Kimberly Alexis Bledel (born September 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She is known for her role as Rory Gilmore on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), and Emily Malek in The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2021). Bledel also had a recurring role in Mad Men in 2012 and reprised her role as Rory Gilmore in the Netflix reunion miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016).