The Gilded Age’s creator and executive producer explain the massive twist involving Aurora (Kelli O’Hara) and Charles Fane (Ward Horton) in season 3’s premiere. Charles shocked Aurora by announcing he’s having an affair, and he wants a divorce. Worse, as the adulterer, Charles needs Aurora to initiate the divorce proceedings, which devastates the niece of Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), as it means being ostracized from New York high society.
In an interview withVarietycovering the many facets ofThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere, series creator Julian Fellowes, and co-writer, and executive producer Sonja Warfield,explain their decision to introduce divorce, and why the marriage of Charles and Aurora Fane came to a sudden end. While divorce is commonplace in the modern day, it had even more devastating consequences for married couples in the Gilded Age. Read Fellowes and Warfield’s comments below:
Julian Fellowes:Divorce has become a very normal thing in our life, but I still remember when it was disapproved of and you were expected to stick a bad marriage out. I wanted to explore a society which thought they were armed against divorce, only to see those social restrictions start to weaken. I also was interested in the etiquette of early divorce, where Aurora is expected to bring the case when she’s the one who doesn’t want to end the marriage. Then you have a character like Agnes. We’ve been talking about how intelligent and informed she is, but she shares the prejudices of her own time, and clearly she doesn’t mind giving Aurora dinner, but not in front of any witnesses.
Sonja Warfield:When Julian first brought up divorce, we talked about how it’s evolved. It’s so commonplace now. I’m divorced. But some things haven’t changed as much as you’d think. I used to throw an annual Easter brunch with another couple. Right after I got divorced, I called up the woman, and I said, “What are we doing for Easter Brunch this year?” And she told me I wasn’t invited. They chose him and not me.
Why Charles & Aurora Fane Are Headed For Divorce In The Gilded Age Season 3
Aurora Never Saw It Coming
Charles and Aurora Fane had what appeared, on the surface, to be an idyllic marriage inThe Gilded Age,which makes their pending divorce all the more surprising. This is especially true for Aurora, who believed she and Charles were happy. However, all the while, Charles quietly played the dutiful husband while hiding how unhappy he was in their marriage.The ramifications of the Fanes' divorce will impact Aurora more than Charles, especially since it’s incumbent on her to file divorce proceedings against her own wishes, and that it will mean her fall from society.
While Charles plans to marry his mistress to be"happy,“he leaves Aurora with nothing besides promises of financial compensation. Money aside, Aurora faces being ostracized from high society, and she will be come an outcast fromThe Four Hundred led by Mrs. Astor(Donna Murphy). Even Aunt Agnes must abide by society’s rules against her niece; she supports Aurora privately but not when they’re in society. Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield smartly selected the Fanes as the victims of divorce, asthey were merely supporting characters who now symbolize the perils of a marriage ending against the rules of high society.
Our Take On Charles & Aurora Fane’s Divorce In The Gilded Age Season 3
Divorce Might Become An Even Bigger Issue In Season 3
One can’t help but feel for Aurora Fane, whose entire world abruptly ended at the whims of her husband. Aurora was blindsided by Charles' affair and demands for divorce. Through Aurora’s plight,The Gilded Ageseason 3 will explore what it means for a woman’s good standing in society to suddenly be swept awaythrough no fault of her own. How Aurora will cope with her world being torn asunder looks to be one of the central themes inThe Gilded Ageseason 3.
However, the Fanes may not be the only marriage in trouble inThe Gilded Ageseason 3. The previously rock-solid George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) do not agree on her pla to marry Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) to the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb). Like Charles Fane, George dutifully doesn’t interfere in his wife’s single-minded pursuit of climbing high society, but Bertha’s callous disregard for their children’s wishes or happiness may push George to the breaking point, and he may also demand the end of his marriage to Bertha inThe Gilded Ageseason 3.
