The Scandalous Lives of Gilded Age Elite
If you’ve been watching HBO’s The Gilded Age, you’re also probably furiously googling the real-life people the characters are based on. Some of the characters in HBO’s The Gilded Age are completely fictional. For exampl: Mr. Borden, the chef, expertly played by Douglas Sills and Ms. Bruce as perfectly depicted by Celia Keenan-Bolger. Other characters are historically accurate and use their real names. For example, Caroline Astor, portrayed by the always brilliant Donna Murphy, and the social lamprey, Mamie Fish, played by Ashlie Atkinson, and the newly-villainized Ward McAllister, played effervescently by Nathan Lane. Other characters, such as the Russell family, are based on real life characters. Who were they? Let’s explore the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s Gilded Age Elite,
Who is Bertha Russell Based On?
Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) is based on the real/life Alva Vanderbilt. Who was Alva Vanderbilt? She was the wife of railroad tycoon William K. Vanderbilt. She was indeed a socialite who helped create today’s Metropolitan Opera. She lived in what could be described as a Fifth Avenue chateau, and she hosted many balls and dances while wearing elaborate dresses and costumes. Once, she even wore an Electric Light dress that lit up with electric current!
Alva Vanderbilt had three children, whereas Bertha has two. The eldest child was Consuelo Vanderbilt, perhaps named for Consuelo Yznaga who introduced Alva to William Vanderbilt. Alva was extremely hard on Consuelo Vanderbilt, and maneuvered things so that Consuelo would marry Charles Spencer Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. Does this plot sound familiar? Alva would also divorce William Vanderbilt. Is anyone else praying this doesn’t happen to Bertha and George?
Who Is George Russell Based On?
George Russell (Morgan Spector) in HBO’s The Gilded Age is based on maybe William K Vanderbilt, but in reality, it’s probably more based on the scrupulous robber barron Jay Gould! Jay Gould, interestingly, was an opponent of William Vanderbilt, and became president of the Eerie Railroad after Vanderbilt lost control! Gould gained a reputation in the press as an all-powerful figure who could bend the markets to his will. Needless to say, that didn’t make Gould a popular man. All that being said, audiences seem to be cheering for George Russell and have even nicknamed named “Railroad Daddy.”
Who Is Gladys Russell Based On?
Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) is based on Consuelo Vanderbilt. Fun fact: Consuelo Vanderbilt is Princess Diana’s great-great grandmother. During the Gilded Age, it was popular for wealthy American families to marry their daughters off to European nobility. The Americans got noble titles and the European nobles got money to repair their estates. This was the case with Consuelo Vanderbilt and the Duke of Marlborough. Consuelo eventually divorced the Duke, and her mother, Alva Vanderbilt, admitted she forced her daughter into marriage. Will Gladys Russell also get a divorce? We’ll have to keep watching HBO’s The Gilded Age, but it seems as though Gladys and the Duke are actually starting to enjoy each other’s company! It’s fair to say we all wish them a happy future.
Who Is Larry Russell Based On?
Larry Russell is the most difficult member of the Russell family to find a real life comparison to. Larry Russell does seem to share many traits with Cornelius Vanderbilt III, who laid the foundation for the Staten Island Ferry and what would become Grand Central Terminal. Cornelius would have been Alva Vanderbilt’s nephew. Cornelius Vanderbilt III was an inventor (make anyone think of his involvement with Jack’s clock?), engineer (bring to mind discovering the copper mines in Morenci?), and a yachtsman. We are all waiting to see if Larry will ever commodore a yacht. Cornelius married for love, as we hope does Larry!
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