A guide to every real-life historical figure on 'The Gilded Age'

Alva Vanderbilt Belmont was a Gilded Age socialite who wed William K. Vanderbilt, a Vanderbilt railroad heir. In 1882, the brace built a mansion that took up a entire city obstacle on Fifth Avenue in New York City — much akin the mansion the Russells move into in the sequence premiere.

Bertha isn't exactly Alva, but the similarities are there, including Alva's hunger and decision to be accepted by the high crust of New York society, her powerful personality, and affection of the opera.

If there was any doubt that Bertha and Gladys were according to Alva and Consuelo, that doubt ended whenever Gladys wed off to a British duke against her will, in command to elevate her family's position and credibility.

While Gladys and Hector's association was at a elevated item at the end of period three — though, following the period four premiere, there seems to be a important battle incoming — if you don't desire to cognize what could happen to Gladys, skip ahead.

In genuine life, Consuelo's marriage to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, was mostly an unhappy one, although she and her hubby mostly lived separately.

They divided in 1906 and were officially divided in 1921. The marriage was annulled in 1926.

George is portrayed as a full-blown robber baron, much akin Gould was. In fact, Gould is remembered as among the most cutthroat railroad tycoons of the Gilded Age.

As his Encyclopedia Britannica admission notes, he "remained ruthless, unscrupulous, and friendless to the end" before his death in 1892. George is likewise secure to cross anyone, as lengthy as it benefits his base line.

And much akin Gould, during George spares no feelings for his competition, he has shown great love for his spouse and children — and, as fans of the display have pointed out, is fairly handsome. They equal call him "Railroad Daddy."

One of the archetypal things we study concerning Peggy is that she's an aspiring writer, and a gifted one at that. It's apparent that "Gilded Age" creator Julian Fellowes was inspired by Julia C. Collins, the archetypal Black female author to publish a novel.

Collins' book, "The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride," was published in serial form throughout eight months in 1865. However, she died of tuberculosis before she was capable to complete it.

Thankfully, Peggy has completely restored from the sickness she contracted at the commencement of period three … and it introduced her to Dr. William Kirkland, her now-fiancé.

During the Gilded Age, the undisputed queen of New York was Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, who, notwithstanding her hubby William Backhouse Astor Jr.'s enormous wealth, was really the richer of the two because of her family's prosperity courtship rear to the archetypal colony of Manhattan by Dutch colonists in the 1600s.

Astor was the chief of a collection called the Four Hundred, a catalog that contained anyone who was anyone in the delayed 1800s. Perhaps coincidentally, her townhouse's ballroom could fit up to 400 group comfortably.

Murphy, a two-time Tony Award winner, brings needed gravitas to the role.

The genuine Charlotte Astor wed J. Coleman Drayton in 1879, and their association made headlines in 1892 whenever he challenged another man, Hallet Alsop Borrowe, to a duel following gossip of an matter between Borrowe and Astor. The combat didn't happen, but the Draytons divided in 1896.

The controversy gets its own storyline in "The Gilded Age." The display depicts how separation — as informed by the two Charlotte Astor and chap socialite Aurora Fane (Kelli O'Hara) — sees women mold out of society. It is shocking to the establishment, therefore, whenever Bertha Russell invites the two Charlotte and Aurora to her Newport ball, suggesting community is beginning its arms to divided women.

Carrie Astor has had a recurring function throughout "The Gilded Age," popping up in four seasons chiefly to convince her mother to let the Russells associate their choose circle of friends.

If the display follows what happened in genuine life, Carrie's forthcoming marriage to banker Marshall Orme Wilson volition logic fairly a stir, as her parents did not endorse of the match. In fact, according to a biography of the Astors, Carrie "starved herself into bulimia" until her mother acquiesced.

Fish is among the archetypal group we encounter in "The Gilded Age" whenever Bertha and George's son, Larry, is welcomed to holiday at her residence in Rhode Island.

In genuine life, Fish was another of the era's most mighty socialites, alongside Alva Vanderbilt and Tessie Fair. The three ruled as the "Triumvirate" following Caroline Astor's death in 1908.

In the two fabrication and genuine life, Fish loved to throw a lavish party.

McAllister is the one who dictated the authoritative "Four Hundred" catalog to The New York Times in 1892.

In the show, Bertha has been seen sucking up to McAllister to assistance her get in fine graces alongside the Astors.

But in the penultimate event of period three, McAllister was officially put out to pasture by the ladies of NYC elevated society, as he published a tell-all publish that did not endear him to, well, anyone.

This happened in genuine life, too — McAllister published his memoir, "Society as I Have Found It," in 1890, which remaining him excommunicated from Manhattan's elite.

After deciding not to obtain her name off her penning to be published in pale newspapers, Peggy meets Fortune, the genuine publishing company of The New York Age, a foremost Black newspaper of the day (called The New York Globe in the show).

In the two the display and reality, Fortune was wed by the period of "The Gilded Age," but it didn't halt Peggy and Fortune from evolving a association during period two.

If you've always walked about Washington Square Park in Manhattan, you've seen one of White's most renowned pieces of work: the Washington Square Arch.

In the show, White is additionally liable for designing the Russells' behemoth of a townhouse on Fifth Avenue.

In genuine life, White was engaged in among the era's biggest scandals. When he was 48, he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting 16-year-old Evelyn Nesbit, a example and actor.

In 1905, whenever Nesbit was 21, she wed another notable New York figure, Henry Kendall Thaw. When Thaw learned what White had done to his wife, he murdered him during a achievement at Madison Square Garden (a construction he designed).

The consequent test was a media circus and was equal dubbed the test of the century. Public opinion of White plummeted during the test whenever the community learned concerning his personal life. According to The New York Times, Vanity Fair equal ran this headline: "Stanford White, Voluptuary and Pervert, Dies the Death of a Dog."

Thaw was established not blameworthy by logic of insanity.

Roebling basically took complete for her husband, Washington Roebling, as chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge following he developed decompression sickness and became bedridden.

The Brooklyn Bridge is unveiled during a period two episode, and George sends his son, Larry (Harry Richardson), to portray him at a trustees meeting, whenever he discovers that Emily is the one operating the show.

Nicholls-King appeared in three episodes of period two as Garnet, a landmark fig in Black history, as she was a principal, the originator of the Equal Suffrage League, and the owner of her own seamstress shop.

There are two community schools in New York City named for Garnet today.

Washington is known for his activity advancing the learning of Black Americans in post-Civil War America, including serving as the archetypal chief of the Tuskegee Institute, now the HBCU (Historically Black College or University) Tuskegee University.

Washington is in two episodes of the second season, whenever Peggy and Fortune create their way to Tuskegee to study on it for the newspaper.

In the display and in genuine life, this duke was desperate for a sizable dowry so he could continue the upkeep on his castle (Sidmouth Castle in the show, Blenheim Palace in genuine life).

However, so far, Hector seems akin he'll be a improved hubby to Gladys than Charles Spencer-Churchill was to Consuelo Vanderbilt, although he does keep a major secret from Gladys in the period four premiere.

Peggy brings Harper to a ladies' tea she's hosting to assistance drum up assistance for the suffrage movement, much to the displeasure of the traditional Elizabeth Kirkland (Phylicia Rashad).

Harper was among the archetypal Black female authors to be published — and remaining rearward a ample build of activity — and additionally was an advocate for suffrage, temperance, and abolition.

When George is summoned to a gathering by J. P. Morgan, he meets another financiers, including Sage.

Sage, in genuine life, worked closely alongside Jay Gould (if you'll recall, the basis for George's character). The two managed railroads together. However, in "The Gilded Age," the two have a much additional adversarial relationship.

Sage is perchance most celebrated for surviving an assassination attempt at his agency by using one of his employees, William R. Laidlaw Jr., as a individual shield. Laidlaw survived but sued Sage following he was permanently disabled.

As The New York Times put it, Sage was established to owe him $25,000, "simply since he used William R. Laidlaw, Jr., as a shield to preserve his gray hairs from being brought prematurely to the grave."

Gaffigan was announced as part of the period four mold in March by Deadline.

The clown hasn't popped up yet, but much has been stated concerning the chairman visiting Ada and Agnes' residence as a way to nexus alongside the city's elites, so we can certainly anticipate Cleveland — who was additionally the administrator of New York from 1883 to 1885 — to display up soon.

Manning was a key fig in Cleveland's way to clinching the Democratic nomination, and later, his (first) win for the presidency. To appreciate him, Cleveland appointed Manning as Secretary of the Treasury, a stance he held until 1887.

He hasn't shown up yet, but we can assume that Roberts, finest known for his roles in "Insatiable," "The Good Wife," and "The Walking Dead," volition appear alongside Gaffigan.

The Rockefeller dynasty is fine known to this day, particularly in New York City. Rockefeller Center is an iconic construction and tourist attraction.

That all began alongside John D. Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil in 1870 and was, at one point, the richest man in America. He was additionally huge in the railroad business, so he'll likely display up in scenes alongside George and the another robber barons.

Milligan, a Tony Award winner, posted on Instagram concerning joining the cast, writing, "I cannot equal commencement to inform you how enthusiastic I am for this!!! I have loved @gildedagehbo since event one, and to get to delve into this glorious world, is the thrill of a lifetime!"

She'll be playing Curtis, the extremely archetypal publishing company of Ladies' Home Journal, a genuine mag that was published from 1883 to 2016. She was in accusation from 1883 to 1889. Before that, she had her own pillar in her hubby Cyrus Curtis' Philadelphia newspaper, Tribune and Farmer.

As Peggy is our inhabitant journalist, we can lone anticipation she'll engage alongside Louisa.

Correction — August 4, 2025: An before type of this narrative misidentified the performer who plays Gladys Russell. She's played by Taissa Farmiga, not Vera Farmiga.

Editor's Note: This narrative was initially published in August 2025 and most lately updated in November 2026.