"Who's Who in The Gilded Age? Understanding Russell & Van Rhijn-Brook Family Connections"

 Summary

• The Gilded Age explores the clash between old money families, like the van Rhijns, and new money families, like the Russells, during the industrial revolution.
• The social scheming between the van Rhijns and the Russells intensifies due to their houses facing each other on coveted 61st street.
• The characters in The Gilded Age, such as Bertha Russell and Agnes van Rhijn, navigate the complexities of high society and are driven by ambition, power, and the desire to protect their legacy.

At the crescendo of industrial innovation and unprecedented capital growth in the United States, Max's The Gilded Age examines the machinations of two prominent New York families; the van Rhijn-Brooks and the Russells.

 Led by stately matriarch Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), the van Rhijns are considered old money because they can trace their ancestors all the way back to the Mayflower. They are the closest thing to aristocrats that America has, while Bertha and George Russell are considered new money because Mr. Russell's railroad empire has afforded them the wealth to purchase a place in an established society.

The industrial revolution that led to the prosperous era in American history known as the Gilded Age saw the dismantling of many longstanding cultural norms, but not everyone was pleased with the tides of change eroding their sphere of influence. 

Prominent families like the van Rhijns sought to be gatekeepers, but families like the Russells only saw their prejudice as antiquated and their efforts to exclude them as a challenge. The social scheming between the van Rhijns and the Russells is made worse by the fact that their houses face one another on coveted 61st street, generating enough melodrama for The Gilded Age's season 2 and a possible season 3.

The Gilded Age's Russell Family Tree

The expression, "behind every man is a great woman" might have originated with Bertha Russell, the ambitious and indefatigable matriarch of the Russell family. Since the moment she moved onto 61st Street and into her completed palace, she set her sights on becoming part of New York City's most elite circle of socialites despite being considered "new money." The coded subtext inherent to any social engagement or interaction does not escape Mrs. Russell, who views society as one big game of chess, and she means to win at any cost, particularly against opponents like Agnes van Rhijn and Mary Astor.

George Russell (Morgan Spector)

A captain of industry, George Russell is the patriarch of the Russell family, husband to Bertha, and father to Larry and Gladys. A railroad magnate who made his fortune transporting precious resources and materials all across the country, his business acumen is only rivaled by his love for his family. Like Mrs. Russell, he enjoys outmaneuvering his rivals in business and showcasing his superiority in the realms of finance and venture capitalism, but beneath his driven exterior, he's a surprising romantic.

Larry Russell (Harry Richardson)

The son of George and Bertha Russell and elder brother of Gladys Russell, Larry Russell is not quite as savvy in navigating society as his parents, but what he lacks in tact he makes up for in vision. After returning from Harvard, the dashing Russell heir sets his sights on becoming a prominent architect while networking with all the right people. Unlike his parents, he's less concerned with appearances and means to chart his own path, which has led him to woo the alluring widow Mrs. Blaine and possibly Marian Brook.

Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga)

Gladys Russell is the youngest child of George and Bertha Russell and, as such, unlike her older brother Larry, doesn't enjoy nearly as much freedom. Eager to make her society debut and mingle with the upper echelons, Gladys feels as though she's trapped in a gilded cage, never to have agency over the affairs of her own life. Gladys has a much better relationship with her father than her mother, who she sees as not only overbearing but lacking in real affection, and whose dictatorial rules have been the primary reason she entertained marrying Oscar van Rhijn and getting out of the house.

Daphne Bridgerton and Gladys Russell are both of age to be presented to society. So why is Daphne allowed to make her debut, while Gladys has to wait?

Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski)

Known as the imperious grand dame of 61 Street and Fifth Avenue, Agnes van Rhijn has been the matriarch of the van Rhijn family since her late husband's death and presides over its good name and fortune with impunity and strength. Extremely critical of anyone who seeks to enter society without adhering to its unspoken rules, she is an enforcer for the old guard and views the Russell family as not only tawdry but a menace that threatens her legitimacy and influence. She is less compassionate than her sister Ada Brook, and keeps a watchful eye over her niece Marian Brook as she navigates society's perilous waters.

Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon)

Ada Brook is Agnes' younger sister and aunt to Marian Brook, and while she's part of the old guard, she has a more compassionate temperament. Operating as the moral center of the van Rhijn-Brook household, she must keep the peace as Agnes and Marian butt heads over how to properly move in society without incurring a questionable reputation. Though she's never been married herself and is considered a "spinster" by the standards of her era, she hopes to one day find love but lives vicariously through her niece and the rest of the young women who have boundless opportunities ahead of them.

Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson)

Marian Brook is new to New York City, but thanks to being the niece of Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook, she has all the benefits of being descended from old money.

 Despite being from "old New York" she's determined to change the customs of its elite, particularly in her friendship with Peggy Scott, as well as her vocation as an art teacher. Though she's had her heart broken, most notably by Mr. Raikes, Marian believes that her chance for a love match hasn't yet passed her by, though a burgeoning relationship with Larry Russell could certainly threaten the dynamic of the van Rhijn household.

Oscar Van Rhijn (Blake Ritson)

Despite being the heir to the van Rhijn fortune and Agnes' prodigal son in The Gilded Age, Oscar van Rhijn walks a thin line between maintaining his social status and developing a reputation as a man about town. Oscar knows that eventually, he will need to marry a respectable woman his mother approves of and begin a family in order to maintain the legacy of the van Rhijns, but doing so means he will have to conceal the fact that he's gay and suppress his own personal happiness. He attempts to propose to Gladys Russell but Mr. Russell puts a stop to that, forcing him to seek a solution elsewhere.