The Cast of ‘The Gilded Age’ Is Pure Gold

As we prepare for the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Backstage is breaking down this year’s film and television ensemble work for your consideration. For more voting guides and roundups, we’ve got you covered here.

Main Cast: Ben Ahlers, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Michael Cerveris, Carrie Coon, Kelley Curran, Taissa Farmiga, Jack Gilpin, Louisa Jacobson, Simon Jones, Sullivan Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, Kristine Nielsen, Cynthia Nixon, Kelli O’Hara, Patrick Page, Harry Richardson, Taylor Richardson, Blake Ritson, Douglas Sills, Morgan Spector, Erin Wilhelmi 
Casting by: Adam Caldwell and Bernard Telsey 
Created by: Julian Fellowes 
Distributed by: HBO

Hats, parties, and petty battles all expand in size on the second season of Julian Fellowes’ exploration of the extravagant lifestyles of New York City’s late–19th century elite. In this upstairs-downstairs environment, the servants are pivotal not only to the running of the households but also to the secrets, romances, and negotiations swirling around high society. 

Wealthy social climbers continue to infiltrate the exclusive playgrounds of Manhattan and Newport. When the old money set tries to maintain strict boundaries, it isn’t long before the opera gloves come off. What makes the HBO series sing is the wildly talented ensemble, most of whom have spent time on the Broadway stage and excel at playing to a room, no matter the size.

Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon, who have two SAG ensemble trophies apiece, anchor one side of the action on Fifth Avenue as Agnes Van Rhijn and Ada Brook. Agnes has long taken her optimistic sister for granted, and Baranski masterfully lobs eye rolls and dismissive comments in Ada’s direction. But Agnes is far from one-note; the challenges she faces this season allow Baranski to bring out her character’s maternal instincts. Meanwhile, a new romantic spark in Ada’s life gives Nixon the chance to shine outside the parlor.  

Marriage is a driving force for the Van Rhijns, with Agnes determined to find a suitable man for her niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson). Meanwhile, her son, Oscar (Blake Ritson), is on the hunt for a wealthy bride; he’s increasingly desperate to settle down in order to maintain his life of luxury—and conceal his homosexuality from the world. Rather than playing Oscar as a mustache-twirling villain, Ritson’s performance contains multitudes, whether he’s firing off dry observations or giving viewers a perspective on the dangers the queer community faces in Gilded Age society.

Across the street, Carrie Coon’s Bertha Russell continues to make her mark. She goes toe-to-toe with social gatekeeper Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (Donna Murphy), whose approval Bertha sought on Season 1. 

Astor (one of the series’ few real-world figures) is all civil smiles in public, but Bertha causes her carefully constructed mask to slip. The two actors inject their squabbles with petty indignation and surface-level politeness that makes for a gripping feud. Bertha’s list of enemies also includes her former lady’s maid, Turner (Kelley Curran), an excellent sparring partner who alternately vibrates with envy and revels in her victories. 

Coon continues to share an electric dynamic with Morgan Spector as Bertha’s husband, George. They’re both strivers who thrive in each other’s company even as they face growing problems in their marriage. George’s benevolence in his home life—particularly when it comes to his children—contrasts with his vicious approach to unionizing workers. Spector excels at playing both sides of his character; he’s both a doting father and a villainous robber baron.

 The sprawling world of “The Gilded Age” only continues to expand this season. This is especially apparent in Peggy Scott’s (Denée Benton) arc as an ambitious Black writer living in an era when the odds are stacked against her. Her career takes off when she and fellow journalist T. Thomas Fortune (another real-life figure, played by Sullivan Jones) travel to Tuskegee, Alabama, on assignment. Mixing fictional characters with historical icons adds authenticity to the show. The chemistry between Jones and Benton is undeniable; their characters’ growing bond is rooted in both profound loss and the mutual thrill they take in reporting.

As Agnes’ personal secretary, Peggy is a vital link between the masters and servants of the Van Rhijn household—who, in turn, connect to the Russells’ staff. The flurry of activity in the kitchens on both sides of the street comes alive thanks to an ensemble of industry vets, including Jack Gilpin and Simon Jones as rival butlers. The series’ deep bench of regulars—Michael Cerveris as a secretive valet; Kelli O’Hara as Agnes’ other niece Aurora; and Nathan Lane as gossipy pot-stirrer Ward McAllister—have plenty of Broadway cred among them, ensuring that every scene is a showstopper.