SPOILER ALERT! This story comprises particulars from Sunday’s episode of The Gilded Age on HBO.
Bertha, 1, Gladys 0: Mama Russell lastly noticed her dream come true for her solely daughter within the newest episode of the Julian Fellowes drama.
Regardless of the desires of younger Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) and the intense concern displayed by her newly launched auntie Monica (welcome to the get together, Merritt Wever!), Carrie Coon’s Bertha Russell despatched her daughter down the aisle to marry Hector, Duke of Buckingham [Ben Lamb].
Right here, Farmiga addresses her character’s frame of mind going into the large occasion and what viewers can anticipate when she returns dwelling together with her new husband.
DEADLINE First, an important query: Do you get to maintain the Gladys portrait that was revealed in episode 3?
TAISSA FARMIGA That’s the huge query of season three. Actually, I don’t suppose I’ve an residence or a home sufficiently big to suit the portrait. I want I may have, however truthfully, I feel my ego would develop means too huge if I had a bigger-than-life measurement rendition of myself. After I stand subsequent to it, it’s taller than me. What’s humorous is I handed by this workplace [during production] and noticed folks standing and gawking at one thing. I walked in and it was my portrait. There have been seven completely different sizes and choices for them to select from. However I used to be like, “holy shit.” It was very uncomfortable to see all my eyeballs on me.
DEADLINE It’s very unusual to look at Gladys’ journey this season via twenty first century eyes as a result of, properly, who wouldn’t need Gladys to go on strike and refuse to obey her mom’s needs?
TAISSA FARMIGA It’s attention-grabbing as a result of I’m a reasonably impartial 30-year-old girl enjoying Gladys. Generally I simply wish to shake her and say, “do what you wish to do! You’ve gotten one life! You don’t must comply with what one individual needs for you.” However then I bear in mind it’s the Eighteen Eighties, and the corset is an excellent reminder that girls didn’t have the identical choices for freedom at the moment that we do now. It’s irritating as a result of Gladys is clearly very a lot against Bertha’s management and need to plan her daughter’s total future. However Bertha is attempting to look out for a future during which Gladys has freedom. For Bertha, true freedom for a lady within the Eighteen Eighties is having standing in society. And I feel Gladys, or for any 18-year-old, it, it’s laborious to suppose that far forward and perceive that somebody’s attempting to do one thing to your happiness sooner or later. At that second, she’s simply caught and has to comply with the foundations of that point interval, as shitty as that’s.
DEADLINE In the intervening time of the marriage, does Gladys revile her mom?
TAISSA FARMIGA I feel at that second it’s extra numbness than any type of different heated emotion. She’s been feeling a lot hatred, a lot anger, a lot disappointment, a lot disappointment these previous couple of episodes. There’s disappointment in Billy Carlton [Matt Walker] for not combating for her and never being the accomplice that she wanted him to be. And her father George [Morgan Spector], the opposite man in her life, who’s ssaying one factor and doing the alternative. He stated that she may marry for love. She’s deceived and dissatisfied, and naturally she’s fucking pissed on the mom. However I feel in that second, the pressures of the entire voices round her, the entire folks telling her what she ought to do, what she shouldn’t do, I feel she’s simply numb. She will’t worry something anymore.
DEADLINE Are her emotions towards her father just about the identical as they’re towards her mom?
TAISSA FARMIGA I feel there’s a bit extra nuance to it. I feel together with her mother, there’s undoubtedly extra anger. It’s extra of a fiery feeling inside. Together with her father, it’s extra disappointment. It’s the sensation of when somebody says, I’m mad at you, that just about makes you mad. However when somebody says, I’m dissatisfied in you, that’s simply heartbreaking.
DEADLINE At this level, how does Gladys really feel in regards to the Duke she’s marrying?
TAISSA FARMIGA Hector’s an attention-grabbing man. Gladys has been so targeted on not marrying this individual that she by no means actually took time to place herself in a state of affairs the place she may get to know the Duke extra. I don’t suppose it’s truly even private. I imply, she does say in one of many episodes, I don’t like him. However I feel she doesn’t like him as a result of her mom’s forcing her to marry him. It isn’t till this episode the place they lastly are in a room, simply the 2 of them alone, after they have a dialog. That’s the primary time she actually will get to see a little bit of Hector’s character, and realizes that he’s attempting to be simple and sincere together with her. I feel that possibly offers her a spark of hope, as a result of the earlier two males in her life proper now, her father and Billy Carlton, promised one factor after which did one thing else. So there’s only a tiny glimmer of hope of, properly, possibly he’s completely different. However I don’t suppose she has very many nice emotions towards anyone proper now.
DEADLINE Can we take a second to debate your character’s title? Did you’ve a second in season one the place you questioned how outdated that title sounded?
TAISSA FARMIGA It’s fairly bizarre. At first, when manufacturing was like, “Gladys, we’d like you.” I used to be like, “who the hell is Gladys?” It’s sort a bizarre contradiction between that point interval and trendy age.
DEADLINE The costumes have been terrific this 12 months. How has it been bodily for you? Are you nipped and tucked in all kinds of locations?
TAISSA FARMIGA Generally sure, generally no. I’ll let you know that I’m one of many actresses who enjoys consolation, so I do like to ensure earlier than I am going right into a becoming that I eat a burger and an ice cream sundae to ensure I’m as bloated as attainable. That means, after they’re becoming me for the corset and the robe, there’s room to eat on the day of filming. It’s one thing that I discovered again in season one. This season I used to be so completely satisfied. It’s my little trick to ensure on the day I would like that further brownie after lunch, I can have it.
DEADLINE What can we anticipate from Gladys within the coming episodes? Does she discover company?
TAISSA FARMIGA Gladys’ arc this season is sort of a experience. We’ve already seen this within the first 4 episodes. She began season three with a little bit of newfound confidence. She has her eye on this suitor that her mom didn’t need her to marry, however somebody who she beloved and was beginning to discover herself with. She gained a little bit of spine and individuality. After which by episode 4, you see how beat down she is and emotionally within the dumps, primarily based on every thing that she’s going via with the organized marriage and the person who she loves disappointing her. I feel her brother Larry [Harry Richardson] is likely to be the one man in her life who’s been tried and true and there for her. So I feel for the remainder of the season, it’s going to be a continuation of that rollercoaster. There’s going to be a second the place she tries to search out her footing, however then there’s going to be some new feminine energy that takes her down on the knees and he or she’s received to determine the best way to survive.
