Complete cast breakdown of The Gilded Age cast: Who plays whom and where you've seen them before
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Want to relive the New Yorkers' life from the 1800s? Binge-watch The Gilded Age, which will surely take you back to that era. Written by Julian Fellowes, this HBO production has gained immense popularity and praise due to its exceptional cast, unique storyline, and period-specific costumes (sort of Bridgerton vibes). The series premiered in 2022 and remains relevant, with season four already in the works. Among the elite socialites, the clash between old money and new money within the two families drives the plot forward.
Being neighbors at 61st Street on Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side of New York, The Russels (new money/ industrialists) encounter a young woman, Marian Brook (Rhijn-Brook family), who moved from Pennsylvania to New York after her father’s death to live with her ‘old money’ aunts.
The two royal families are locked in a struggle over who will wield the greatest influence in the city, sparking a clash of social status, power, class, and privilege. With both new and old money flooding this high street, the show also boasts a stellar cast. It also brings to life several prominent historical figures from that era.
Read on as this article provides a complete breakdown of the cast members of The Gilded Age.
All about the cast members of The Gilded Age
- Carrie Coon as Bertha Russel: Known for her role as Laurie in The White Lotus season 3, Carrie Coon is the wife of the business tycoon and industrialist, George Russel. A fiercely ambitious new money socialite, she faces conflicts from the Rhijin-Brook family as she is not able to make things work according to her wishes and faces resistance to break into old New York high society. Coon's previous works include some major shows and films like Gone Girl, Avengers: Infinity War, Boston Strangler, The Post, and many more.
- Morgan Spector as George Russel: Bertha’s husband, George, upholds a strong belief in social equality. George Russel, deprived of inherited wealth (old money), has made himself a powerful figure in the elite society by being a successful railroad tycoon. Spector has previously starred in shows such as Boardwalk Empire, The Plot Against America, Suits, and Homeland.
- Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook: This gentlewoman entered the streets of the Upper East Side of New York when she lost her father. Living with her aunts, Ada Brook and Agnes Van Rhijn, she navigates life and deals with the tensions and challenges related to the social norms in the village. She was recently seen in the Materialists alongside Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal. Some of her previous projects in which she appeared are Gone Hollywood and The Sitcom Trials.
- Denee Benton as Peggy Scott: In The Gilded Age, Peggy is a journalist and a secretary to Agnes Van Rhijn (Marian’s aunt). Being a black educated and aspiring writer, she has her own challenges dealing with the complexities of the Black Upper class in the 1800s in New York. Her previous roles are in shows and films like UnREAL, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, and Our Friend.
- Christine Baranski as Agnes Van Rhijn: At the heart of the conflict between old money and new money is the character of Christine Baranski. She is one of the wealthier aunts of Marian Brook. Matriarch of the Van-Rhijn-Brook family, she is someone who won’t take a step back and resists fiercely to the societal changes that the Russels wanted to bring. She played the role of Tany in Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Some of the other shows in which she appeared are Into the Woods, Chicago, and The Good Fight.
- Cynthia Nixon as Ada Brook/Forte: Another aunt of Marian, Ada Brook is a supportive character to her assertive sister, Agnes. She was unmarried until season 1, when she met Luke Forte. A happily married woman in season 2, she met with a tragedy when her husband died because of cancer. She got turned into a widow, but obviously a rich widow! One can recall her role as Miranda Hobbes in the Sex and the City film and series. She also stars in And Just Like That.
- Blake Ritson as Oscar Van Rhijn: Son of Agnes, Blake (businessman) is someone who is able to question her mother’s decision and believes that building a connection with the Russels is beneficial because of their growing influence. Being gay, he had a secret love relationship with John Adams. He appeared in The Crown, Da Vinci’s Demons, and also in one of the episodes of the Interview with the Vampire as Morgan Ward.
- Audra McDonald as Dorothy Scott: She is a supportive and loving mother of Peggy Scott and wife of Arthur Scott. She was a part of the Black elite family during the Gilded Age period shown in the series. Alongside Christine Baranski (Agnes Van Rhijn), McDonald was seen with her in The Good Fight. Recently, she starred in films like Down Low, Rustin, Origin, and was also seen in Private Practice and Rampart.
Some of the other cast members in The Gilded Age
- Harry Richardson as Larry Russell
- Taissa Farmiga as Gladys Russell
- Ben Lamb as Hector, The Duke of Buckingham
- Jordan Donica as Dr. Kirkland
- Jack Gilpin as Church
- Ben Ahlers as Jack/John Trotter
- Celia Keenan-Bolger as Mrs. Bruce
- Taylor Richardson as Bridget
- Kelli O’Hara as Aurora Fane
- Kristine Nielsen as Mrs. Bauer
- Erin Wilhelmi as Adelheid Weber
- John Douglas Thompson as Arthur Scott
TOPICS: The Glided Age season 3