Exclusive: The Gilded Age season 3 bosses tease Ada and Agnes’ dynamic, Black elite storylines
The Gilded Age airs on Max
The Gilded Age season 3 is currently filming in New York City, and producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield has teased what fans can expect from the anticipated new episodes.
Salli, who is also a director on the hit series, which was nominated for seven Emmys at the 2024 Emmys Awards, told HELLO! that the upcoming season will, in particular, explore more of the relationship between sisters Ada Forte (played by Cynthia Nixon) and Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski).
Ada is the younger sister and has been Agnes’ closest companion for over 10 years. However, Ada has become reliant on the charity of her older sister, and is often submissive to Agnes’ rules and demands.
“We’ll see more differences in the dynamics of the relationship between Agnes and Ada,” Salli shared at the Bafta TV Tea Party, adding that in season three we’re also “going to get a little deeper into the Black elite storyline, which seems to be a storyline that we all love”.
Salli will be directing the final two episodes of The Gilded Age season three.
Producer Gareth Naeme also said that he believes season three will feature “more” of “all the things I think the fans loved in season two”.
“I hope the fans will love the next season. We’re doing the stories we wanted to tell,” he added, confirming there would be more of the “beautiful production value and the amazing costumes” which were also nominated for Emmys.
The Gilded Age follows two wealthy families who live in neighboring mansions on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan: the Old Money family, the Van Rhijns, and the new money Russells, who have found fortune through the railroads.
It also follows the Scotts, a prominent Black family from Brooklyn, and showrunner Julian Fellowes ensured they hired a historical consultant, to make sure that the Black elite stories were accurately told as well.
Season three will also star Phylicia Rashad, Jordan Donica, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Victoria Clark.
The Gilded Age sadly went home empty-handed after the Emmys ceremony but the cast were clearly overjoyed to be at the annual TV ceremony, where Carrie Coon and Christine were both nominated in the acting categories, and the show was nominated for Best Drama Series.
Carrie, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson and Denée Benton reunited at the ceremony, swapping out their corsets and top hats for the red carpet glamour, walking the purple carpet at the Peacock Theater, before heading to the HBO & Max reception at San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood.
