Morgan Spector Wasnt Sure He Belonged in The Gilded Age
The actor doubted he was right for the role of the larger-than-life robber baron George Russell—until his wife, Rebecca Hall, gave him some good advice.
Morgan Spector has a knack for playing men who command a room, even if off-screen he’s far more self-effacing. It’s what makes the 45-year-old actor such a natural fit for George Russell, the railroad tycoon at the center of HBO’s The Gilded Age. Inspired by the robber barons of late-19th-century New York, George is a man of absolute confidence: ruthless in business, devoted at home, and always dressed as if he could buy the entire building he’s standing in. When the series returns for season 4, George will once again rub shoulders with a fictionalized J.P. Morgan and move through deals with catlike precision. Spector, on the other hand, says he’s much more like a dog—jovial and laid-back.
For W’s TV portfolio, Spector discusses the unexpected pleasure of playing such a larger-than-life character, the custom suits that turn him into an “immovable object,” and why he originally doubted he was right for the period drama. He also opens up about his first acting job, and how his childhood celebrity crush foreshadowed his marriage to his wife, the British actor Rebecca Hall.
How did The Gilded Age come into your life?
I had just finished another HBO show called The Plot Against America, and I was sent the audition for a Julian Fellowes show called The Gilded Age. Initially, I was like, Why do they want me to be in this? This is an Ellis Island face. There's nothing aristocratic about me. I don't get it. But then my wife said, “It's Clark Gable. It's Gone With the Wind. Just do that.” I did, and they gave me the job.
How fun is it to embody a master-of-the-universe tycoon like George Russell?I’ve struggled to articulate this, but I am a large man, and in 2026 you kind of need to make people know that you’re safe and not a dick. But because The Gilded Age is set in the 19th century, I can let my voice be big, and I can be in my power, as the kids say. It’s fun.
The clothes in The Gilded Age are spectacular. How important is the wardrobe in establishing your character?
George Russell is immaculately dressed, and everything is custom-made. Our costume designer [Kasia Walicka Maimone] is an absolute genius. She was trying to make him feel like a train: an immovable object that cuts a swath through the world. At some point, if the show doesn’t come back, maybe I’ll try to steal some things.
Have you watched your wife in her BBC series The Listeners?
Of course! I found the show fascinating. Rebecca’s character is living in a reality that doesn’t match everyone else’s, which is a thing that I feel we’re all wrestling with.
Rebecca Hall wears a Polo Ralph Lauren tuxedo jacket and shirt; Graff earrings. Morgan Spector wears a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo jacket and shirt.
Do you watch reality shows?
Rebecca actually introduced me to British culture through The Great British Bake Off. And then we got into the U.K. version of Love Island, which I love because it is so extreme. The aesthetics of it are so repellent. The music and colors are awful, and everyone’s tans are so bad. But people still fall in love, or seem to genuinely develop feelings for each other.
Are you more like a cat or a dog?
I'm probably naturally more like a dog, but I have learned to be more like a cat. I think cats actually move through the world a little more easily. What I discovered, especially when I was young and first dating, is that convincing people that you’re not interested in them is what draws them to you. I’m not good at that. But I have tried to learn how to do it, because it does work.
Who was your celebrity crush when you were a child?
When I was younger, it was Maid Marian from the animated Robin Hood. Which I think is funny because [my wife] has a British accent. When I was 15, I had a pretty serious crush on Samantha Mathis in Pump Up the Volume.
Were you a theatrical child?
Yes. There are videos of me pretending to sell a Christmas tree to my mom. I did my first play after college. The first job that I auditioned for and booked was Sarah Schulman's adaptation of Enemies, A Love Story at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. I remember getting that call from my agent, and I felt as ecstatic as I’d ever felt in my life. It was the best feeling.
Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.
