Warning: SPOILERS For The Gilded Age Season 3’s Finale - “My Mind Is Made Up"Carrie Coon explains the breakdown of Bertha and George Russell’s (Morgan Spector) marriage at the end ofThe Gilded Ageseason 3. The morning after Bertha’s latest society triumph, her husband dropped a bombshell that he was leaving, and that George can’t forgive Bertha or himself for forcing their daughter, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga), into an arranged marriage with Hector, Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb).
George Russell also survived an assassination attemptinThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s finale. Following his near-death experience, George evaluated his life and mistakes,lingering on his resentment towards Bertha, and himself, for making Gladys marry the Duke.
Speaking to theLos Angeles Times, Carrie Coon deep-dived into what happened with George and Bertha Russell’s marriage. Admitting that"I don’t know what will happen to George and Bertha,“Coon looked at both characters' perspectives, noting thatthe issues in their marriage are"quite complicated.“Read Carrie’s quote below:
“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.”
Carrie Coon further delves into Bertha’s thinking, noting that while for her character, George’s anger"feels out of the blue,“it was evident to audiences thatGeorge’s simmering anger with his wife inThe Gilded Ageseason 3 was going to reach a boiling point. Read Coon’s quote below:
“Bertha has not stopped and taken stock of the impact of her choices, and therefore it feels out of the blue. 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.”
What George & Bertha’s Marriage Breakdown Means For The Gilded Age Season 4
BeforeThe Gilded Ageseason 3, George and Bertha Russell enjoyed the strongest marriage in the series. Robber baron George supported his wife’s desire to rise in New York high society, and Bertha was often George’s secret weapon in his business dealings. George leaving Bertha feels like a genuine shock, despite it building throughout season 3.
George abandoning Bertha inThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s finalecomes just as Mrs. Russell has achieved the pinnacle position of New York high society, supplanting Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy). Without her husband, however, Bertha could face a diminishment of her power and influence inThe Gilded Ageseason 4.
HBO has renewedThe Gilded Agefor season 4.
As Carrie Coon points out,Bertha did not look at the problems her actions caused that led George to leave.Perhaps Bertha will now take time for introspection. However, given the societal structure ofThe Gilded Age,the Russells' marriage recovering from this breakdown would depend on what George wants.
Our Take On George & Bertha’s Marriage Falling Apart In The Gilded Age
The Gilded Ageseason 3 introduced divorce, and throughout the season, George and Bertha’s marriage began marching in lockstep towards separation, if not outright divorce. It’s possible that George and Bertha’s marriage really is over, and divorce could come inThe Gilded Ageseason 4.
The Russells ending their marriage would be a huge disappointment for audiences who enjoyed George and Bertha’s loving rapport. Meanwhile, Bertha ending the stigma of divorced women could have been prescient on her part, and it could save her own stature in society if George pursues divorce.
It’s hard to predict which directionThe Gilded Ageseason 4 will take George and Bertha’s marriage. While Gladys and the Duke’s marriage has strengthened, and Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) and Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) could also be headed down the aisle, anything could happen between George and Bertha.
