HBO’s hit period drama The Gilded Age will return for its fourth season on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET, airing on HBO and streaming concurrently on HBO Max. Following a celebratory New York City premiere on October 26 attended by creator Julian Fellowes, co-showrunner Sonja Warfield, and the primary ensemble, the network finalized an eight-episode rollout that runs through late December alongside significant roster adjustments, according to Deadline.

Set in 1885, the upcoming installment shifts the balance of power in New York's upper echelons while expanding its historical scope. While the core cast remains intact, the new season introduces prominent historical figures—including Jim Gaffigan as President Grover Cleveland—while bidding farewell to multiple supporting players and elevating key antagonists to series regulars.

Season 4 Release Schedule and Streaming Details

The fourth season consists of eight episodes releasing weekly on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on both the linear HBO network and the HBO Max streaming platform. According to Decider, standalone HBO Max subscriptions currently start at $10.99 per month with ads and $18.49 per month for an ad-free tier, while the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is priced at $19.99 per month with ads and $32.99 per month without ads.

While Decider noted aNovember- through-December run despite an internal calendar listing typo for the final three installments, Deadline and Межа confirm the complete weekly broadcast schedule as follows:

  • Episode 1: Sunday, November 1, 2026
  • Episode 2: Sunday, November 8, 2026
  • Episode 3: Sunday, November 15, 2026
  • Episode 4: Sunday, November 22, 2026
  • Episode 5: Sunday, November 29, 2026
  • Episode 6: Sunday, December 6, 2026
  • Episode 7: Sunday, December 13, 2026
  • Episode 8 (Season Finale): Sunday, December 20, 2026

Cast Shakeup: Departures, Promotions, and New Faces

As the narrative progresses into 1885, several staffing changes are taking place in front of the camera. Multiple outlets report that Patrick Page, who portrayed George Russell’s secretary Richard Clay, and Sullivan Jones, who played New York Globe publisher T. Thomas Fortune, will not return for the fourth season. A broader cast roundup published by Yahoo Entertainment via Just Jared characterizes the turnover as a six-star exit, noting that Nicole Brydon Bloom, Claybourne Elder, Rachel Pickup, and an additional performer are also exiting or seemingly exiting the series, whereas Deadline and Межа specifically single out Page and Jones as the confirmed departures from the rotation.

Meanwhile, actors central to the show's social rivalries are seeing their roles expanded. According to Yahoo Entertainment, Kelley Curran (who plays Bertha Russell's former lady's maid turned wealthy widow Enid Winterton) and Ashlie Atkinson (who portrays socialite Mamie Fish) have been promoted to series regulars. A separate report from Ponly indicates that Jordan Donica, who plays Dr. William Kirkland, has also been elevated to a series regular, though Deadline lists Donica among the returning cast without independently specifying a contract upgrade.

To offset the departures, the production has added a slate of recognizable stage and screen veterans. As detailed by Межа and BroadwayWorld, new Season 4 cast members include:

  • Jim Gaffigan as President Grover Cleveland
  • Dallas Roberts as Treasury Secretary Daniel Manning
  • Elizabeth Marvel as Nurse Virginia Saville
  • Andrew Burnap as Porter, an Ivy League graduate

Additionally, Deadline notes that six performers will join in recurring capacities: Taylor Trensch, James Scully, Dennis Haysbert, Maggie Kuntz, Neal Huff, and Tony Award winner Bonnie Milligan. Published HBO cast listings also include Adrienne Warren, Bill Camp, Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Hattie Morahan, Kelli O’Hara, Dylan Baker, Jessica Frances Dukes, and Amy Forsyth.

Returning Ensemble and 1885 Storyline Context

The overarching plot of the fourth season deals directly with the fallout of Season 3's cliffhangers. According to the official synopsis cited by Just Jared and Los Angeles Daily News, Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) succeeded in reshaping New York society, but at a steep personal cost. Her marriage to railroad tycoon George Russell (Morgan Spector)—who survived being shot near the end of last season—remains strained after Bertha forced through the arranged marriage of their daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) to the English Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), even as Gladys concluded the prior season pregnant and warming to her new husband.

Across the street, Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) looks to capitalize on the fractures within the Russell household and leverage her involvement with the Heritage Foundation to reclaim her lost social standing, alongside her sister, the widowed Ada Forte (Cynthia Nixon). Agnes's son, Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson), enters the new season having forged a strategic alliance and marriage proposal with Enid Winterton following the loss of the family fortune and the death of John Adams.

Younger members of the households face their own pivotal transitions. Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) sets out on a new personal path while navigating the aftermath of her broken engagement and subsequent reconciliation with Larry Russell (Harry Richardson). Meanwhile, journalist Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), supported by her parents Dorothy (Audra McDonald) and Arthur Scott (John Douglas Thompson), works to win the approval of her future in-laws following her engagement to Dr. William Kirkland.

In the downstairs and former household staff storylines, Jack Trotter (Ben Ahlers) steps into life as a wealthy, self-made man after selling his clock invention patent and leaving service. Returning household regulars and society staples rounding out the ensemble include Donna Murphy (Mrs. Astor), Debra Monk (Ms. Armstrong), Taylor Richardson (Bridget), Kristine Nielsen (Mrs. Bauer), Simon Jones (Bannister), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Mrs. Bruce), Erin Wilhelmi (Adelheid Weber), Douglas Sills (Chef Borden), and Jack Gilpin (Church).

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Season 4 premiere, and where can US viewers watch it?

The Gilded Age Season 4 premieres on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET. Viewers in the United States can watch it live on HBO or stream it on HBO Max.

How many episodes are in Season 4, and when is the finale?

There are eight episodes in total. Following the November 1 premiere, one new episode will air each Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, culminating in the season finale on Sunday, December 20, 2026.

Will there be a Season 5 of The Gilded Age?

As of late October 2026, HBO has not yet officially announced whether The Gilded Age will be renewed for a fifth season.

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