Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham has landed her first movie role in eight years.
The actress, who played Lorelai Gilmore in the hit series, has joined the cast of upcoming festive film, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (via Deadline).
Based on Barbara Robinson's classic book, the movie – directed by Dallas Jenkins – will tell the story of six misfit children who volunteer to star in their town's Christmas pageant.
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Following her last big screen appearance in 2016 comedy Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life, Graham will play the film's narrator – who makes an important cameo appearance.
As well as Graham, the blockbuster boasts an impressive cast list that features stars from Jenkins' drama series The Chosen – including Kirk BR Woller, Vanessa Benavente and Elizabeth Tabish.
Woller will play Reverend Hopkins, while Benavente and Tabish will play a first-grade teacher and church lady, respectively. The family comedy also stars Ant-Man's Judy Greer and Crashing's Pete Holmes.
As well as directing, Jenkins also penned the script alongside Darin McDaniel, Platte Clark and Ryan Swanson. Production on the film has recently wrapped.
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"I've been preparing for and visualising this movie for over 15 years, so it was going to be tough to meet my expectations," said Jenkins.
"But working with incredible actors such as Lauren, who I adore, along with my Chosen cast members and fan-favourites Liz, Vanessa, and Kirk, has exceeded my expectations. The whole cast is elevating the material, and I'm overwhelmed working with them."
Producer Kevin Downes added: "We've been huge fans of Lauren's for 25 years and have dreamed of one day working with her. She brings her signature warmth and charm that makes her perfect for this cast."
In the gap between her movie projects, Graham has appeared in shows such as Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
She also voiced Oxana in the animated series Vampirina across all three seasons.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will be released in US cinemas on November 15.
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Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
