Who played Luke Danes's sister Liz on Gilmore Girls?

Kathleen Wilhoite played Luke Danes's sister Liz on Gilmore Girls.

Liz Mariano is Luke's younger sister and the mother of Jess Mariano. She first appears when Jess is sent to Stars Hollow to live with Luke, creating a new family responsibility for the usually private diner owner.

Liz is portrayed as creative, impulsive, and often unreliable. Her history helps explain why Jess has difficulty trusting adults and why Luke becomes protective of his nephew despite their frequent conflicts.

Wilhoite returned for multiple episodes of the original series. Liz's surname is Mariano through her marriage and connection to Jess, while Luke retains the surname Danes, so she is clearly Luke's sister even though their surnames differ.