How The Gilded Age perfected The Vanderbilt Family's true story despite the creative deviation

The Gilded Age perfectly captures the essence of a historical drama with its elaborate storylines that are often inspired by the real-life prominent New York families of that era.

This can be said for the depiction of the Russells, who are inspired by the Vanderbilt Family. The Vanderbilt family also went through the same struggle for social acceptance that the Russells faced in The Gilded Age.

What makes the show even more intriguing is how the creators capture the true story while using creative license for dramatization. While the creators have taken some creative liberties to make the show even more compelling to a modern audience, they captured key moments and struggles from the lives of the Vanderbilts.

The Gilded Age perfected the Vanderbilt Family's true story

In the very first episode of The Gilded Age, we see Mrs. Russell get dismissed by the families that are considered old money, unlike them. However, this does not stop her or eliminate her determination to climb the social ladder.

She is heavily inspired by Alva Vanderbilt. Bertha even mentions Alva Vanderbilt in the series. In the late 1800s, the Vanderbilts were also determined to climb the social ladder. Through the Russells, The Gilded Age tells the Vanderbilts’ story in a more dramatic manner.

A significant similarity between the Vanderbilt family and the Russells, which we also see in this historical drama, is the venue feud between Bertha and Mrs. Astor. The Academy of Music and its rival Metropolitan Opera House, were real-life contemporaries in the 1880s.

Gladys and Bertha’s dispute about Gladys’ marriage is yet another similarity with the Vanderbilts, which the series has depicted perfectly. It was made clear in the series that Gladys wanted to marry for love. However, Bertha wanted to use Gladys to climb the social ladder, so she pressured her to marry the Duke.

After marrying the Duke, Gladys begins to face numerous troubles and complications, especially related to the Duke’s sister. In the real Vanderbilt family, a similar situation took place.

Consuelo was Alva Vanderbilt's eldest daughter. She was forced to marry Charles Spencer-Churchill. He was the 9th Duke of Marlborough. This inspired Gladys' marriage in the series.

Consuelo, in her memoir, The Glitter and the Gold, mentions her wish to choose a husband for herself and also how difficult her marriage was. It cannot be denied that Gladys is facing a similar situation in her marriage.

The manner in which George Russell creates his wealth is also inspired by Cornelius Vanderbilt. The creative deviation using the Russell family allows the show to create a cohesive narrative. The Russells provide a perfect foil to bring out the story of the Vanderbilts in The Gilded Age.

Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, and Taissa Farmiga have done a commendable job in depicting the manner in which the Vanderbilts were treated. The series is deeply rooted in history. This is the main reason why the series has become such a popular historical drama.

The ambition of the Russells, their experience with the other people in society, and their frustration because of the way they are treated add to the overall storyline.

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