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You Won’t Believe the Real People Behind The Gilded Age Characters

BBG News

In the third season, which resumes on June 22nd, HBO’s historical drama “The Gilded Age,” created by Julian Fellowes, similar to “Downton Abbey,” delves once more into the scandalous lives of the affluent, showcasing their misbehavior.

The title signifies the actual historical era towards the end of the 19th century where industrial magnates accumulated vast wealth and held significant influence within Manhattan’s high society as well as Newport, Rhode Island. In this series, tension arises primarily from a simmering conflict between the established wealthy families and the newfound rich families, who have recently amassed their fortunes in the thriving railroad sector, often referred to as the “new money.

In a creative twist, “The Gilded Age” is a work of fiction, yet heavily influenced by historical events. It features characters modeled after genuine individuals who graced the grand social gatherings and held influential positions during this period. From the hosts of opulent soirees to the advocates for significant movements such as women’s rights, the following characters in “The Gilded Age” draw inspiration from real-life historical figures.

Mrs. Astor

Played by: Donna Murphy

Known for: Social gatekeeping

In the era of opulence known as the Gilded Age, Caroline Schermerhorn Astor was a prominent figure, hailing from a family that built their fortune through fur trading and real estate ventures. She was well-known for hosting extravagant gatherings frequented by New York’s high society, and as portrayed in “The Gilded Age,” she embodied the aristocracy, often looking down upon newcomers like the Vanderbilts, who were associated with the rising railroad business and thus represented ‘new money.’ Mrs. Astor divided her time between a Manhattan townhouse – where the Empire State Building now stands – and a grand mansion in Newport called Beechwood.

Ward McAllister

Played by: Nathan Lane 

Known for: Hobnobbing

The individual, known for originating the phrase “the 400,” which represented the 400 most prominent figures in New York, gained notoriety. He was among the pioneers of his social circle who vacationed in Newport, Rhode Island during the summer, thereby making it a popular spot for some of America’s wealthiest families. As depicted in The Gilded Age, he had conflicts with numerous high society members when he began disclosing stories about them to the media and subsequently published the exposé book “Society as I Have Found It” in 1890.

Mamie Fish

Played by: Ashlie Atkinson

Known for: Themed parties 

The high-society lady was recognized for organizing extravagant themed gatherings at her Upper East Side residence, countryside villa in the Hudson River Valley, and mansion in Newport. One event required guests to converse using infantile speech while dressed as dolls, while another allowed visitors to feed peanuts to elephants wandering her grounds.

Charlotte Drayton

Played by: Hannah Shealy

Known for: Scandal

During the era portrayed in “The Gilded Age”, it was scandalous news that Caroline Astor’s daughter was involved in an affair with their neighbor, Hallett Alsop Borrowe, while married to James Coleman Drayton. This revelation sparked much talk in society. Tragically, before a duel between James and Hallett could take place, James suffered a fatal heart attack. In the same novel, Caroline Astor frets about attending a social event with her daughter due to the swirling gossip surrounding her.

JP Morgan

Played by: Bill Camp

Known for: Being a titan of industry

He established a strong reputation within the post-Civil War railroad sector, primarily through dealings involving investments, mergers, reorganizing struggling lines, and debt restructuring. As per JPMorganChase’s website, when he sold William H. Vanderbilt’s NY Central Railroad stocks in 1879, it was “the largest block of stock ever publicly auctioned at that time.” Additionally, financing the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad via the sale of $40 million in bonds marked “the most significant railroad bond transaction ever conducted within the United States.

Russell Risley Sage

Played by: Peter McRobbie

Known for: Being a railroad magnate

Following his service as a Whig party representative in Congress (1853-1857), he amassed a vast fortune by investing in ventures such as the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, along with fellow financier Jay Gould, and other railroad companies. He also had investments in Manhattan’s elevated railway system and what eventually became the Western Union Telegraphic Company. Towards the end of his life, his primary focus was on financial dealings. In season 3 of the Gilded Age, he opposes George Russell’s railroad project.

John Singer Sargent

Played by: Bobby Steggert

Known for: Portraits and impressionist paintings.

During the Gilded Age, one of its most impactful artists drew significant inspiration from Claude Monet. Known for his masterpiece, “Madame X” (circa 1884), this American artist stirred controversy by depicting socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau with a loosened dress strap. As a result, he was compelled to rework the strap in the painting. In the novel set during the Gilded Age, the character portraying Sargent is tasked with creating Gladys’ portrait.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Played by: LisaGay Hamilton

Known for: Writing

Harriet Beecher Stowe, an African-American author, penned articles for abolitionist publications and became the first black woman to publish a short story. She aided fugitive slaves via the Underground Railroad and was part of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in America. In ‘The Gilded Age’, Peggy Scott extends an invitation to Harper, asking her to speak on women’s suffrage importance to the upper-class women at the social gathering.

Mary H. Dickerson

Played by: Christina Clark

Known for: A dressmaking shop in Newport, R.I.

Dickerson was the initial Black female proprietor on the thriving Bellevue Avenue commercial district. Owning several buildings in Newport that are still extant today, she utilized her profits to aid organizations that championed Black community life in Newport. With the help of a women’s league in Newport, she also played a crucial role in establishing a daycare facility.

Frederick Kirkland

Played by: Brian Stokes Mitchell

Known for: Being one of the most influential leaders in Newport, R.I.

The character bears some resemblance to Reverend Mahlon Van Horne, who served as pastor at Newport’s Union Colored Congregational Church and was the first African American representative in Rhode Island’s General Assembly. In a 1887 sermon titled “The Negro in Rhode Island: His Past, Present and Future,” he emphasized the existing racial disparity in wealth accumulation and stressed the importance of home and business ownership among Black individuals. This way, they could ensure their wealth would be passed down to future generations.

T. Thomas Fortune

Played by: Sullivan Jones

Known for: Journalism

Serving as editor of a newspaper primarily read by African Americans, he was among the most notable Black journalists in the U.S. He played a key role in editing Booker T. Washington’s autobiography, a prominent Black intellectual. His civil rights organization, the National Afro-American League, is often recognized as an early forerunner to the NAACP. In the TV show “The Gilded Age”, Peggy Scott works under him, and their sparks create an uncomfortable situation in Season 3.

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2025-06-23 05:06

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