The Gilded Age is a historical drama series created by Julian Fellowes for HBO. It is set in the United States during the Gilded Age, the boom years of the 1880s New York City. The series exists in the same continuity as ITV's Downton Abbey. The series was originally announced for NBC in 2018, but it was moved on HBO the next year. The first season premiered on January 24, 2022. The second season premiered on October 29, 2023. The Gilded Age has received critical acclaim especially for its costume and production design and acting performances.
Synopsis[]
The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, of great conflict between the old ways and brand new systems, and of huge fortunes made and lost. Against the backdrop of this transformation, the series begins in 1882 with young Marian Brook (Jacobson) moving from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father to live with her thoroughly old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Baranski) and Ada Brook (Nixon). Accompanied by Peggy Scott (Benton), an aspiring writer seeking a fresh start, Marian inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a social war between one of her aunts, a scion of the old money set, and her stupendously rich neighbors, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife, George (Spector) and Bertha Russell (Coon).
Production[]
The series is created and written by Julian Fellowes. Some episodes are co-written by Sonja Warfield, who was brought in by Fellowes particularly to flesh Peggy Scott's and other African-American storylines. The main costume designer for the series is Kasia Walicka-Maimone.
Cast[]
Recurring Cast[]
- Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn
- Cynthia Nixon as Ada Brook
- Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook
- Blake Ritson as Oscar van Rhijn
- Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell
- Morgan Spector as George Russell
- Taissa Farmiga as Gladys Russell
- Harry Richardson as Larry Russell
- Denée Benton as Peggy Scott
- Audra McDonald as Dorothy Scott
- John Douglas Thompson as Arthur Scott
- Donna Murphy as Mrs. Astor
- Amy Forsyth as Caroline 'Carrie' Astor
- Ashlie Atkinson as Mamie Fish
- Nathan Lane as Ward McAllister
- Kelli O'Hara as Aurora Fane
- Ward Horton as Charles Fane
- Jack Gilpin as Church
- Simon Jones as Bannister
- Michael Cerveris as Watson
- Celia Keenan-Bolger as Mrs. Bruce
- Kristine Nielsen as Mrs. Bauer
- Douglas Sills as Josh Borden
- Taylor Richardson as Bridget
- Sullivan Jones as T. Thomas Fortune
- Debra Monk as Armstrong
- Kelley Curran as Enid Winterton
- Ben Ahlers as Jack Treacher
- Patrick Page as Richard Clay
- Erin Wilhelmi as Adelheid Weber
- Claybourne Elder as John Adams
Guest starring & Exited cast[]
- Bill Irwin as Cornelius Eckhard (Season 1)
- Michel Gill as Patrick Morris (Season 1)
- Katie Finneran as Anne Morris (Season 1)
- Jeanne Tripplehorn as Sylvia Chamberlain (Season 1)
- Thomas Cocquerel as Tom Raikes (Season 1 )
- Linda Emond as Clara Barton (Season 1)
- Rebecca Haden as Flora McNeil (Seasons 1 & 2)
- Michael Braugher as Booker T. Washington (Season 2)
- Christopher Denham as Robert McNeil (Season 2)
- Dakin Matthews as Joshua Winterton (Season 2)
- Robert Sean Leonard as Luke Forte (Season 2)
- Nicole Brydon Bloom as Maud Beaton (Season 2)
- David Furr as Dashiell Montogomery (Season 2)
- Matilda Lawler as Frances Montogomery (Season 2)
- Ben Lamb as The Duke of Buckingham (Seasons 2 & 3)
- Laura Benanti as Susan Blane (Season 2)
- Jordan Waller as Oscar Wilde (Season 2)
- Matt Walker as Billy Carlton (Season 2)[1][1]
- Rachel Pickup as Miss Andre (Season 2)[2]
Announced cast (Season 3)[]
- Jordan Donica as William Kirkland
- Phylicia Rashad as Elizabeth Kirkland
- Brian Stokes Mitchell as Frederick Kirkland
- Victoria Clark as Joan Carlton
- Bill Camp as JP Morgan
- Merritt Wever as Monica O'Brien
- Leslie Uggams as Ernestine Brown
- LisaGay Hamilton as Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
- Paul Alexander Nolan as Alfred Merrick
- Hattie Morahan as Lady Sarah Vere
- Andrea Martin as Madame Dashkova
- Jessica Frances Dukes as Athena Trumbo
- Dylan Baker as Dr. Logan
- Kate Baldwin as Nancy Adams Bell
- Michael Cumpsty as Lord Mildmay
- John Ellison Conlee as Weston
- Bobby Steggert as John Singer Sargent
- Hannah Shealy as Charlotte Astor[2]
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Videos[]
See also[]
- Timeline of the events in The Gilded Age an the historical events surrounding them.
- Category: characters
- Category: episodes
- Category: locations
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ The Gilded Age on IMDb.
- ↑ The Gilded Age, season 2 episode 8: "In Terms of Winning and Losing"