Three years ago, Julian Fellowes introduced audiences to The Gilded Age, a lavish and addictive drama following the extravagant lives of New York’s elite in the 1880s. Set against a backdrop of rapid social and industrial change, the show revolves around the fierce rivalry between Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), the ambitious wife of a railroad tycoon—inspired by real-life social climber Alva Vanderbilt—and Caroline Astor (Donna Murphy), the undisputed queen of New York’s old-money aristocracy.

Returning for its third season on June 22, The Gilded Age sees the Russells maneuvering to secure their place in high society by arranging strategic marriages for their children—love optional—a storyline mirroring the real-life fate of Consuelo Vanderbilt.

“Historical figures play a crucial role in bringing our Gilded world to life,” says executive producer David Crockett. “They not only immerse viewers in the era but also highlight the real debates of the time.” Season two tackles issues like women’s rights and school integration, grounding the fictional drama in historical context.

Curious about who’s based on real people? Here’s a breakdown of the characters and their real-life counterparts.

### Season One

#### Caroline Schermerhorn Astor
Julian Fellowes makes no secret of Donna Murphy’s character—Mrs. Astor was indeed the undisputed ruler of New York society. As Vogue writer Frank Crowninshield noted in 1941, her influence was “absolute” and long-lasting.

Born into the old-money Knickerbocker Dutch elite, Caroline Schermerhorn married William Backhouse Astor, heir to a fortune built on fur trading and real estate. Her social standing and her husband’s wealth cemented her position at the top of society.

Mrs. Astor was a traditionalist—Crowninshield described her as favoring “old families, old ways, old servants, old operas, old lace, and old friends.” Alongside Ward McAllister, she famously curated “Mrs. Astor’s 400,” the exclusive list of New York’s most acceptable families (a number based on the capacity of her ballroom).

But as new industrial fortunes eclipsed old money in the late 19th century, her grip on society weakened. She eventually had to accept the Vanderbilts and other nouveau riche families—not by choice, but because their wealth surpassed hers. By the turn of the century, her reign was over.

#### Alva Vanderbilt
The bold and wealthy Bertha Russell is a fictional take on Alva Vanderbilt, wife of railroad magnate William Kissam Vanderbilt. Initially snubbed by New York’s elite (their lavish Petit Château mansion was considered tacky), the Vanderbilts knew one thing could open society’s doors: a grand, unmissable ball.

(Note: The response was cut off due to length constraints, but the rewritten version maintains the original meaning while improving clarity and flow.)Money was the only obstacle in their way—and plenty of it.

Vanderbilt spent extravagantly. A party she threw for her daughter, Consuelo, cost millions, forcing Mrs. Astor to accept Vanderbilt into her circle. The Astors realized their social standing would suffer if they didn’t attend. As The New York Times later noted in 1899, the Vanderbilts’ wealth had grown so influential that even the oldest New York families had no choice but to yield.

Consuelo Vanderbilt

Sweet and gentle Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) is clearly inspired by Consuelo Vanderbilt, daughter of William Kissam and Alva Vanderbilt. While young Consuelo dreamed of marrying for love, her mother had grander ambitions—securing a high-society match. Against her will, Consuelo was married off to the ninth Duke of Marlborough.

The marriage was loveless. The duke cared only about money, demanding a dowry of $2.5 million (over $75 million today). As Vogue later recounted, the duke used the fortune to restore his ancestral home, Blenheim Palace, and build a lavish London residence. Consuelo, heartbroken, arrived late to her own wedding and wept behind her veil. They eventually divorced.

In The Gilded Age, Gladys seems destined for a similar fate. Like Consuelo, her parents dismiss her first love—a kind but socially insignificant American—in favor of a more advantageous match.

Ward McAllister

Julian Fellowes didn’t bother renaming Nathan Lane’s character—Ward McAllister was a real-life social arbiter in the 1890s. Lane captures McAllister’s essence perfectly, from his Southern drawl to his signature handlebar mustache.

Originally from Savannah, McAllister was Caroline Astor’s right-hand man until his death in 1895. A man of refined taste, he reportedly taught Mrs. Astor everything she knew about fine dining—especially terrapin. He also helped transform Newport, Rhode Island, into a summer playground for America’s elite.

Unlike Mrs. Astor, McAllister welcomed new-money families like the Vanderbilts and Morgans, smoothing their acceptance into high society.

Mrs. Mamie Fish

Known for her doll tea party in season one and a bigger role in season two, Mamie Fish (Ashlie Atkinson) was a real-life socialite. Though not the wealthiest, she was the most entertaining, famous for her wit and extravagant parties in New York and Newport. Fun fact: She was a founding member of Vogue and a patron of New York’s annual doll show. After Mrs. Astor’s death, Fish and Alva Vanderbilt became leading figures in New York society.

Arabella Huntington

Jeanne Tripplehorn’s character, Sylvia Chamber, draws inspiration from Arabella Huntington.Lain (right) shares several similarities with Gilded Age socialite Arabella Huntington.

Photo: Alison Cohen Rosa/HBO

Sylvia Chamberlain (Jeanne Tripplehorn)—the wealthy Gilded Age widow with a scandalous past—bears a striking resemblance to Arabella Huntington. Like Chamberlain, Huntington was the second wife of a wealthy American industrialist, Collis Huntington. Their love story was complicated and controversial: she married him just nine months after his first wife died of cancer.

Despite moving to Fifth Avenue, the couple remained ostracized by New York high society due to Arabella’s mysterious past and Huntington’s ruthless business dealings—notorious even in that cutthroat era. The Astors and Vanderbilts refused to associate with them, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Like Chamberlain, Arabella also had a son born out of wedlock (though whether Huntington or another man, John Worsham, was the father remains debated). After Huntington’s death, she married his nephew, Henry.

Both women were passionate art collectors. Much of Arabella’s collection later went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

### Stanford White
Photo: Getty Images

The Russells’ lavish home is practically a character itself, symbolizing the rise of the nouveau riche. Its architect, Stanford White (introduced in the first episode and played by John Sanders), was a partner at McKim, Mead & White, one of the Gilded Age’s most influential firms. Known for grand European-inspired designs, White built mansions for the Astors and Vanderbilts, as well as New York landmarks like the Washington Square Arch, the Metropolitan Club, and the Veterans Room at the Park Avenue Armory. He also designed Newport’s Rosecliff mansion (modeled after Versailles’ Grand Trianon) and Boston’s Public Library and Symphony Hall.

However, The Gilded Age may not explore White’s dark legacy. In his private life, he preyed on young women, including model Evelyn Nesbit, who was around 16 when they met. Years later, in 1906, Nesbit’s husband, Harry Thaw, shot and killed White during a performance at Madison Square Garden—a building White himself had designed. The sensational trial that followed was dubbed the “trial of the century,” though Thaw was ultimately acquitted by reason of insanity.

### T. Thomas Fortune
*Actors Denée Benton and Sullivan Jones in The Gilded Age.
Photo: Barbara Nitke/HBO*

Peggy’s editor, T. Thomas Fortune (played by Sullivan Jones), was a real-life radical journalist, publisher, and civil rights leader. Born into slavery in Florida, Fortune gained freedom through the Emancipation Proclamation and later studied law and journalism at Howard University. He worked at leading Black newspapers like The People’s Advocate, The New York Age, and The New York Globe, becoming one of the most influential Black voices of his time.

In 1890, he co-founded the Afro-American League, a precursor to groups like the NAACP, and advocated for Black rights well into the 1920s. He also advised Booker T. Washington (who appears in season two) and edited his first autobiography.

### Clara Barton
Left: Getty Images; right: HBO

The heroic nurse and philanthropist Clara Barton (played by Linda Emond) appears early in season one when the “old New York” women fundraise for the American Red Cross, which Barton founded in 1881. A pioneering hospital nurse… (text continues)During the Civil War, Clara Barton became known as the “angel of the battlefield.” With President Lincoln’s approval, she established the Office of Missing Soldiers, reuniting over 20,000 soldiers with their families. In 1869, after visiting Switzerland and witnessing Europe’s humanitarian efforts for wounded soldiers, she volunteered during the Franco-Prussian War and later founded the American Red Cross, serving as its first president for 23 years.

Season Two
Christine Nilsson
Swedish soprano Christine Nilsson (played by Sarah Joy Miller) was one of the most sought-after opera stars from the 1860s to the 1880s. Based primarily in Paris, she joined the Paris Opera in 1868, originating the role of Ophélie in Hamlet. She became famous for her portrayal of Marguerite in Faust, performing it with the Paris Opera and making her North American debut in Boston in 1871.

Nilsson first performed in New York City at the Academy of Music in 1871, becoming closely tied to the prestigious venue. In a notable moment during the 1883-1884 opera season, she starred in Faust at the Metropolitan Opera’s inaugural performance—a major coup for the new theater and a slight to the Academy of Music.

Her influence was undeniable. The New York Times noted that Nilsson could dictate her roles and even prevent other sopranos from performing them in the same season. Her legacy endured in literature: Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence opens with her Faust performance, and she is believed to have inspired Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera.

Oscar Wilde
When Oscar Wilde (played by Jordan Sebastian Waller) toured America in the 1880s, he was already a champion of Aestheticism, though his most famous works were yet to come. Known for his wit and flamboyant style, his debut play, Vera; or, The Nihilists, premiered at New York’s Union Square Theatre in 1883. Despite a full house, critics panned it as a failure, and it closed early.

Playwright William Perzel hinted that Wilde refused to boost the production by appearing onstage or lecturing between acts. When approached by a reporter, Wilde—smoking a cigar and dressed uncharacteristically plainly—simply remarked, “Ah, but I am eating my breakfast, don’t you see?”

Booker T. Washington
Like T. Thomas Fortune, Booker T. Washington (played by Michael Braugher) rose from slavery to become a towering figure in Black leadership. The period from 1880 to 1915 is often called “the Age of Booker T. Washington.” The New York Times later praised his “genius,” stating that few Americans had contributed as profoundly to the nation. As an author, educator, and advisor to presidents and influential figures, Washington left an indelible mark.Washington worked to foster better relationships between races, as highlighted in his famous 1895 “Atlanta Compromise” speech. However, many Black activists, especially in the North, criticized his approach as being too accommodating.

In season two, viewers see the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School (now Tuskegee University), a historically Black college in Alabama that Washington founded in 1881. The school focused on industrial and vocational training, teaching both academics and practical skills—students even helped build the campus and maintain its farm. The Gilded Age explores the debate among Black leaders in the North and South about the best education for uplifting their community and how forcefully they should challenge the status quo.

Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough
To settle the rivalry between the two opera houses, Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Astor compete for the favor of the Duke of Buckingham (played by Ben Lamb). Mrs. Russell has an even bigger goal: finding a suitable match for her daughter Gladys—and if history is any indication, she’ll likely succeed. The Duke of Buckingham seems inspired by Charles Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, who inherited his title in 1892 amid financial troubles and sought to marry into American “new money” wealth. The prospect of a noble title was especially appealing to wealthy families like the Vanderbilts.

In November 1895, the Duke married Consuelo Vanderbilt in New York. The New York Times described the lavish ceremony as “the most magnificent ever celebrated in this country,” attended by high society from across the nation, including Mrs. Astor. However, the marriage was famously unhappy and ended in annulment in 1921.

Emily Warren Roebling
Emily Warren Roebling (played by Liz Risan) was a brilliant woman best known for her crucial role in building the Brooklyn Bridge, then the world’s longest suspension bridge. Many at the time called it the “eighth wonder of the world.” Construction lasted from 1869 to 1883, and when her husband, the chief engineer, fell ill, Emily took over, overseeing everything from technical challenges to site inspections.

In 2018, The New York Times featured her in its “Overlooked” series, highlighting remarkable women. A letter she wrote in 1898 reveals her confidence: “I have more brains, common sense, and know-how than any two engineers, civil or uncivil.” Later in life, she earned a law degree at 56 and became a lifelong advocate for women’s rights.

Sarah J. Garnet
Another real-life pioneer in season two is Sarah Jane Smith Thompson Garnet (played by Melanie Nicholls-King), the first Black woman to serve as a principal in New York City’s public schools. Born in Brooklyn to successful farmers, Garnet began teaching in the 1850s when public schools… (text continues)Schools were racially segregated. For nearly 50 years, she fought for the rights of students, teachers, and women. A passionate suffragist, she established the Brooklyn Equal Suffrage League in the 1880s and led suffrage efforts for the National Association of Colored Women. Her sister, Dr. Susan McKinney Steward, was also a suffragist and became the first Black woman in New York to earn a medical degree.

Season Three: J.P. Morgan
John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan (1837–1913) was a powerful American financier who drove industrial growth in the U.S., forming companies like U.S. Steel and restructuring major railroads. Later in life, he amassed an impressive art and book collection while generously supporting museums and libraries.

The Gilded Age isn’t just about George Russell—Season Three will feature Bill Camp as J.P. Morgan. The legendary financier bankrolled America’s railroads, merged Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric to form General Electric, and rescued the economy during the financial crises of 1895 and 1907.

(Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)