‘We’re Running Out of Mansions’

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In Maspeth on a Friday evening in October, gray soundstage sets the scene for Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski as they strategize their roles in HBO period drama “The Gilded Age”. The shift in power between siblings is remarkable, with Agnes van Rhijn (Baranski) traditionally ruling their high-profile family. However, last season’s twist saw her son, Oscar (Blake Ritson), losing the family fortune in a scheme, while Nixon’s character, Ada, unexpectedly inherited wealth from her deceased husband, portrayed by Robert Sean Leonard. “Before we started filming,” Nixon shares with me, “we had lots of fun speculating what she would do with the house. Would she transform the elegant brick mansion into a charity kitchen?

It’s interesting to note that her character has become involved in numerous philanthropic efforts, such as temperance. During their current filming session, Ada attempts to persuade her staff to take a pledge to abstain from alcohol, which leaves Agnes rather unhappy. Baranski humors herself by repeating a joke about a British person’s devotion being split between “the queen and the bottle, not necessarily in that order,” as if she were practicing a musical piece. At the same time, the production team — even one production assistant adorned with a T-shirt displaying Baranski’s photos like a heavy metal band — expresses admiration for the dog playing Ada’s cherished Cavalier King Charles spaniel. When asked about working with the canine, Baranski mimics Agnes and replies, “I prefer not to comment.

In simpler terms, “The Gilded Age” series focuses on both minor and major events, giving equal importance to small details as it does to significant happenings. For instance, the first season revolves around Bertha Russell’s attempts to host a ball for her daughter, as well as unexpected twists like a French chef’s true nationality, a servant’s invention of an alarm clock, and Agnes’s bold decision to talk to the Russells in person.

Critics have noted that while some large issues, such as labor movements or racial segregation, are not given much attention, seemingly insignificant events are exaggerated for dramatic effect. This creates a unique viewing experience that is both comforting and potentially commentary on those comforts, depending on the viewer’s perspective.

Michael Engler, one of the show’s directors, explains that they aim to strike a balance between over-the-top grandiosity and a more subtle tone seen in Engler’s previous work, such as “Downton Abbey.” He suggests that viewers should find these exaggerated moments enjoyable but not too campy.

As a passionate movie critic, I can’t help but admire the meticulous attention to detail in this captivating series. It delves deeply into historical events, tackling subjects such as labor disputes, the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and power struggles within New York City’s most prestigious opera company. Erica Armstrong Dunbar, our resident historian and a professor of African American studies at Emory, draws inspiration from the period newspapers, especially the gossip columns – this season exploring the novel social norms surrounding divorce. Fellowes, the creator, hopes that the audience is inspired to delve deeper into the era’s history, perhaps sparking an interest in further reading. The importance of table manners is not lost on the cast and crew. Coon, our director, emphasizes the significance of holding glasses by their stem during filming to avoid retakes. Interestingly, Nixon, who filmed this season concurrently with “And Just Like That”, found herself adhering to the strict etiquette so much that she inadvertently picked up a coffee cup by its saucer while filming the “Sex and the City” sequel – an act she quickly realized Miranda, her character, would never perform!

As a cinephile, I can’t help but be captivated by the swift pace at which “The Gilded Age” is being brought to life on screen. This series seems to weave its tale across multiple locations simultaneously. Interestingly, they’ve erected a simulated Upper East Side streetscape, while also setting up distinct soundstages for the van Rhijn and Russell residences – one in Long Island, another in Newport. During the tranquil spring and fall seasons, when crowds are minimal at the beach and on the waterfront, “The Gilded Age” makes its way to Rhode Island to utilize the historic houses, with the warm endorsement of the state’s film commission and local preservation society.

According to executive producer David Crockett, the show creatively combines various locations at its disposal. For example, The Gilded Age uses the kitchen of the Elms, once constructed for coal magnate Edward Julius Berwind, as the New York kitchen of the Russell family, while a room in Marble House, built for Alva Vanderbilt, serves as patriarch George Russell’s (Morgan Spector) bedroom. Managing these logistics is complex, and the directors must strategically frame shots to avoid revealing that a character’s hallway could lead to another’s dining room, or from including any modern protective flooring or handrails in the footage. The production has utilized almost every available location extensively and continues to seek access to additional historic homes within a suitable filming range. As Bob Shaw, the production designer, put it, “We’re running out of mansions. They had plenty of parties and balls, so now it’s like, ‘How will this one be any different from the others?’

Research by Dunbar provides fresh viewpoints for the show to investigate in the upcoming season, with Dunbar herself, actress Denée Benton (portraying Peggy Scott), and writer-producer Sonja Warfield advocating for an expanded role for Peggy. In previous seasons, Peggy strived for independence from her affluent Brooklyn parents, portrayed by Audra McDonald and John Douglas Thompson. Although her storylines often carried didactic elements, such as a journey to the South to report on the Tuskegee Institute, this season sees Peggy and her family relocating to Newport, which had a significant Black elite population. Interestingly, McDonald’s character is perceived as nouveau riche by a new character, portrayed by Phylicia Rashad, the queen of Black society in Newport, who delivers sharp remarks reminiscent of fellow writer Julian Fellowes. (Despite filming in Newport, McDonald’s scenes were actually shot in New York due to her commitments to Gypsy.) “It feels like a continued growth of the work that Dr. Dunbar and I began with Julian and HBO for season one, expanding the scope on Black stories during the gilded age,” Benton comments. She was particularly thrilled to see Peggy, who has experienced hardships, display some tenderness, wear elegant attire, and participate in a dance of her own. “It’s long been a dream to host a Black ball as grandiose as the balls we witness at the Russell house,” Benton adds.

On that same Friday night at the Russell soundstage, nestled in another part of industrial Long Island, things are more opulent than ever before. In this expansive setting, actors from the Russell clan oversee massive replicas of grand ballrooms complete with colossal staircases. The atmosphere is reminiscent of an empire. Within the same structure, a piece of an opera house seems to hover overhead, adorned with a green border for convenient CGI effects. By contrast, the old-money van Rhijn residence appears quite modest.

Actors from distinct storylines seldom intermingle. For instance, Taissa Farmiga, portraying Gladys Russell, hadn’t previously encountered Benton until their photo shoot this year. She playfully admits she’s grown quite attached to her character’s lavish lifestyle. Upon briefly visiting the van Rhijns’ on Long Island for a scene, she quipped, “Wow, they got the rough end of the deal!

In the van Rhijn household, the focus is on Ada’s ascension to power, while in the Russell household, this season explores Gladys’s potential marriages. As the filming concludes for the weekend, Coon and Spector are shooting scenes of a heated argument. Coon portrays her character with the intensity of a cavalry charge, symbolizing a woman from farming stock pushing through societal barriers for her family. At the end of last season, Bertha aimed to marry off her daughter to an unpleasant British duke for his title. In this scene, Bertha dons one of her distinctive gowns (each taking six weeks to create, according to the show’s costume designer), and poses tough questions to her husband, who responds with a smoldering gaze and a sip of whiskey. The scene includes a dose of expository dialogue, which they deliver with wit. In quiet moments capturing their characters in action, they whisper: “There must be something we can do about this, right?” “Not for me, right?” “Who’s Shirley?” A disagreement between the couple is unusual, considering the Russells’ previously modern and supportive relationship dynamic. Spector shares, “One of the pleasures for both of us has been portraying a successful marriage.” Moving into a phase where they spend most of the season in conflict, however, isn’t enjoyable, he adds.

Coon and Spector are prepared for the reaction from fans. Although their characters are hardcore capitalists, they’re well-loved by viewers – people have even created RAILROAD DADDY T-shirts in tribute to George. Interestingly, Spector considers himself a socialist. “Many socialists advise reading publications like the Financial Times and Bloomberg News to understand the realities of capitalism, and I’ve followed that advice,” he explains. “Watching this show and contemplating these characters is beneficial for the same reason.” Both Coon and Spector are actively involved with the online fanbase of the series. Coon shares candid backstage photos on social media, such as one of herself eating pizza in a corset. At a red carpet event in February, she expressed gratitude to “the gays” for securing a third season renewal. “I see everything,” Coon tells me with fervor that resembles Bertha’s intensity. “I could call it exposure therapy.

By the end of October, it’s clear that the show is a significant presence in Newport. Inside one grand mansion, I encounter two crew members scrutinizing an ornate mirror, debating whether it belongs to them or someone else: “Is this ours or theirs?” During my jog along the Cliff Walk overlooking the Atlantic, Coon suggests this as a good spot for exercise. As I pass by the houses, I notice background actors in maid uniforms disembarking from buses on their way to filming. Coon shares that she took a tour of Newport homes during the Gilded Age period for amusement, believing she would remain unnoticed under a baseball cap: “And this young man spotted me and then gave me a tour because he was well-versed in the house’s history!

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2025-06-17 14:54