s coworkers cheered the couple on, too. “I did know he liked her from a very early point. I was a supporter of that union,” Jon Hamm told Vulture. Creator Matthew Weiner added: “Honestly, they’re a really good match. They’re both very down to earth, with a sense of responsibility and strong family ties. And they’ve been acting since before they can remember, which makes for a very special personality. It’s not just that I thought they would look cute together.”
Bledel previously romanced her Gilmore Girls costar Milo Ventimiglia from 2002 to 2006. Kartheiser was linked to Rachael Leigh Cook in 1998.
Red Carpet Debut
The lovebirds officially went public when they attended the Macallan and Annie Leibovitz Photo Launch in NYC in October 2012. “I’m a really lucky guy,” Kartheiser told Us at the event. “The most important thing, for us, is to make sure that we see each other in the flesh at least once every 10 days. All the other stuff is good, like FaceTime and the texting … I love seeing her. You gotta make the flight!”
Pop the Champagne!
Bledel’s rep exclusively confirmed to Us in March 2013 that the couple were engaged after more than a year of dating. “They couldn’t be happier,” a pal told Us at the time. A second friend added: “She’s been wearing her ring. It’s huge!”
Kartheiser opened up about the engagement at the Mad Men season six Hollywood premiere that same month. “I’m a very lucky man,” he told Us. “I keep saying girlfriend. And then I’m like, ‘I mean, my fiancée!'”
Hush-Hush Wedding
Bledel and the Saints & Strangers star secretly tied the knot in Ojai, California, in June 2014. “It was a small and intimate family affair,” a source told Us. “They wanted something relaxed and beautiful. Ojai was the perfect place. His family flew out from the East Coast.”
And Baby Makes Three!
Bledel and Kartheiser kept their baby news under wraps throughout the actress’ entire pregnancy. In fact, Bledel was most likely pregnant when she reunited with her Gilmore Girls costars at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, in June 2015.
Just months after welcoming a son in fall 2015, the couple attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in L.A. in January 2016. Bledel, unbeknownst to most, was showing off her impressive post-baby body at the time in a light blue Bibhu Mohapatra dress.
Back to Work After Baby
Bledel was photographed on set of the Netflix Gilmore Girls revival in May 2016. Weeks later, her costar Scott Patterson spilled the beans about her little boy in an interview with Glamour. “She’s really blossomed as a woman and now she’s a proud new mother and married and happy,” he told the mag. “We’re comparing notes because my son [Nick, born July 2014] is about a year and a half older than her young son. I’m showing her photos and videos and what to expect. We’re just really enjoying each other’s company.”
