What The Cast Of The Gilded Age Looks Like In Real Life

Between the fantastic performances, spectacular costumes, and decorative sets, it's easy to get sucked into the otherworldly dreaminess of a period drama like "The Gilded Age." So much so that you might temporarily forget that the actors — an ensemble of heavy hitters — gracing the screen aren't actually swirling around 19th-century New York City high society. So then, shall we have a splendidly good time and check out what the ladies of "The Gilded Age" look like in real life without the bustle skirts and jeweled tiaras?

The HBO series premiered in 2022 and, set in the late 1800s, chronicles the push and pull between New York City's old guard and the new money set, amassing mind-boggling wealth thanks to the Industrial Revolution. "The Gilded Age" was a little slow to catch fire, but it has since captured the hearts of fans who tune in to see who gave whom the cold shoulder at the opera. With the show's fourth season set to premiere on November 1, 2026, and in honor of the latest chapter, we've got present-day pics of Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, Denée Benton, and others from the cast of "The Gilded Age."

As Ada Brook in "The Gilded Age," Cynthia Nixon pairs her agreeable charm with fiery red hair, often styled in tight ringlet curls and piled high atop her head. While Ada's makeup is sparse on the show to reflect her demure personality, Nixon tends to turn up the glam a bit on the red carpet, regularly reaching for pretty pink-toned makeup that still feels soft and understated. The most stark difference is Nixon's short blond hair, which she's been rocking lately in a super short floating bob, seen here at the Tribeca Festival in New York City in June 2026.

In "The Gilded Age," Taylor Richardson represents the "have-nots" side of New York City's economic boom. She plays Bridget, an Irish immigrant and a maid in one of the city's most prominent households. Given this, we mostly see her wearing a uniform with her auburn hair put up underneath a bonnet — but she's still plenty cute. Off screen, Richardson lets her wild curls roam freely while oozing that quirky-cool girl-next-door energy that her character shares. Here, she hit the New York City screening of "Fuze" in April 2026.

Louisa Jacobson's character, Marian Brook, is new to New York City society in "The Gilded Age," and so we see her character figuring out how to marry her more down-to-earth femininity with the expectations of the upper echelon. On the show, Marian wears splendid dresses that feel youthful and energetic. In real life, Jacobson takes an edgier, playful approach to her style, which is sometimes flirty and feminine, and at other times leans more toward cool. We're obsessed with her blond '90s-style mullet, slicked back here at the third annual CULT100 party in New York City in April 2026.

In "The Gilded Age," Peggy Scott is an out-and-about aspiring writer hailing from one of Brooklyn's wealthiest and most prominent Black families, and so we see her wearing frocks that are proper yet practical — a gorgeous hat often adorning her intricately styled hair. The actor who plays Peggy, Denée Benton, is a Florida native, but on the red carpet and beyond, she's known to rock looks that exude that New York attitude. We've seen braids, head-to-toe denim, and some lovely leather looks, like here at the New York City screening of "Mother Mary" in April 2026.

Gladys Russell, Taissa Farmiga's character in "The Gilded Age," is trying to navigate her parents' newfound prominence as a teenager who just wants to do her own thing amid the encroaching responsibilities of womanhood. Gladys' looks tend to ride that line between light and girly, and mature and strong, with her brunette locks always twisted up in their proper place. In real life, Farmiga sports brighter bronde hair. She seems to like black and the occasional power suit, but she also reaches for more delicate pieces like this powder pink cardigan, worn during Paris Fashion Week in July 2025.

We've watched Bertha Russell, "The Gilded Age" matriarch portrayed by Carrie Coon, come into her own as American royalty, her style perfectly capturing high society's nouveau riche: regal yet stylish. Off set, Coon has traded Bertha's signature espresso-colored locks for the blond short cut she's been rocking lately; surely she could teach us how to style a pixie cut for every occasion. Coon has taken some pages out of her character's style book, but her own tends to be a little more playful and eccentric, like how she looked at the 79th Tony Awards in New York City in June 2026.

In "The Gilded Age," Celia Keenan-Bolger plays Mrs. Bruce, the house manager for one of the society's fast-rising families. On the show, Mrs. Bruce is senior staff, and so we see her almost exclusively in her uniform, which is always tidy, polished, and quietly elegant. In real life, like her character, Keenan-Bolger reaches for effortless chic pieces, but she's also known to whip out a bold color or funky print. Instead of Mrs. Bruce's curls, she tends to wear her bright blond hair in semi-straight blowouts, as seen here at the Lincoln Center Gala in New York City in May 2026.

Christine Baranski plays Agnes Van Rhijn in "The Gilded Age" masterfully, aptly radiating the no-nonsense, propriety-first attitude of society's old-money class. You might call it graceful dignity or old-fashioned stuffiness, but either way, that energy is reflected in her dress, hair, and lack of makeup. Outside of her role, Baranski's style is equally refined — but with lovely touches of whimsy, like the busily printed scarf we saw her rocking at the Broadway opening of "Bug" in New York City in January 2026. Another great detail of her look is her natural, expensive-looking hairstyle, which is among the blond hair color trends perfect for older women.

As the quintessential New York City socialite on "The Gilded Age," Aurora Fane knows how to bounce around society circles — sipping and spilling tea as required. Played by actor Kelli O'Hara, Aurora is always pristinely put together, regularly adorned in splendid garb busy with dazzling details. We see a similar classic femininity in O'Hara's personal style, with her regularly rocking vivid colors, fun prints, and plenty of sparkle. One key difference: O'Hara has been sporting a sparkling blond blowout lately, showcased here at a press event for the 79th Tony Awards in New York City in May 2026.

On "The Gilded Age," Dorothy Scott is the matriarch of one of Brooklyn's most well-to-do Black families and a pianist in her own right. Concerned about more than just balls, Dorothy's regality is reflected in her smart yet elegant looks. Audra McDonald plays Dorothy, and her own style is as graceful as that of her character, but more playful; she seems to like black but plays with texture in a fun way. She swung by the 46th Muse Awards in New York City in March 2026, rocking a flat-ironed 'do, one of the hairstyles that proves straight hair doesn't have to be boring.