‘The Gilded Age’: The Unexpected Inspiration for Those Brooklyn Scenes (VIDEO)
Julian Fellowes knows exactly what viewers will nickname his new period drama, The Gilded Age, set among the super-rich and their servants in late 19th Century New York City. “People will call this ‘the American Downton Abbey,’” says Fellowes.
But Fellowes goes on to point out there are distinct differences: The Gilded Age is set about 30 years earlier, and instead of focusing on a British aristocracy in decline, it tackles ambitious Americans on the rise. Plus, Fellowes has a co-writer, Sonja Warfield, who brings a fresh, young sensibility.
“Some of these stories are drawn from my life, which might surprise people,” says Warfield, who was a Black debutante. Parts of the drama take place in Brooklyn, where successful Black families live in wealth and luxury, completely separately from their white counterparts in Manhattan.
Check out this video to hear more from Fellowes and Warfield about how they joined creative forces to create this juicy drama that offers a distinctly new take on history – along with plenty of showstopping costumes and jaw-dropping sets.
The Gilded Age, Mondays, 9/8c, HBO
