The Gilded Age is upgrading 13 of its recurring cast members to series regulars heading into season 2. The HBO historical drama series premiered on January 24, 2022, and follows life in New York City during the United States’ titular Gilded Age and the boom years of the 1880s. The show observes the dynamic between various social classes, where resistance to change by the old money establishment creates conflict, and characters such as Marian Brook discover the harsh realities of society’s elite. After a successful debut and positive reception, the television network announced the renewal of The Gilded Age back in February, and main cast members Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Louisa Jacobson, Taissa Farmiga, Morgan Spector, and Carrie Coon are all set to return.
Now, Deadline reveals that The Gilded Age is enlarging its main cast list, creating 24 series regulars by promoting 13 recurring actors from season 1. Kelli O’Hara, Donna Murphy, Debra Monk, Kristine Nielsen, Taylor Richardson, Ben Ahlers, Kelley Curran, Douglas Sills, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Michael Cerveris, Erin Wilhelmi, Patrick Page, and Sullivan Jones have all been upgraded to regulars for season 2 of the show.
This cast announcement comes after the confirmation that former series regular Thomas Cocquerel would not be returning. The change in roles also suggests that The Gilded Age may begin to further explore the downstairs stories, those of the servant class. Creator Julian Fellowes recently discussed season 2, and while he did not give much away, he did tease that the scripts were being written and that they could change before any finalizations. Audiences can continue to wager on potential new storylines and look forward to seeing more of these cast members on screen when The Gilded Age returns to HBO.
