Even hardcore fans of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” may have been surprised how far Bertha Russell, portrayed by now three-time Emmy nominee Carrie Coon, went this season in her quest to climb the heights of 1880s New York society. After forcing her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) to marry a British duke to solidify the family’s social standing, she insulted her angel of a son, Larry (Harry Richardson), after pooh-poohing his own engagement. In fact, the Russell family matriarch left enough hurt feelings and resentment in her path that when asked if Bertha has become the show’s biggest villain Coon gleefully exclaims, “I hope so!”
In the season finale, Bertha’s shepherding of the Newport Ball supersedes attending to her husband, George (Morgan Spector), still recovering from an assassination attempt. Her choices culminate in a bombshell that Coon sort of saw coming. She believed creator Julian Fellowes and his writing team were setting it up all season.
“Bertha has not stopped and taken stock of the impact of her choices, and therefore it feels out of the blue,” Coon says of the third season’s deliciously melodramatic confrontation between the usually closely allied spouses. “But anybody that’s had that conversation in a breakup knows that those things are never out of the blue.
“She’s very persuasive or coercive, depending on how you feel about her. She feels as though she’s blindsided by it when the audience knows very well that this controversy has been building. That’s just dramatic irony. That’s just good tension.”
She clarifies, “I don’t know what will happen to George and Bertha. I know that Bertha is relentless, and she won’t give up. But what I love too is that George has had a near-death experience, which is very jarring, and he is starting to question his own life, his own choices. And I think it’s actually quite complicated that he’s struggling so mightily, even though we know historically their marriage has been very solid, very honest, very sexy.”
Just a few months ago, Coon was an integral part of another pop culture sensation, Mike White’s “The White Lotus.” Her performance as Laurie, a divorced New York lawyer attempting to reconnect with lifelong friends Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Kate (Leslie Bibb), saw her rewarded with an Emmy nod for supporting actress in a drama. Out of curiosity, what would Laurie think of “The Gilded Age” if she turned it on every Sunday when she returned to New York?
Without hesitation Coon replies, “Oh, I think she would appreciate the fact that the story was being served to her in such a way that she didn’t have to overthink it because her brain is so exhausted. But I suspect that actually Laurie’s watching things like ‘Naked and Afraid.’ I think she just goes home and turns on mindless reality TV, which is very far from me. She’s watching ‘Real Housewives.’ She’s watching a bunch of s—. Whoa. Wait. I say that lovingly!”
During the last dinner the trio of friends share at the fictional Thai resort, the relationship among Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn comes to a climax. Laurie confesses she’s been sad the entire week of their stay, but despite their differences and competitiveness, the fact they can still sit together around a pool after all these years means something to her. Filmed at the end of an often-grueling shoot where temperatures at times topped 120 degrees and dehydration was a serious concern, Coon says the scene had added resonance because she and her co-stars “had gone through it.”
“The audiences see six days of resort life, but we are living six to seven months of resort life together as roommates,” Coon says. “So we had a lot to draw on in that scene by the time we got to it. And of course, the most extreme part is that we were shooting it inside of what’s effectively a greenhouse. That little dining area is so hot. You can’t run the air conditioners. We were just soaking. You didn’t see the pile of tissues next to my chair. Not because we’re crying, but because we are absolutely soaking wet. It’s a very different challenge in terms of acting.”
Coon delivering Laurie’s much-discussed monologue in “The White Lotus.”
Many characters this season resonated with viewers, but Coon says she was moved by how many think pieces were written about these particular women and their friendship. In her opinion, they were the “sneaky heart of the season” because White understood their relationship so well.
“I was very proud of us,” Coon admits. “And any attention that speech is getting, I share with Michelle and Leslie because the only reason it lands is ultimately because of the friendship, not because of me specifically as a performer.”
She says there is nothing better than being recognized by your peers, but “The Leftovers” standout thinks her recognition is also partially because she happens to be on shows people are watching.
“I have so many friends nominated this year,” Coon beams. “Not only people on my show but Julianne [Nicholson]. I’m working with Bella Ramsey right now. So proud of them. It’s always fun to see your friends be celebrated as well. And the longer you’re in this business, the more people and the more fun it gets to be the third time around.”
