HBO’s The Gilded Age is back, and Season 3 is already stirring up drama in 1880s New York. Julian Fellowes’s show about wealth, power, and scandal has fans buzzing with its mix of fancy costumes and messy family fights. The new season started airing on June 22, 2025, and here’s everything you need to know about what’s going down with the Russells, van Rhijns, and more.
When and Where to Watch The Gilded Age Season 3
The third season hit HBO and Max on June 22, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. You’ll get eight episodes total, dropping every Sunday, with the big finale set for August 10, 2025. If you’re itching to see it early, the first episode screened at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2025, with the cast and Fellowes spilling some tea afterward. Want to catch up? Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Max, and Season 3 episodes are there too, ready for your weekend binge.
What’s the Story This Time?
Season 3 picks up right after Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) won the Opera War in Season 2, snagging the Duke of Buckingham for her Metropolitan Opera opening. The show’s all about the 1880s, a time when money and status ruled New York, but nobody got to the top without some serious sacrifices. Bertha’s chasing an even bigger win to cement her family’s spot in high society, while her husband, George (Morgan Spector), is betting it all on a wild plan to build a railroad from Chicago to Los Angeles. He’s out in Arizona trying to buy mines in Morenci, but the local miners aren’t making it easy, and it could cost him big.
Over at the van Rhijn house, things are tense. Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) is not thrilled that her sister Ada Forte (Cynthia Nixon) is calling the shots now, thanks to a surprise inheritance. Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) and Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) are sneaking around, falling for each other behind everyone’s backs. Meanwhile, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) is catching feelings for Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), but his snooty family isn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat for a Black journalist. The season’s got some heavy stuff too, like divorce—super scandalous back then. Aurora Fane’s husband, Charles, wants out of their marriage, and there’s talk it might be because he’s hiding who he really is. Plus, expect some dark twists, like a freak accident and a violent moment that shakes things up.
Who’s in the Cast?
The main crew is back: Carrie Coon as the fierce Bertha, Morgan Spector as George, Christine Baranski as the sharp-tongued Agnes, and Cynthia Nixon as the newly empowered Ada. Louisa Jacobson keeps Marian’s story moving, and Denée Benton’s Peggy is getting more to do this season. You’ll also see Taissa Farmiga as Gladys Russell, Harry Richardson as Larry, Blake Ritson as Oscar van Rhijn, and Donna Murphy as the queen of society, Mrs. Astor.
New faces are shaking things up. Phylicia Rashad plays Elizabeth Kirkland, a tough Newport socialite, with Brian Stokes Mitchell as her preacher husband, Frederick. Their son, Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), is Peggy’s new love interest. Victoria Clark joins as Joan Carlton, an old-money type, and you’ve got Merritt Wever as Bertha’s sister Monica O’Brien, plus Bill Camp as J.P. Morgan himself. Other newcomers like Leslie Uggams, Lisagay Hamilton, and Andrea Martin add more spice to the mix.
Episode 1 Recap
The season kicks off far from New York’s fancy ballrooms, in dusty Morenci, Arizona. George is trying to lock down those mines for his railroad dream, but the miners want a union, and he’s not having it. Back home, the van Rhijn house is a mess. Ada’s leaning into the temperance movement after losing her husband, Luke, and Agnes is grumpy about playing second fiddle. Peggy gets sick with pneumonia, and a racist doctor refuses to help her, which hits hard and forces her family to step in.
At the Russells’, Bertha’s pushing Gladys to marry the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), but Gladys is sneaking off with Billy Carlton (Matt Walker) instead. When Bertha finds out, it’s fireworks. Marian and Larry are keeping their romance quiet, but it’s getting serious. Larry also ditches his business partner Jack on a clock project, which stirs up trouble. The episode sets up a season that’s not afraid to get gritty while still delivering the glitz.
