EXCLUSIVE: Julian Fellowes’ groundbreaking HBO drama The Gilded Age significantly expands its cast for season two, from 12 to 24 series regulars, deepening the show’s upstairs, downstairs feel. This includes promoting 13 actors who returned in Season 1 to series regulars: Kelli O’Hara as Celebrities Aurora Fane, Donna Murphy as head of the New York Society, Mrs. Astor, Debra Monk as Van Rhijn’s maid Armstrong, Christina Nielsen as Van Rhijn’s cook Mrs. Bauer, Taylor Richardson as Van Rhijn’s maid Bridget, Ben Ahlers as Van Rhijn’s lackey Jack Trotter, Kelly Curran as Bertha Russell’s former maid Turner, Douglas Sills as Russells chef Baudin aka Borden, Celia Keenan-Bolger as Russell’s housekeeper Mrs. Bruce, Michael Cerveris as George Russell’s valet Watson, Erin Wilhelmi as housemaid Adelheid Weber, Patrick Page as George Russell’s secretary Richard Claym and Sullivan Jones as publisher T. Thomas Fortune.
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They join eleven recurring series regulars: 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, Simon Jones as Van Rhijns’ butler Bannister and Jack Gilpin as Russels’ butler Church.
As hinted at in the season finale (read our post-mortem and Q&A here), season 1 regular Thomas Cocquerel, who last season played Tom Raikes, the opportunistic young lawyer and Marian’s love interest, is not returning.
Her recurring roles for Season 2 return Audra McDonald as Peggy’s mother Dorothy Scott, Nathan Lane as social powerhouse Ward McAllister, John Douglas Thompson as Peggy’s father Arthur Scott, Ashlie Atkinson as socialite Mamie Fish, Claybourne Elder as Oscar’s secret lover John Adams, and Ward Horton as Aurora’s husband Charles Fane.
With the promotions, The Gilded Age is more akin to Fellowes’ megahit Downton Abbey, and has a more even distribution of wealthy characters and servants in the main cast. Only two of the show’s 12 regulars in Season 1 played servants; In Season 2, the ratio is 11 out of 24. This was a natural progression as the ground floor stories – and characters – grew and developed over the course of Season 1.
The promotions also hint at some potential storylines for season two. As fans of the show have suspected, Currans Turner isn’t done with her scheming after being fired by the Russells and could become a formidable opponent if she seeks revenge.
There were sparks between publisher T. Thomas Fortune and Peggy that could develop into a relationship. Another possibility is a friendship between former rivals Bertha and Mrs. Astor, as predicted by Bertha at the end of the season finale. And Watson’s secret may finally be revealed.
Recurring actors in Season 1 who are not listed as returning actors in Season 2 include a few well-known characters: Jeanne Tripplehorn as Sylvia Chamberlain, Katie Finneran as Anne Morris, Amy Forsyth as Carrie Astor, John Sanders as Architect Stanford White, and Linda Emond as Clara Barton.
Co-produced by HBO and Universal Television, The Gilded Age is an epic drama that follows the millionaire titans of New York City in the 1880s.
Here is the official description of Season 2: The Golden Age was a time of immense economic change, vast fortunes made and lost, and fierce rivalry between old and new money. Nowhere is this rivalry more evident than on East 61st Street, where Marian Brook and her thoroughly aged money aunts Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook live opposite the incredibly wealthy George and Bertha Russell. The Russells are both extremely ambitious, he financially, she socially, and they are determined to reach the top echelons of New York. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Marian’s friend and confidant Peggy Scott is making her own way in the world of the black elite. In this glittering world on the edge of modernity, will the established rules of society prevail, or will the game change completely?
The Gilded Age was created, written and executive produced by Fellowes, with Gareth Neame and David Crockett also executive producing. Michael Engler is directing and executive producing with Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Bob Greenblatt. Sonja Warfield is the Writer and Co-Executive Producer and Erica Dunbar serves as Historical Advisor and Co-Executive Producer.