As The Gilded Age returns for its highly anticipated third season on HBO, the cast and creators gathered for a press conference at the Park Lane Hotel in New York City. The hotel served as a perfect venue as it was just blocks away from the parkside East 61st Street, where the homes of the fictional Russell and Van Rhijn families are located. The conversation centered on the shifting power dynamics teased at the end of the second season as well as personal transformations, and how the show reflects both the past and the present.
Who’s In Charge Here?
The premiere episode’s title, “Who’s in Charge Here?”, encapsulates the central question driving Season 3 of The Gilded Age. As creator Julian Fellowes explained, the title is more than a nod to plot mechanics—it’s a meditation on the illusion of status and the realities of power shifts within families, marriages, and society.
“I’m always rather fascinated by people who pretend that the loss of money, the loss of position, doesn’t affect them at all—that everything can just go on as it did before,” said Fellowes. “Of course, it can’t. We’ve come to understand through Cynthia [Nixon’s] wonderful performance that Ada is a compliant person and wants things to be easy. She doesn’t want conflict. And for a time, because of her nature and her generosity really, she is content for Agnes to pretend not too much has changed—but of course it has.”
Co-writer Sonja Warfield elaborated, “Thematically for the whole season, it’s about who’s in charge in society, in marriages, and who has the power. The power shift is relevant to all the stories.”
The Russells at a Crossroads
One of the central conflicts this season revolves around Bertha and George Russell’s once-seemingly unshakable marriage. Morgan Spector, who plays George, admitted, “I personally find it hard to let go of the marital harmony… but the rift is not a minor one. They see Gladys’ marriage in fundamentally different ways.”
Carrie Coon, who plays Bertha, added, “Bertha believes what she’s doing is an existential question. She wants her daughter to be safe and fulfilled. She’s hungry for her daughter to have a kind of power she didn’t have.” The disagreement between Bertha and George represents a deeper ideological clash. “There’s an implicit critique of George’s status,” said Spector. “If marrying an English aristocrat is what it takes to arrive, then everything George built isn’t enough.”
Gladys Finds Her Voice
Caught in the middle is Gladys Russell, played by American Horror Story veteran Taissa Farmiga. “I think what’s beautiful about this season is that Gladys finally catches a glimpse that maybe Bertha was right,” Farmiga said. “Freedom requires status, and the power to choose what you want.”
Despite her reluctance, Gladys comes to see that turning toward her mother, not away, is what leads her to true autonomy. “She thought freedom was running in the opposite direction… but in the end, it was turning toward her mom,” Farmiga noted. Warfield jokingly added, “The lesson is ‘always listen to your mother,’” which got a laugh out of Carrie Coon.
Larry and Marian’s Unexpected Romance
Season two ended with a kiss shared between Larry Russell and Marian Brook, played by Harry Richardson and Louisa Jacobson, respectively, after the opening night of The Metropolitan Opera. Their friendship, and small sparks of chemistry, were seen throughout the first two seasons of the show but the several suitors that came Marian’s way interrupted those sparks from flying. “What’s special about their relationship is they have the opportunity to grow as friends first,” said Richardson. “They start with a foundation of friendship before contemplating romance.”
Fellowes emphasized Marian’s independent spirit: “She wants her life to add up to more than getting dressed for the opera… and that’s why Larry is drawn to her.” Louisa Jacobson was, unfortunately, not in attendance for the press conference, thus unable to share her insights.
A Newcomer and a New Perspective
Jordan Donica joins the cast as Dr. William Kirkland, a suitor for Peggy Scott, played by Denée Benton. The Tony-nominated actor has done extensive work in period pieces on Broadway, including Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady, Camelot and just joined the cast of the Tony-winning revival of Sunset Boulevard. Donica expressed deep appreciation for the show’s representation: “It’s the first time I’ve done a show where not only was Black history welcomed, it was demanded. And it is the story.”
Donica also shared that playing Dr. Kirkland prompted him to re-educate himself: “To realize that there were free Africans in America long before slavery was just astounding. This show has been the biggest blessing of my life.”
For Denée Benton, portraying Peggy continues to be a meaningful journey. “Julian planted the seed of this Black elite world and we’ve watered it together. People are learning history—I’m learning history,” she said. When panel moderator Brent Lang said, “I’m sensing a spin-off”, Benton laughed and was very open to the idea. “If they want to be stuck with me, I want to be stuck with Peggy for as long as possible.”
A House Divided: Agnes and Ada
Christine Baranski (Agnes) and Cynthia Nixon (Ada) dive into a newly inverted power dynamic as we saw the secret fortune of Ada’s late husband save the family from ruin following Oscar Van Rhijn falling victim to a con artist. Nixon has a wonderful moment in the final moments of season 2 where she gleefully tells Agnes, “things may be a bit different from now on,” as she now employs the staff and runs the house.
“The royalty falls off the throne, it makes for good storytelling and comic moments,” said Baranski. Nixon added, “It’s fun to take these characters and put them in wildly different situations and watch them flounder and scramble.”
Ada’s rise challenges Agnes’ long-standing authority. “She’s trying to mature into this great responsibility and power,” Nixon said. “She’s thrilled and terrified at the same time.” Baranski noted a lesson she’s taken from Agnes: “She speaks in declarative sentences, says exactly what she means, and doesn’t apologize. That’s a lesson for all women.”
Connecting Then and Now
Fellowes and Warfield both acknowledged the show’s modern parallels. “We were conscious of today’s ego world where virtue signaling masks self-interest,” said Fellowes. “We want the audience to understand these people are not a different species—they are like ourselves.”
Warfield agreed: “Even though these people lived in the 1880s, the themes—love, death, marriage, power—are still the ones we live out today.” As for what’s next? Fellowes smiled, “You have as much idea as we do. But I hope we’ve created a season that speaks to people in the past—and in the present.”
Season 3 of The Gilded Age premieres June 22 at 9pm ET on HBO and streaming on HBO Max.
