A guide to every real-life historical figure on 'The Gilded Age' show

Vanderbilt family inspirations

Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, a socialite, married railroad heir William K. Vanderbilt. In 1882, they built a Fifth Avenue mansion covering an entire city block, resembling the home the Russells move into at the start of the series.

Gladys Russell, played by Taissa Farmiga, is based on Alva’s daughter, Consuelo. In the show, Gladys is married against her will to a British duke to advance her family’s standing. Consuelo’s marriage to Charles Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, was largely unhappy; the couple mostly lived apart.

George Russell and Jay Gould

George Russell, played by Morgan Spector, is not based on a Vanderbilt. Much of the character draws on Jay Gould, a railroad tycoon remembered for his ruthless business dealings. Like Gould, George is shown treating business rivals harshly while caring deeply for his wife and children. Some fans have nicknamed him “Railroad Daddy.”

Peggy Scott and Julia Collins

Peggy Scott, portrayed by Denée Benton, takes inspiration from several real women, including Julia C. Collins. Peggy’s ambition and skill as a writer echo Collins, the first Black woman to publish a novel.

Peggy recovered from an illness at the start of season three. That experience brought her to Dr. William Kirkland, her fiancé.

Astor society and family

Donna Murphy plays Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, the leading figure in New York high society. Although her husband, William Backhouse Astor Jr., was extremely wealthy, Caroline was richer because of her family’s wealth, which dated to Manhattan’s Dutch settlement in the 1600s.

Their daughter Charlotte Astor Drayton, played by Hannah Shealy, is linked to a real-life divorce scandal. Charlotte married J. Coleman Drayton in 1879; in 1892, he challenged Hallet Alsop Borrowe to a duel after rumors of an affair. The duel never happened, and the Draytons divorced in 1896. Carrie Astor also recurs in the series, seeking her mother’s approval for the Russells’ entry into elite society.

McAllister and the Four Hundred

Ashlie Atkinson plays Mamie Fish, an eccentric social figure who hosts Larry Russell at her Rhode Island home. Nathan Lane plays Ward McAllister, Caroline Astor’s close associate, with his distinctive mustache.

In 1892, McAllister gave The New York Times the official “Four Hundred” list. In the penultimate episode of season three, New York’s society women turned against him after he published a tell-all book.