Michel From Gilmore Girls Sounds Completely Different In Real Life
Fantastic service with plenty of one-liners. It's what fans and guests at the Dragonfly Inn have come to expect from concierge Michel Gerard (Yanic Truesdale, who envisions him as an angry old man today) on the hit series "Gilmore Girls." He keeps the whole operation running smoothly while working in tandem with co-owners Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy). The trio would first begin working together at the Independence Inn owned by Mia Halloway (Elizabeth Franz), who looked after Lorelai and Rory (Alexis Bledel) when they first moved to Stars Hollow. Mia would eventually sell the inn, clearing the path for Lorelai and Sookie to open the Dragonfly Inn, the duo's long-awaited dream and a space that needed a little love and care after being left vacant for many years.
Michel makes sure that the inn is loved and cared for, even if he does it with a permanent scowl on his face. His commanding voice will be recognizable to any "Gilmore Girls" fan. And Truesdale has shared why his French accent differs significantly from Michel's.
How Truesdale changed his voice to play Michel
As Michel Girard reminisces about growing up in France while standing watch over the front desk of the Dragonfly Inn, Yanic Truesdale reminisces about his childhood in Montreal, Canada. Truesdale told Elite Daily, "I am French Canadian which is a different thing than being French France ... So the only thing I had to adapt when I did the accent was to do a Parisian accent, not a French Canadian accent ..." Truesdale noted that everything is more defined and accentuated in the Parisian accent. Still, he had to compromise with his character's voice. "Because the first version of the accent was thicker, and Amy [Sherman-Palladino] was like, 'I can't understand you! It's got to be lighter.' So I had to compromise on some of the reality of it. Most French people don't do their 'T-H's,'" he told Elite Daily, adding that the sound is not included in the French language.
Truesdale told Today that he would describe his character as someone who is opinionated yet means well. And while his opinion may be too brutal for some, it's that honesty, quick wit, and love for his friends that have made him a memorable and loveable character in Stars Hollow and on screen.