Created by Julian Fellowes, the visionary behind Downton Abbey, HBO’s The Gilded Age has drawn audiences in — not just for its opulent visuals and historical setting, but for its sharp depiction of 1880s New York society and the class tensions between old money and new. While not always praised for its pacing, the show excels at immersing viewers in a historical world of social ambition, bold power plays and shifting cultural norms.
Following two well-received seasons, The Gilded Age returns with a fresh wave of drama and societal shifts. This article delves into all the buzz about the new season, covering the season 3 premiere date, anticipated developments and more insights.
The Gilded Age Season 3 Release Date
The new season of the hit period drama The Gilded Age will be released on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes will release each Sunday for a total of 8 episodes.
Where to Watch The Gilded Age Season 3
Fans can watch the latest season of the Emmy-nominated series on HBO, or stream it on Max.
Fans can watch the first two seasons of the series on Max, or stream episodes on demand from DIRECTV.
What Will Season 3 of The Gilded Age Be About?
In its first two seasons, The HBO Original series The Gilded Age vividly captured the sweeping social and economic shifts of 1880s New York through the eyes of Marian Brook. Marian, a young woman from rural Pennsylvania, is transported from a simple life into one of complex social dynamics when she moves to Manhattan to live with her wealthy aunts, Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook, who represent the staunch traditions of New York’s old-money elite.
Directly across the street are the Russells, a powerful new-money family led by railroad tycoon George Russell and his ambitious wife Bertha, shake the foundations of high society as they fight for status and acceptance.
Season 1 finds Marian caught between the expectations of a woman of her status and her own wants and desires, including a secret romance with a charming but calculating lawyer, Tom Raikes. By Season 2, Marian furthers her push for independence by becoming a teacher at a girls’ school, while her next-door neighbor continues her pursuit to the top of the social hierarchy, this time by infiltrating the world of opera. At the same time, the Russells’ empire threatens to collapse as labor strikes and mounting scrutiny get in the way of profit making.
As The Gilded Age heads into Season 3, the power struggles in 1880s New York show no sign of slowing down. With Bertha Russell newly victorious in the battle for opera dominance, she now eyes even loftier heights for her family. Across the street, Marian Brook continues her quiet rebellion against societal expectations, while labor unrest, political ambition and a high-profile divorce subplot promise more drama in every corner of the city.
Find the official HBO synopsis for season 3 here:
“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.”
The Gilded Age Season 3 Trailer
The latest trailer for the upcoming season proves that there’s still plenty of drama left among the high society of 1880s New York. See how it all unfolds here:
Season 3 Cast Members
Amidst the excitement for Season 3, the anticipation is high not only for the return of familiar cast members but also for the intriguing new additions and what their roles will bring to the show.
Returning Cast Members:
- Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook, a young woman searching for independence in a world where women are expected to follow a certain set of rules.
- Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell, wife of railroad tycoon George, who lives across the street from Marian’s aunt and will do whatever it takes to become New York’s most elite.
- Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn, a proud, stubborn and traditional aristocrat one of Marian’s aunts. Her son, Oscar, was born before her husband died
- Cynthia Nixon as Ada Brook (Forte), the unmarried sister of Agnes and aunt to Marian
- Morgan Spector as George Russell, Bertha’s railroad tycoon husband
- Denée Benton as Peggy Scott, a young and ambitious writer who becomes an unlikely, but genuine, friend to Marian.
- Taissa Farmiga as Gladys Russell, daughter of George and Bertha, who wants to grow up and enter high society
- Harry Richardson as Larry Russell, son of George and Bertha and recent graduate of Harvard. Larry is Marian’s love interest in Season 2.
- Blake Ritson as Oscar Van Rhijn, Agnes’ son
- Simon Jones as Bannister, the van Rhijn’s butler
- Jack Gilpin as Church, the Russell family’s butler
- Ben Ahlers as John “Jack” Trotter, a jack of all trades in the Brook house
- Debra Monk as Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. van Rhijn’s maid
- Donna Murphy as Caroline Astor, a prominent, traditional American socialite who is at odds with Bertha
- Kristine Nielsen as Mrs. Bauer, a cook for the van Rhijn family
- Kelli O’Hara as Aurora Fane, Agnes van Rhijn’s niece by marriage who takes Marian under her wing
- Patrick Page as Richard Clay, George Russell’s intelligent and quick-witted secretary
- Taylor Richardson as Bridget, one of the maids working in the Brook house with a troubled past
- Douglas Sills as Monsieur Baudin, the chef of the Russell house
- John Douglas Thompson as Arthur Scott, a formerly enslaved man who came to New York and now owns his very own pharmacy
- Ashlie Atkinson as Mamie Fish, a bold “new-money” socialite known for her sharp wit and lavish parties.
- Claybourne Elder as John Adams, a loyal footman in the Russell household.
- Erin Wilhelmi as Adelheid Weber, a young maid in the van Rhijn home.
- Kelley Curran as Mrs. Enid Winterton, a recent widow with a mysterious past.
- Audra McDonald as Dorothy Scott, the estranged mother of Peggy Scott.
- Ward Horton as Charles Fane, a wealthy banker and the often-overlooked husband of Aurora.
- Nathan Lane as Ward McAllister, Mrs. Astor’s right-hand-man
- Ward Horton as Charles Fane
- Ben Lamb as the Duke of Buckingham.
New Cast Members:
These actors are joining the series in Season 3:
- Bill Camp as J.P. Morgan
- Phylicia Rashad (role not specified)
- Merritt Wever as Bertha’s estranged sister
- Leslie Uggams as Ernestine Brown, a member of the Newport elite
- LisaGay Hamilton as Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a suffragist inspiring Peggy
- Jessica Frances Dukes (role unspecified)
- Hattie Morahan (role unspecified)
- Andrea Martin (role unspecified)
- Paul Alexander Nolan as Alfred Merrick
- Dylan Baker (role unspecified)
- Kate Baldwin (role unspecified)
- Michael Cumpsty (role unspecified)
- John Ellison Conlee (role unspecified)
- Bobby Steggert (role unspecified)
How Many Episodes will Season 3 of The Gilded Age Have?
The third season of The Gilded Age will have a total of eight episodes, the same number of episodes the second season had.
Here is an overview of the expected episodes, along with their release dates.
Episode 1 (Premiere): “Who Is in Charge Here?” | Released June 22nd
Episode 2: “What the Papers Say” | Releasing June 29th at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 3: “Love Is Never Easy” | Releasing July 6th at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 4: “TBA”: | Releasing July 13th at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 5: “TBA”: | Releasing July 20th at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 6: “TBA”: | Releasing July 27th at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 7: “TBA”: | Releasing August 3rd at 9 p.m. ET
Episode 8 (Finale): “TBA”: | Releasing August 10 at 9 p.m. ET
Stream The Gilded Age on DIRECTV
The drama of 1880s New York waits for no one, so make sure you’re ready to watch when the new season comes to HBO on June 22, 2025. You can watch The Gilded Age and every other popular HBO show, plus so much more, all on DIRECTV.
Get started today!
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Season 3 of The Gilded Age come out?
The Gilded Age will be released on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET.
Who created The Gilded Age?
The Gilded Age was created by Julian Fellowes, who also created Downton Abbey.
How many episodes of The Gilded Age Season 3 will there be?
The third season of The Gilded Age will be 8 episodes.
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