Quote of the day:

How can they tell?
—Dorothy Parker, on being told Calvin Coolidge was dead

Here are two awkward scenes from the fourth episode of The Gilded Age. In the first one, Marian and Peggy stop in at the Bloomingdale Brothers store, much against the better judgment of Peggy. In the second, even more awkward scene, Peggy goes to celebrate her mother Dorothy’s birthday at her parents’ home only to be greeted by an unpleasant surprise.

Dorothy is played by Audra McDonald, who was concerned about the portrayal of Black characters in the series, but when Julian Fellowes showed her this scene, she signed on at once.

In the accompanying podcast to the series, Audra MaDonald talks about this scene and her decision to accept the part. 

More information can be found about the history of Black families in New York in the 19th century in the book Black Gotham.

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