Gilded Age Stars Spill Secrets on Ambitious Season 4

The upcoming Season 4 of "The Gilded Age" promises to be the most expansive to date, featuring a significantly larger scope with events like multiple weddings, a presidential visit, and an inventors' convention.

Production designer Bob Shaw stated, "This is the season where we keep saying, 'it's go big or go home.'" This escalation follows a surge in ratings that transformed the series from a "bubble show" into appointment television, garnering international attention and dedicated fans across diverse demographics.

Carrie Coon, who portrays Bertha Russell, expressed gratitude for the show finding its audience, noting the gratifying increase in recognition worldwide. Co-creator Sonja Warfield suggests that Season 3 was the "sweet spot" for television series, where actors and writers achieve deep synergy, allowing for richer character arcs and nuanced storytelling.

Fellow creator Julian Fellowes indicated a desire for at least two more seasons, "We have a Season 5 in us if we're allowed to do it." He emphasized that each season must be written to stand alone as a potential conclusion, acknowledging the eventual end of any series.

This season will delve into ongoing marital strife between George and Bertha Russell, with Morgan Spector noting George is "a disaster without Bertha." Carrie Coon, however, defends Bertha's actions in arranging her daughter Gladys's marriage, believing she is "a good judge of character."

Peggy Scott, the Black journalist played by Denée Benton, will experience significant personal growth, moving towards a "high-society" wedding. Audra McDonald, portraying Peggy's mother, celebrates the depiction of "Black joy on television" after earlier seasons focused on tragedy.

Ada (Cynthia Nixon) is growing more comfortable as a woman of means and head of household, while Agnes (Christine Baranski) faces narrative challenges that Baranski calls her "favorite year." Nixon also commented on the "bizarre" parallels between the show's "robber barons" and contemporary billionaires, who she believes are "destroying everything."

Fellowes defended the show's portrayal of industrialists, arguing that they "made it exciting" and "got America ready for the 20th century," while acknowledging the current societal tendency to vilidify them.

Despite long hours and demanding production, the cast expresses deep commitment to the show, with Christine Baranski remarking she "could do this for the rest of my life." The desire for continued seasons, with Donna Murphy hoping for "a fifth, a sixth, or a seventh season," reflects the company's growing cohesion and improved performances.