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HBO’s ‘Gilded Age’ filming locations in and around Albany

By Susan Binghampton
HBO's ‘Gilded Age’ filming locations in and around Albany

Streets in and around Albany’s Washington Park and Center Square were transported back to the late 19th century Monday as the second season of the HBO series “The Gilded Age” began filming in Albany. 

In sweltering 90-degree heat, actors in heavy period costumes promenaded in Washington Park and horses pulled carriages as film crews with their masses of equipment captured the scenes.

Season two locations include Albany, Cohoes and Troy

“The Gilded Age” production is spreading out for season two.

Filming began in Albany’s Washington Park on Aug. 8. The First Prebyterian Church at Willett and State streets is also one of the filming locations. 

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1of39An actress gets a touch-up of her make-up during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionActors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.2of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union3of39Lighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.4of39Lighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionProduction crew is seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.5of39Production crew is seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union6of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.7of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionLighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.8of39Lighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union9of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.10of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionCrew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.11of39Crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union12of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.13of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionActors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.14of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union15of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.16of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionCrew and actors are seen in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.17of39Crew and actors are seen in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union18of39Production crew is seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.19of39Production crew is seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionCrew members try to keep actors hydrated during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.20of39Crew members try to keep actors hydrated during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union21of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.22of39Actors are seen in what locals use as the dog park in Washington Park during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionLights are seen set up outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.23of39Lights are seen set up outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union24of39Lighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.25of39Lighting crew is see outside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on State and Lodge Streets for the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionActors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.26of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union27of39Production crew and actors are seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.28of39Production crew and actors are seen outside The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionActors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.29of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union30of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.31of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionProduction lights are seen on the porch and the side of The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.32of39Production lights are seen on the porch and the side of The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union33of39Horse drawn carriages are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.34of39Horse drawn carriages are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionActors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.35of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union36of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.37of39Actors are seen during the filming of the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ in Washington Park on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times UnionProduction lights are seen on the porch and the side of The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age' on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.38of39Production lights are seen on the porch and the side of The Women’s Club of Albany where filming took place for the HBO series ‘The Gilded Age’ on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 in Albany, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Times Union39of39

In Troy, locations such as the former Illium Café on Monument Square and homes around Washington Park will appear again in the show.

Location scouts plunged into Cohoes last year. There was speculation that Harmony Mills, converted from manufacturing to apartments, with the nearby worker housing on School and Cataract streets was being scrutinized. Cohoes officials said they promised the producers they would not identify any locations of possible filming. 

Troy’s historic sites appear in season one

Exteriors and interiors were used to make Troy look like 1882 New York City for the first season of the show. “The Gilded Age” staff sought upscale office space, homes, tenement housing and concert hall space circa 1882.

A major reason the show spent so much time in Troy was that it’s 1800s streetscape extends for blocks, allowing the director to have cameras film scenes in depth.

A view of a carriage used in the filming for the HBO show The Gilded Age seen here in downtown Troy near Monument Square on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)A view of a carriage used in the filming for the HBO show The Gilded Age seen here in downtown Troy near Monument Square on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)Paul Buckowski/Times Union

Dirt was spread on the streets around Monument Square, and storefronts were made to look like 19th century timepieces.

An entrance to the Rensselaer County Court House at Second and Congress streets appears at the start of the trailer in a composite street scene. Interiors from The Castle, the fraternity house of Pi Kappa Phi at 49 Second St., which was also used in “The Age of Innocence,” and the Frear House at Russell Sage College, also appear.

Oakwood Cemetery in Troy’s Lansingburgh neighborhood filled in for funeral and related scenes that could have taken place in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Both opened around mid-century and were the preferred burial sites for the wealthy and famous. The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Second Street provided the theater space need for filming.

An actor walks into a home on 3rd St. to begin filming a scene for the HBO show, The Gilded Age, on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)An actor walks into a home on 3rd St. to begin filming a scene for the HBO show, The Gilded Age, on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)Paul Buckowski/Times Union

When and where to watch “The Gilded Age”

Season one is available on to stream on HBO Max. You can watch the first episode for free. Filming of season two is expected to wrap up locally this summer, but as of Aug. 9, a premiere date has not yet been announced. 

What’s the show about?

“The Gilded Age” recreates New York City of 1882 for the story of old and new money and the changing American society.

The season one trailer description says: “In a new world, a new age is about to begin. “The Gilded Age” begins in 1882 with young Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) moving from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father to live with her thoroughly old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon). Exposed to a world on the brink of the modern age, will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path?”

The show is set several decades before the action of “Downton Abbey,” which opened with news of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.  The show portrayed the lives of British aristocrats through the late 1920s. There is expected to be a crossover between the two series.

Who created the show?

Julian Fellowes is the creator and writer of “The Gilded Age,” which saw its popularity build during the nine-episode run of the first season earlier this year. Fellowes also created the popular “Downton Abbey” series. 

Besides writing and creating “The Gilded Age,” Julian Fellowes is executive produce along with executive producer, Gareth Neame; director/executive producer, Michael Engler; executive producer, David Crockett; director/executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield; and writer/co-executive producer Sonja Warfield.

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