In short: Newport for the mansions, Troy for the streets, Albany for the grand halls, and Queens for the fake marble. It’s a patchwork quilt of old-money real estate.
The show’s location scout deserves a raise. They turned three small towns into the most opulent city in American history.
Next time you watch, pause the screen. Look at the background. That brick wall might be a real 19th-century wall. Or it might be plywood. Either way, it’s fascinating.
Go Visit. Seriously.
Newport gives walking tours of the filming locations. You get dirty gossip about the actors. I heard some star tripped over a train.
Troy has a “Gilded Age” selfie map. You can pose where Mr. Russell yelled at a servant. Post it with the caption, “Period drama realness.”
So there you have it. The Gilded Age isn’t filmed in a magical fairyland. It’s filmed in your backyard—or at least a bus ride away. Get out there and admire the fakeness.
Just don’t touch the wallpaper. It’s expensive.
