What Is Your Favorite Broadway Actor Doing on Season 3 of The Gilded Age? | Playbill

Film & TV Features What Is Your Favorite Broadway Actor Doing on Season 3 of The Gilded Age?

From Donna Murphy as the real-life Mrs. Astor to Andrea Martin as a psychic, there's no shortage of Tony winners with big personalities.

Donna Murphy, Nathan Lane, and Andrea Martin

The Gilded Age actor Carrie Coon recently told Playbill that she considers the show "the Broadway corridor." For good reason. Even though the show takes place in turn-of-the-20th-century New York, the Julian Fellowes-created series is filmed in modern-day New York, which means some of the best theatrical talent in the country are cast members in the series. For instance, Tony nominee Denée Benton is a main character in the series, and her parents are played by stage legends Audra McDonald and John Douglas Thompson. Meanwhile, Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon play squabbling sisters. It's a veritable who's who of Broadway faces.

Season one and two of The Gilded Age followed the new-money Russell family (led by Coon and Morgan Spector), who are trying to make their way into high society and gain respect from the closed-off old money establishment. Season two even had a natural theatre tie-in because it was about the formation of the Metropolitan Opera. Season three is a bit more domestic, featuring characters potentially divorcing, an arranged marriage, and some new, budding romances. Plus there's a bevy of new cast members, such as Phylicia Rashad, Jordan Donica, Victoria Clark, Andrea Martin, and many other Broadway favorites.

READ: How The Gilded Age Got So Many Broadway Stars to Join Its Cast

Below, see the theatre actors who have appeared so far in season three of The Gilded Age and scroll down for their storylines this season. Four episodes have been released so far, but Playbill will continue to update this article as new episodes are out, and new faces show up with more drama coming up behind them. Many spoilers ahead.

Photos: Broadway Actors in Season 3 of The Gilded Age


Episode 1 (Who's in Charge Here) and Episode 2 (What the Papers Say)

Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon (Agnes Van Rhijn and Ada Forte)

One of the main duos in this series are Agnes Van Rhijn and Ada Forte, played by two-time Tony winners Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon, respectively. While in prior seasons, elder sister Agnes was very much the alpha in the relationship while the soft-spoken Ada was more obedient, season three turns their dynamic around. Now newly a widow with a sizable fortune behind her, Ada rises up to become the lady of the Van Rhijn household, much to the consternation of Agnes. It also doesn't help that Ada is now passionate about the temperance movement while Agnes has taken an interest in women's suffrage, setting the stage for some truly delicious conflict, and some pithy one-liners from Agnes—including when she tells Aurora Fayne, whose husband wants a divorce: "It would be easier for you if he were dead," to which Ada responds: "I'm not sure how helpful that is, Agnes." Classic comedy, in fabulous gowns.

Kelli O'Hara in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Kelli O'Hara (Aurora Fayne)

The Tony winner had been a supporting character for the past two seasons of The Gilded Age, but season three sees her stepping up as a main player as she navigates something truly scandalous: her husband (played by Ward Horton), wants a divorce so he can marry his mistress. To agree to a divorce would ruin her in the eyes of society (and she can't very well set sail to Siam to be a governess to small children). It's a storyline that gives Aurora quite a tricky conundrum, and O'Hara the opportunity to expand all of our vocabularies with lines such as: “How strange, when I bedecked myself in these geegaws, I was looking forward to your coming home.” We're excited to get to know O'Hara in this new context!

Deneé Benton and Jordan Donica in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Denée Benton and Jordan Donica (Peggy Scott and Dr. William Kirkland)

Tony nominee Denée Benton's storyline in The Gilded Age has been nothing short of dramatic. Season one saw her discover what happened to the child she gave up due to pressure from her parents. Then season two saw her travel to the South, almost get lynched, and get into an affair with a married man (which was very Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 coded). It's a bit of a relief that season three sees Peggy getting a relatively stress-free storyline—she is gaining ground as a novelist and she is getting a potential new suitor in Tony nominee Jordan Donica (as Dr. William Kirkland, sporting a top hat as skillfully here as he did in My Fair Lady). Here's hoping this romance works out better than last season's.

Note: Donica can currently be seen in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway through July 20.

John Douglas Thompson and Audra McDonald in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Audra McDonald and John Douglas Thompson (Dorothy and Arthur Scott)

Peggy's parents, Dorothy and Arthur Scott, were on the periphery the past two seasons—which seemed like a waste considering they were played by three-time Obie Award winner John Douglas Thompson and six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald (who is currently playing Madame Rose in Gypsy). That's like putting the most talented players on the bench. Well, season three finally sees these two acting legends getting more screen-time, with some juicy dialogue to boot. In episode two, they finally get to meet Peggy's employer, Agnes, and it gave both actors the opportunity to share scenes with Christine Baranski—which did not disappoint, as they had an illuminating conversation about race and parenthood. It also gave Thompson the opportunity to deliver this killer line: "I'm not convinced good manners will prove an effective cure for 2.5 centuries of slavery." It's in large thanks to Gilded Age co-writer Sonja Warfield, who is helping Gilded Age have some complicated conversations about race that was largely absent from Downton Abbey. And so far, McDonald and Thompson show they are hugely up to the task of spearheading those conversations.

Morgan Spector and Carrie Coon in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector (Bertha and George Russell)

The Russells in previous season seemed to be a united front: obviously in love and similarly ambitious, their goals were aligned in ascending to the height of New York society. But season three is beginning to look very similar to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Coon's previous Broadway credit)—the Russells are in deep disagreement over how to marry off their daughter Gladys (played by Taissa Farmiga). Bertha (Coon) wants to marry her to a Duke, while George (Spector) wants Gladys to have more of a choice. Marriage issues seem to be a theme of the season, and the Russells will no doubt bring plenty of it (though hopefully with a happier ending than Virginia Woolf). 

Victoria Clark in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Victoria Clark (Joan Carlton)

Two-time Tony winner Victoria Clark shows up on The Gilded Age for the first time this season, playing Lady Joan Carlton, whose ancestors (as she haughtily points out) "signed the Declaration of Independence." Clark plays the mother of Billy Carlton, who wants to marry Gladys (to the disapproval of her mother Bertha). This gives Clark a number of deliciously tense scenes opposite Coon, and when she calls an upper-class party "a ghastly gathering," we can't disagree with her.

Harry Richardson and Louisa Jacobson Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Louisa Jacobson (Marian Brook)

Louisa Jacobson rose to prominence by playing the idealistic Marian Brook on The Gilded Age, who is the niece to Agnes and Ada. Though in between seasons, Jacobson has been spending the past few years doing Off-Broadway theatre, such as in Lunch Bunch and, currently, Trophy Boys. Last season saw Marian breaking off an engagement because she didn't love the man who proposed, and because she wanted her own career. This season finally sees Marian and Larry Russell (the son to Bertha and George, played by Harry Richardson), go from friends to lovers—with the conflict so far centered on when they will go public with their relationship. Let's hope the third time's the charm since Marian and Larry is as in-love as he claims (considering he spent most of last season in an affair with a widow played by Laura Benanti).

Donna Murphy in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Donna Murphy (Mrs. Astor)

Two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy's Caroline Astor has been a formidable force for the past two seasons on The Gilded Age, as the head of New York high society—and channeling Hello, Dolly! with her ostentatious hats. Now that she's playing nice with her former foe, Bertha, it seems the show is giving Mrs. Astor her own storyline. While Bertha is having troubles with her daughter Gladys, Caroline is also going through her own scandalous troubles with her daughter. She also judges Aurora for her imminent divorce, while Mrs. Astor and her husband live entirely separate lives—exposing the sexism and hypocrisies of society. Will this season see Mrs. Astor humbled? We hope so, if only for more Murphy appearances.

Blake Ritson and Claybourne Elder in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Claybourne Elder (John Adams)

The Company actor has been a recurring character throughout the first two seasons of The Gilded Age, as the lover of the closeted Oscar Van Rhijn (played by Blake Ritson). It has helped 21st-century viewers understand the complications of being gay during such a heteronormative time. Elder's re-appearance in season three, episode two, was so welcomed, with him providing some much-needed help to Oscar, who has been swindled out of all of his money after trying unsuccessfully to find a wife in season two. Hopefully this means their romance, which was on pause in season two, can be rekindled.

Douglas Sills, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Rachel Pickup, Erin Wilhelmi, Morgan Spector, and Jack Gilpin in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Celia Keenan-Bolger and Douglas Sills (Mrs. Bruce and Chef Borden)

Fresh from her Isabelle Stevenson Tony Awards honor, actor and activist Celia Keenan-Bolger returns to The Gilded Age as Russell-head-of-household Mrs. Bruce, a widow who in last season, had begun a romance with the (French-not-French) Chef Borden (played by Douglas Sills). She's been able to deliver a number of a smart and pithy line—when asked whether or not Gladys should have an arranged marriage: "Plenty of people who have a free choice live to regret it." And she gets a backstory in episode four that has Downton Abbey fans chuckling at its familiarity. Meanwhile, Borden has discovered that his estranged wife has died, giving him and Mrs. Bruce a chance to freely pursue their relationship (and hopefully unlike his counterpart in Downton Abbey, he won't be charged with her murder). 

Patrick Page in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Patrick Page (Richard Clay)

Patrick Page has played George's loyal-and-steely secretary, Richard Clay, for three seasons. This season, Richard has been given a storyline of his own to try and land a deal with a group of southwestern minors, so that George can build a railroad through their land. And here's the tension: Richard will be sacked if he fails. Then again, if there's anyone who can land a deal, it's a former King of the Underground.

Kristine Nielsen and Taylor Richardson in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Kristine Nielsen (Mrs. Bauer) and Debra Monk (Miss Armstrong)

As the Van Rhijn house cook, Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen has sported an apron and a German accent for three seasons now. And she continues to be the peacemaker among the working class characters, whether it's offering a supportive voice for Jack Trotter (Ben Ahlers) and his alarm clark invention, or when shutting down housekeeper Miss Armstrong (Tony winner Debra Monk) for continuing to be prejudiced against Peggy and her family. Monk is the stern counterpoint to Nielson's warmth, ensuring that the downstairs drama of Gilded Age is just as entertaining as upstairs.

Bobby Steggert and Taissa Farmiga in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Bobby Steggert (John Singer Sargent)

Tony-nominated actor Bobby Steggert made headlines when he retired from acting in 2016 to pursue a Master's Degree in Social Work from Columbia. But the Big Fish actor is back, playing famed painter John Singer Sargent in The Gilded Age, who makes an appearance in season three, episode one, when Bertha commissions John to paint a portrait of Gladys. And it's an educational scene for those who need a reminder that this is the painter behind the controversial/iconic Portrait of Madame X. Episode three is the portrait unveiling, so Steggert made not just one, but two, appearances on this season of The Gilded Age.

Morgan Spector and Paul Alexander Molan in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Paul Alexander Nolan (Alfred Merrick)

Paul Alexander Nolan (last seen on Broadway in Water for Elephants) is new to The Gilded Age and has only appeared in one scene so far this season—when he is complimenting Bertha Russell on the Metropolitan Opera. But his scene with Carrie Coon was too lengthy and pointed to be a one-off, so we're looking forward to seeing how he reappears this season on The Gilded Age.


Episode 3 (Love Is Never Easy)

Phylicia Rashad in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Phylicia Rashad and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Elizabeth and Frederick Kirkland)

Episode three of The Gilded Age season three sees the arrival of two much-buzzed-about characters: two-time Tony recipients Phylicia Rashad and Brian Stokes Mitchell, who play Elizabeth and Frederick Kirkland, the parents of Dr. William Kirkland—whose family "rules the roost" in the upper-class, seaside community of Newport. And their arrival not only allowed for a Ragtime reunion between Mitchell and Audra McDonald, it also opened up a tense conversation that revealed the social distance between Black families who were never enslaved and families that had a history of slavery in this country. Representation of slavery is not new to the screen, but this kind of frank conversation about colorism, class, and history in a period setting is truly novel. And we're looking forward to seeing how deep it goes this season (and for more episodes of Rashad and McDonald exchanging passive aggressive verbal barbs at each other—which should be its own television show).

Denée Benton and Jessica Frances Dukes in The Gilded Age Photograph by Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Jessica Frances Dukes (Athena Trumbo)

Jessica Frances Dukes (who was last seen on Broadway in 2021 in Trouble in Mind) plays Athena Trumbo, the sister to Dorothy and aunt of Peggy. Episode three sees Athena being fully supportive of Peggy's budding romance with William, while revealing the history of colorism in Athena and Dorothy's family. But it is clear from her scenes in season three, we could all use an Aunt Athena as a hype person.


Andrew Garman (Mr. Delancey)

Longtime stage actor Andrew Garman showed up for one scene in episode three as Mr. Delancey, a wealthy banker who rightfully tells Bertha that “I think you give these matters more importance than they're worth"—meaning her obsession with Gladys marrying a Duke. It's the kind of frank-yet-correct statement reserved for characters that will have more screen-time. And considering Bertha mentioned Mr. Delancey's daughter and her son Larry in the same sentence, and asked Mr. Delancey for his card, we'll probably see more of this banker.


John Ellison Conlee (Mr. Weston)

John Ellison Conlee (The Full Monty) made a brief appearance in episode three as an investor named Mr. Weston (perhaps a reference to the real-life British watch company?). Larry Russell and Jack Trotter meet with Mr. Weston in the hopes of securing some capital for Jack's alarm clark—and showcasing the early days of American venture capitalism. He also appears in episode four, though theatregoers can see Conlee in the upcoming Twelfth Night in Shakespeare in the Park.


Episode 4: Marriage Is a Gamble

Andrea Martin in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Andrea Martin (Madame Dashkova)

Two-time Tony winner Andrea Martin appears in episode four and five this season, playing Madame Dashkova, a medium who promises to help Ada communicate with her late husband—a perfect role for the wonderfully magical Martin. It also gives The Gilded Age a chance to showcase the beginnings of the spiritualism movement in America, and what drove New Yorkers towards the occult during the Industrial Revolution. Martin's first appearance on the show was memorable, as she shared a scene with Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon (so there were six Tony Awards between all three of them). And it inspired Ada to quote from Hamlet. Is Madame Dashkova a genuine medium or a fraud? We're looking forward to finding out. 

Nathan Lane in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Nathan Lane (Ward McAllister)

Four-time Tony winner Nathan Lane put on his best top hat and mustache for his return as Ward McAllister, a recurring character on the show and an ever-reliable purveyor of gossip. Though during Gladys' wedding, he did state, "I've decided from now on, I'm only going to say nice things about everyone." Considering the potential scandals surrounding Mrs. Astor, Aurora Fayne, and so many other characters in the show, we doubt he'll keep to his word.

Bill Camp in The Gilded Age Karolina Wojtasik/HBO


Bill Camp (JP Morgan)

Tony-nominated actor Bill Camp made a brief appearance on episode four as real-life investment banker JP Morgan, who warns George Russell that he's over-leveraged himself in his quest to build a transcontinental railroad. He also warned about an upcoming banking crisis, which could affect all of the rich characters in the show. Considering there's about to be a financial panic in 1884, 1890, and 1893, there's plenty of opportunities for money troubles.  

 
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