The Gilded Age returns to HBO for Season 4 this fall. The new episodes stream simultaneously on Max.
It kicks off Sunday, November 1, 2026. Here’s what to know about the upcoming chapter.
They created and wrote the historical drama, with Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield guiding the scripts. They executive produce alongside Universal Television.
HBO released the official trailer. That locked in the premiere date.
| Attribute | Detail | Context / Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere Date | Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 9:00 PM ET on HBO and Max |
| Episode Count | 8 Weekly Episodes | Airs Sundays through December 20, 2026 |
| Platform | HBO and Max | Cable broadcast and streaming |
| Creators and Showrunners | Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield | Universal Television and HBO |
| Historical Setting | Year 1885 | Manhattan, Newport, and Troy |
| Key Lead Cast | Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton | Returning series leads |
| Notable Exits | Patrick Page, Sullivan Jones | Not returning for Season 4 |
| Primary Filming Sites | Newport Mansions, Troy Historic District | Preservation estates in RI and NY |
What is the plot of The Gilded Age Season 4?
The story jumps forward to the year 1885. Bertha Russell has claimed her crown among New York’s high society, but the cost hit her own home.
George Russell walked away from her after she married their daughter Gladys to the Duke of Buckingham. He didn’t want the match.
Bertha got what she wanted anyway. Now she has to live with the fallout. It hurts.
She won’t stop scheming.
Meanwhile, Gladys is carrying an heir in England (though distance won’t keep Bertha from meddling in royal affairs). Marian Brook and Larry Russell are exploring their new romance, but old family loyalties will test them. They want peace.
That won’t come easy.
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Who is in the cast of The Gilded Age Season 4?
She leads the ensemble as Bertha Russell, and Carrie Coon isn’t holding back. She’s bolder than ever after outmaneuvering Mrs. Astor in the opera war.
Next to her is Morgan Spector as George Russell. He survived an assassin’s bullet in the Season 3 finale, but his marriage is shattered.
Fans noticed.
He wants answers.
She returns as Peggy Scott, with Denée Benton tackling the role. She’s juggling a major promotion in journalism while debating marriage to Dr. William Kirkland.
Then there’s Dr. Kirkland, played by Jordan Donica. He wants her to move to Washington, D.C., but she won’t walk away from her work in Manhattan. She loves the city.
So they hit an impasse.
She returns as Gladys Russell, with Taissa Farmiga playing opposite Ben Lamb as the Duke of Buckingham. She’s adjusting to life across the Atlantic. It takes time.
They return as Larry Russell and Marian Brook, with Harry Richardson and Louisa Jacobson stepping back into the parlor rooms. Their romance is finally out in the open. But gossip spreads fast.
They return as Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Forte, with Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon leading the household. The power balance between the sisters changed completely after Ada inherited the Forte fortune. Now Ada calls the shots.
And Agnes hates that.
He is back as Oscar van Rhijn, with Blake Ritson in the role. He’s working on a cautious financial comeback with Enid Winterton. He needs cash.
He returns as Jack Trotter, played by Ben Ahlers. He’s no longer a footman—his alarm clock patent paid off in a big way. He made it.
Which cast members are not returning for Season 4?
They won’t appear this year—two familiar figures from the early seasons are officially out.
First up is Patrick Page, who played George Russell’s long-time secretary Richard Clay. George fired Clay last season after a disastrous railway negotiation, and Clay quickly took a job with a fierce rival.
He holds a grudge.
Fans still wonder if Clay hired the gunman who shot George—a question that will hang over the Russell household without Clay on screen. It stays open.
The second exit is Sullivan Jones as newspaper publisher T. Thomas Fortune. He served as Peggy Scott’s early mentor and romantic partner, but the story shifted to her future with Dr. Kirkland.
Now he is gone.
They could return as guest stars later on, but neither actor filmed scenes for Season 4.
When is the premiere date and episode release schedule?
It premieres on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET on HBO and Max.
The season contains eight episodes that will drop weekly on Sunday nights through late December.
It has eight episodes in total, with each installment running roughly 60 minutes.
Here is the full broadcast schedule for all eight episodes:
- Episode 1: Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Episode 2: Sunday, November 8, 2026
- Episode 3: Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Episode 4: Sunday, November 22, 2026
- Episode 5: Sunday, November 29, 2026
- Episode 6: Sunday, December 6, 2026
- Episode 7: Sunday, December 13, 2026
- Episode 8 (Finale): Sunday, December 20, 2026
Where was The Gilded Age filmed?
Crews split production between historic preservation estates in Rhode Island and period streetscapes in upstate New York.
They used Newport for the grand ballroom scenes. Directors filmed on location at The Breakers on Ochre Point Avenue, Marble House, and The Elms along Bellevue Avenue.
Shooting inside those century-old mansions came with strict rules—crews had to lay protective runners over hand-carved parquet floors and avoid touching original gold leaf.
Slow work.
It took weeks.
For exterior Manhattan streets, the production returned to Troy, New York. Here, the Central Troy Historic District around Second Street and Washington Park provided intact 19th-century brownstone blocks.
They built the Russell mansion interiors at Gold Coast Studios in Bethpage, Long Island, and Brooklyn’s Marcy Armory.
Large-scale productions demand heavy coordination across distant historical sites—similar to the European setup covered in Where Was Masterplan Filmed? All Shooting Locations in France & Italy.
What’s your take on George and Bertha’s split? Drop your theories in the comments.
