<i>The Gilded Age</i> Season 3: Everything We Know

The Gilded Age has been a big hit for HBO and the network confirmed a third season just days after the second one finished airing. The Julian Fellowes creation follows old New York families with tons of money as they go through a huge cultural shift that changes their futures—and the future of the city itself.

The critically acclaimed show received a total of six Emmy award nominations for its second season, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Period Costumes for a Series. Carrie Coon, who plays Bertha Russell, was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Christine Baranski, Agnes Van Rhijn in the show, received Outstanding Supporting Actress.

The Gilded Age’s only other nomination came in 2022, when they were in the running for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program. They ended up taking the prize home that night.

Here’s what we know about the epic show’s third season so far.

The Gilded Age will return in June 2025, HBO confirms, but the exact release date is not yet public. The news arrived with a handful of first-look photos from season 3.

The network previously announced season 3 would premiere in 2025 in the sizzle reel below, including a few glimpses of new scenes.

In April 2025, HBO announced the official logline for season 3:

“The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic and social change, when empires were built, but no victory came without sacrifice. Following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society. Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn’t ruin him first. Across the street, the Brook household is thrown into chaos as Agnes refuses to accept Ada’s new position as lady of the house. Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear.”

At the end of season 2, it was revealed that Ada inherited a whole lot of money, meaning the Brook family is saved and her own power is on the rise. The Russell family is also struggling with the conflict between Gladys and Bertha. With a new rich family appearing on the scene (see casting below), it looks like more machinations and money moves are on the horizon.

In an August 2024 interview with Deadline, Christine Baranski hinted at a comical turn for her character mixed with the pathos of coming down in society.

“She’s suddenly not the head of the household, which you can tell from the way season 2 ended, that this proud haughty lady who was used to being number one is suddenly not that,” said Baranski. “So that fall from grace and that fall from power, that’s always such a delicious thing to play, and the fall of a King is just as exciting as the rise. So it makes for a lot of humor, I think, her having to eat humble pie.”

There was a promise that the new season was “as eventful as season 2,” because now that characters are so well established they can get to the drama.

Baranski added, “If you think about it, really, you could do this show for 10 years because it’s all American history and how this world was. America was changing so rapidly during these years. I mean, it could take you into the beginning of the 20th century. It’s just thrilling.”

Viewers can likely expect to see recurring cast Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Harry Richardson, Taissa Farmiga, Blake Ritson, Taylor Richardson, Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Cynthia Nixon, and Christine Baranski.

The season three cast will include some new faces, like the great Phylicia Rashad as a recurring character named Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkland. Her description reads that she is “a woman from a prominent family in Newport with ties dating back to the American Revolution who has high standards and an occasionally sharp tongue.”

Rhylicia Rashad in The Gilded Age season 3.

Brian Stokes Mitchell will play her husband, Frederick Kirkland, a pastor at a powerful Black church in the Newport community. Jordan Donica will star as their son, Dr. William Kirkland.

Jordan Donica (left) with Deneé Benton in The Gilded Age.

Victoria Clark is set to guest star as Joan Carlton, described as a woman from “the old money side of New York high society.”

The Hollywood Reporter announced a number of new additions too: Merritt Wever as Monica Monica O’Brien, Bertha Russell’s estranged sister; Bill Camp as JP Morgan, who will clash with George Russell; Leslie Uggams as Mrs. Ernestine Brown, a member of the Black elite in Newport and friend of Elizabeth Kirkland; Lisa Gay Hamilton as suffragist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who inspires Peggy; Paul Alexander Nolan as Alfred Merrick, a businessman; Hattie Morahan as Lady Sarah Vere, the Duke of Buckingham’s sister; Andrea Martin as Madame Dashkova, a medium; and Jessica Frances Dukes as Athena Trumbo, cousin of Peggy’s mother, Dorothy, and supporter of her writing career.

In November 2024, Deadline reported six new cast members for season three: Dylan Baker, Kate Baldwin, Michael Cumpsty, John Ellison Conlee, Bobby Steggert, and Hannah Shealy. Baker is cast as Dr. Logan, a physician who caters to elite society members. Baldwin plays Nancy Adams Bell, John Adams’s older sister. Cumpsty is Lord Mildmay, a British nobleman, Conlee plays businessman, Weston, and Steggert has been cast as the artist of the era, John Singer Sargent, but early in his career. Newcomer Shealy is cast as Charlotte Astor, Mrs. Astor’s married daughter returning from a long trip.

Louisa Jacobson shared a post on Instagram in early July 2024 revealing filming had begun. She revealed footage of her fabulous wig getting placed on her head in the makeup trailer and wrote in the caption, “FIRST DAY OF @gildedagehbo 🥂SEASON 3🥂 LET’S GO.”

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This post will be updated.