How Mrs. Astor from The Gilded Age had an influential presence: Find out key details about Donna Murphy's character

In The Gilded Age, Mrs. Caroline Astor, the wealthy American socialite, is played by the Emmy-winning actress Donna Murphy. She was introduced in Season 1, where she rejected Bertha Russell's invitation and threw it in the fireplace. However, when the Russells slowly began to be accepted into the high society, Bertha didn't let Mrs. Astor's daughter participate in the ball she hosted. Eventually, Mrs. Astor accepted the Russels and welcomed them to the old money society.

Another instance that proves that Mrs. Astor was quite influential at that time was when she inaugurated the fundraiser for war widows and their families, run by Anne Morris and Aurora Fane. The latter showed gratitude and called Mrs. Astor

"Isn't she a marvel, the queen among her people."

To which Mrs. Astor replies,

"I have no speech beyond a simple desire that you should spend what you can to help these distressed mother nand unhappy children. I declare this bazzar well and truly open."

Mrs. Astor truly embodies the social hierarchy of the 1880s. She was truly the undisputed queen of New York in the late 19th Century. However, the fundraiser did not go quite well, as George Russell sort of interrupted it and brought everything as revenge. Mrs. Astor leaves the fundraiser as she utters,

"There's nothing to stay for. The lion has roared."

The Gilded Age's Mrs Astor's influential presence: Is Donna Murphy's character based on a real person?

Donna Murphy's character, Mrs. Astor, takes inspiration from a real-life person in history. Her character in The Gilded Age is based on Caroline Schermerhorn Astor. Born on September 22, 1830, into Dutch aristocracy, Caroline, played by Mrs. Astor, was a socialite who founded The Four Hundred. Through her marriage to William Backhouse, she became an integral part of the Astor family.

Mrs. Astor's influence in society stemmed from more than her last name. Born Caroline Schermerhorn into old Dutch aristocracy, she represented old money in its purest form. Her marriage to William Backhouse Astor Jr., heir to the first multi-millionaire, reinforced her position. But she didn't simply inherit the status; she defined it.

Her creation, The Four Hundred, was a curated list of people who mattered in the New York society. If you weren't on that list, you weren't a part of the high society of New York, no matter what. Alongside social arbiter Ward McAllister, Mrs. Astor carefully selected families based on lineage and not just wealth.

Her soirees and balls were covered by the top newspapers and were legendary. Invitations were exclusive, and being seen at one of her gatherings meant you had finally arrived.

In HBO's adaptation, we see this power play during the fundraiser event in The Gilded Age Season 1 Episode 2, where her presence silences the room, and people wait for her approval. While George Russell's attempts to ruin the fundraiser and crash the gates of high society, even his immense fortune can't guarantee acceptance. Mrs. Astor's nod is still required.

In The Gilded Age, Bertha Russell's climb to high society isn't driven by just wealth, but by Mrs. Astor's approval too. Even though Bertha Russell isn't based on a real-life character, her condition mirrors Alva Vanderbilt, who had a tiff with Caroline Astor for not being accepted into the high society. That was until Alva Vanderbilt hosted a ball so grand that even Mrs. Astor had to notice and finally accept her family. Isn't it quite similar to Bertha's move in the show? In The Gilded Age Season 2, this tension escalated when Bertha turned to the Metropolitan Opera after being snubbed by the Academy of Music. The opera war becomes another battleground, with Mrs. Astor still holding the old guard line. In Season 3, Episode 2 at Mrs. Fane's party, Bertha and Mrs. Astor have a brief conversation about the Duke's arrival.

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Also read: Is The Gilded Age Season 4 happening? Possibilities explored

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