Gilded Age’s Best Character Was Almost Completely Different

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: Denée Benton’s initial audition for the part of Peggy Scott on The Gilded Age featured a character quite unlike the one viewers ultimately see on the show.

It’s common for characters in TV series to change and develop as the show goes on. For example, when James Marsters first appeared as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he was a captivating villain. No one () could have predicted he’d become a main character and eventually, effectively the male lead. Now, characters don’t always evolve quite like that – going from a minor role to a major one – but characters on TV almost always change in some way. Otherwise, the show would just keep repeating the same storylines, and viewers wouldn’t enjoy that (even Lucy Ricardo experienced several changes throughout the years).

It’s unusual to see a character develop significantly before they’ve even been featured in an episode. It’s even more uncommon when that development happens because the actor playing the role pushes the show’s creator to improve the writing. That’s precisely what occurred with Denée Benton and her character, Peggy Scott, on The Gilded Age. (I may have exaggerated a bit in the headline, so feel free to disagree if you don’t think Peggy is the best character on the show, but she’s definitely among the top contenders. Benton’s portrayal makes Peggy an EXCELLENT character).

What was Peggy Scott’s original role going to be on The Gilded Age?

Initially, Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, envisioned The Gilded Age as a backstory to Downton Abbey, depicting how Cora encountered and wed The Earl of Grantham (though the two series aren’t officially linked now, Fellowes remains involved). The plan was to showcase two New York families, mirroring how Downton Abbey focused on a single aristocratic household – by highlighting both the wealthy residents and those who served them. Therefore, the roles of the servants were always intended to be significant, though not as central as they were in Downton Abbey, because this series follows TWO families.

The show primarily revolves around Marion Brook, a young woman who relocates to New York City in the 1880s to live with her wealthy aunts. Consequently, the characters around Marion were meant to support her story, and while they would have their own side plots, their main function was to relate to Marion’s journey. This was the original intention for Peggy Scott, the African-American woman who Marion befriends and brings to New York, where she becomes a personal secretary to Marion’s aunt, Agnes. However, Denée Benton, the actor cast as Peggy, envisioned the character differently, and surprisingly, Julian Fellowes embraced her new perspective!

How did Denée Benton change Peggy Scott’s character?

I was reading an interview with D’Arcy Benton over at Vulture, and she shared something really interesting. She said that when she first got the part, Peggy was initially conceived as simply being Marian’s companion. But, as Benton explains:

When I was cast in this role back in 2019, there were only three Black people working on the project: Dr. Erica Dunbar, a historian who is now an Executive Producer; director and Executive Producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield; and myself. Audra and John were involved in smaller roles. We immediately began discussing how we could make this show something truly unique. Julian Fellowes and director Michael Engler kindly gave me their email addresses early on – something I don’t think they regret now, though they might have at the time! I kept emphasizing, “We need to do something completely new! We have to challenge any preconceived notions or stereotypes.”

Those seeds we planted took us to various parts of the African diaspora during that period, revealing different understandings of what Black wealth meant and how white supremacy continued to exist within our own communities. We couldn’t have foreseen even the challenges we faced-those ‘cliff walks’-back in 2019. It’s been a journey of discovery.

Benton then explained how her conversations with Fellowes allowed the character to grow:

Let’s rethink this. Perhaps Peggy is utilizing her writing talents within the story’s setting too? What if, instead of working for a typical publication, she’s employed at the Globe? Dr. Dunbar possessed numerous resources, and T. Thomas Fortune was a real historical figure, so could we expand our focus? And rather than just two outfits, what if we see Peggy dressed in luxurious silks and rich jewel tones? There’s no reason she shouldn’t be portrayed that way.

We expanded the possibilities for showcasing Peggy beyond traditional settings. We continued to envision a gala celebrating Black culture, which will happen later this season. It would have been easy to create a show centered around white characters with just one Black character included. However, we were determined to avoid that trope and offer audiences – and ourselves – a fresh and unique experience.

The script was revised to make Peggy an independent character-though she remains friends with Marion-and her storylines exploring the lives of affluent African Americans in the 1880s have become a key part of The Gilded Age. It’s great that Fellowes was so receptive to suggestions!

The legend is…

STATUS: True

Be sure to check out for more urban legends about the world of TV.

Thanks to Frank for the great idea! And to everyone else, please don’t hesitate-in fact, I really encourage you-to send in your suggestions for what we should cover next! You can reach me at brian@poprefs.com.

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2025-09-29 18:10