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Julian Fellowes created HBO's historical drama series The Gilded Age. It follows Marian Brook, a young woman navigating the social conflicts between two rich families in 1880s New York City: the old-money van Rhijn-Brooks and the new-money Russells.
The episode focuses on conflicts between the African-American upper class and their domestic staff, as well as disputes over new and inherited wealth. Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski deliver strong performances in the series, which is known for its complex costumes and plot. Its third season was released in 2025, following the first in 2022.
Deborah Kampmeier is the director of Season 3 of The Gilded Age, and she stated recently that George and Bertha Russell's marriage had reached a breaking point. She pointed out that George's inquiry on whether he was more angry with Bertha or with himself marked a significant change and exposed serious flaws in their once-strong alliance in The Gilded Age.
More about The Gilded Age Season 3
"A Different World," the fifth episode of Season 3 of The Gilded Age, is a turning point for George and Bertha Russell. They are one of the most well-known and admired couples on the program, and director Deborah Kampmeier, who directed this tragic episode, described what this moment means for the Russells and where their story may lead.
Their once-solid relationship deteriorates as their daughter, Gladys, is abused in her new marriage. Bertha urged Gladys to marry the Duke of Buckingham, intending to elevate their family's status in English society.
However, while in England, Gladys is embarrassed by her sister-in-law, Lady Sarah, and writes a worrisome telegraph home. According to Deborah Kampmeier, George's comment about not knowing whether he was angry with Bertha or himself signaled the genuine breaking point in their relationship.
She added that it demonstrated how distant the pair had grown, highlighting the terrible reality that their relationship was no longer what it once was in The Gilded Age. Renowned for her emotionally charged work, Kampmeier characterized directing this moment as both important and devastating. She said in an interview with ScreenRant:
When he says, "I don't know if I'm more angry at you or at myself," that's the moment of, "How could I let this happen? I am no longer playing this game with you." It is shocking, in a way, that they get to this breaking point. And it's also devastating; we're torturing our poor audience. We've all loved that relationship from day one. Yeah, George the Robber Baron is probably pretty awful, but we love him because of how he treats his wife, and we want that power marriage. Now, suddenly, here we are taking it away from our audience. It's quite fun.”
The shift in their dynamic reveals how ambition and power may drive even the most stable relationships to fail. Deborah Kampmeier offers The Gilded Age its own voice. She began her acting career at the National Shakespeare Conservatory after being born in Chattanooga, TN.
She mainly spent 20 years teaching acting at institutions such as NYU and Stella Adler Studios before pursuing a career in movies. Her films, including Virgin (2003), Hounddog (2007), and Split (2016), usually tackle controversial issues including identity, social expectations, and female empowerment.
Kampmeier employs the same vivid narrative technique in The Gilded Age. George's confidence in Bertha has diminished as a result of personal disappointment and financial difficulty.
Bertha may have to act in the meantime to rectify the damage, maybe even supporting Gladys in leaving her unhappy marriage. The one relationship that has kept her going throughout the series may be lost as a result of her desire to improve socially.
Under Kampmeier's leadership, the emotional stakes are higher than ever, and the consequences of George and Bertha's ambition are now catching up to them. It remains to be seen if they can replicate what they previously had.
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