The band is back together! Zack Van Gerbig and Lane Kim are returning to Stars Hollow for the Gilmore Girls revival — but whether their marriage is still solid remains a mystery.
Todd Lowe, who played rocker Zack on the beloved series, opened up exclusively with Us Weekly about the TV couple in a new interview.
“It’s about seven years later and we’ll see how married life has affected them,” Lowe, 39, tells Us. “They fell in love by just proximity to each other and sharing musical interests. They just happened to mesh really well.”
Zack and Hep Alien bandmate Lane, played by Keiko Agena, tied the knot in season 6 and are parents of twin sons Steve and Kwan. Zack had to work hard to impress Lane’s strict mom, Ms. Kim (Emily Kuroda), and left off in season 7 going on tour with the band.
“I can play this character for the rest of my life. It’s not like I have to step into a second skin to play Zack,” Lowe tells Us. “Zack was a bit of a rock snob, so I enjoyed that part of it.”
One of Lowe’s favorite Zack and Lane moments was their first kiss. “I had Brian (John Cabrera) on my shoulders,” he says. “I thought that was a really well-written, awkwardly staged, and still somewhat romantic first kiss, so that has a special significance for me.”
Gilmore Girls was Lowe’s first acting gig in L.A. — and he vividly remembers his audition. “There was a guitar in the room. They wanted us to be somewhat musical. I sang a Pixies song, ‘Where Is My Mind?’ and I sang it in German, like a German English. It was a Zack thing to do,” he recalls.
“It was our first Hep Alien scene where we were rehearsing and Brian had some line about his deviated septum,” he adds. “I read it a few times through and I thought it was going to be one episode of work and much to my delight, my agent called me a few weeks later and said, ‘Hey, block out these weeks because they want you for four more.’ Then five more, then six more and it just kept building… I moved here from Texas and it was really validating to know that I can work on a television show and I didn’t make a crazy choice with my life.”
For more with Lowe, read the rest of his Q&A:
US WEEKLY: What are similarities and differences between you and Zack?
TODD LOWE: Zack used to have a lot more hair! Mine is starting to go. I’m more of a country musician. That’s kind of in my wheelhouse. Zack has more of an indie rock vibe to him… They have to put another inch on the waistline [in the revival].
US: How would you describe him in three words?
TL: Arrogant, caring and a little dim.
US: What was it like after Adam Brody left for The O.C.?
TL: Hep Alien is an anagram for Helen Pai, who was Amy [Sherman-Palladino’s] close friend growing up. She was also the music producer on the show. Her husband, in real life, his name is Dave Rygalski. So obviously, I think that Adam, who played Dave Rygalski, I think he was destined to hook up with Lane. But he left, so much better fortune for me.
US: What was something fun that happened behind-the-scenes on the original series?
TL: I got really good at playing chess. A lot of the crew guys would have chess boards and we’d play timed chess. So we did that and Jared [Padalecki] beat me, I do remember that very distinctly.
US: Did you take any props from set?
TL: I took a tambourine and a Hep Alien T-shirt. But I’m not too nostalgic that way.
US: Are you Team Dean, Jess or Logan?
TL: I think the smart answer to say is I’m Team Rory. She doesn’t need a man to define her.
US: Are you going to watch the revival when it debuts after Thanksgiving?
TL: I’m gonna binge it — with a belly full of turkey.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life premieres on Netflix on Friday, November 25.
Lowe can also be seen in the drama Cold on Thursdays, which is available on go90 (iOS and Android) and www.go90.com. The star plays a criminal named Thomas in the New Form Digital-created series.
