Gilded Age Creator Reveals Real Inspiration For Bertha/Astor Conflict
Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Gilded Age's season 1 finale.
The Gilded Agecreator Julian Fellowes shares the real life inspiration for the finale's conflict between Bertha Russell and Mrs. Astor. The HBO series premiered in January and secured a second season for itself after garnering positive reviews from audiences and solid ratings for the network. Much like Fellowes' international hit Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age focuses on the lives of wealthy elites and their downstairs staff. This time, however, the action takes place in New York City rather than England, and it is set in 1882, at a time when new money was colliding with the values of old money.
The Gilded Age's finale aired Monday night and seemingly brought about a new status quo for the upper class of New York. All throughout the season, robber baron wife Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) plotted ways to be accepted by the city's old money crowd, which is largely led by real life figure Lina Astor (Donna Murphy). Bertha's efforts were constantly thwarted by those like Mrs. Astor, who sought to keep her out of their world. However, Bertha scores a major win in The Gilded Age season 1 finale by essentially blackmailing Mrs. Astor into attending her lavish ball; if Mrs. Astor wouldn't agree to come, her daughter Carrie (Amy Forsyth) wouldn't be allowed to perform the dance she had learned with Mrs. Russell's daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga).
Related: The Gilded Age True Story: Why Mrs Astor's Family Is So Powerful
In the end, Mrs. Astor bows to the pressure, and she brings a large swath of the old money crowd with her. Speaking to THR following the Gilded Age finale, Fellowes revealed that this storyline was actually born from a real incident that
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