‘The Gilded Age’ First Trailer: ‘Downton Abbey’ Creator Arrives at HBO with New Period Epic
Zack Sharf
“Downton Abbey” creator and “Gosford Park” screenwriter Julian Fellowes is set for a rousing start to 2022 with the release of the “Downton Abbey” film sequel (subtitled “A New Era”) in March and now the launch of his next period television series “The Gilded Age.” HBO has premiered the first trailer for the 19th-century class warfare drama. The nine-episode first season debuts in January with an ensemble cast that includes Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton, Louisa Jacobson, Taissa Farmiga, Blake Ritson, Simon Jones, Harry Richardson, Thomas Cocquerel, Jack Gilpin, Cynthia Nixon, and Christine Baranski.
HBO’s official synopsis for “The Gilded Age” reads: “The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, of great conflict between the old ways and brand new systems, and of huge fortunes made and lost. Against the backdrop of this transformation, the series begins in 1882 with young Marian Brook (Jacobson) moving from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father to live with her thoroughly old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Baranski) and Ada Brook (Nixon). Accompanied by Peggy Scott (Benton), an aspiring writer seeking a fresh start, Marian inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a social war between one of her aunts, a scion of the old money set, and her stupendously rich neighbors, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife, George (Spector) and Bertha Russell (Coon).”
“While it was a period of expansive wealth and great opulence for a small segment of Americans, it was also a time when social inequities were glaring,” the series’ co-executive producer and historical consultant Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar recently told Entertainment Weekly about the series.. “Viewers will see these different worlds and be able to connect the past to the present.”
Dunbar continued, “While ‘The Gilded Age’ is a fictional show, it’s important to ground the storytelling in authenticity. We want viewers to feel and see a landscape that is from the past yet believable and accurate. The show takes place in late 19th century America when the country was moving into a modern era. We want viewers to experience and marvel at the progress of that moment but to also understand the very real hurdles that existed for many Americans.”
“The Gilded Age” debuts Monday, January 24 at 9pm ET and will be available to stream on HBO Max. Watch the official trailer below.
