Bertha Russell (née O'Brien) the matriarch of the Russell family, a "new money" family made rich by her husband George, a railroad tycoon. Bertha is determined to use her money and position to break into polite society that resists change at every turn.

5 days ago · The socially ambitious and ostentatiously rich Bertha Russell is a fictionalized version of Alva Vanderbilt, the wife of railroad tycoon William Kissam Vanderbilt.

Jul 11, 2025 · Carrie Coon’s Bertha Russell is based on Alva Vanderbilt and mirrors several key moments from the real-life socialite’s climb during New York’s Gilded Age.

Jul 17, 2025 · The Gilded Age stars Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell, an initially powerless, but ambitious matriarch of the Russell family who, despite being born into poverty, is determined to use her husband’s money and position to break into the New York City high society.

Apr 27, 2024 · Though the historical drama is mostly fictional, creator Julian Fellowes confirmed that Bertha Russell is based on Alva Vanderbilt.

May 4, 2025 · Who are the Russells based on? Bertha Russell is loosely based on Alva Erskine Smith, who was known during the Gilded Age as Alva Vanderbilt. This is due to her first marriage to William Kissam Vanderbilt, the heir to the Vanderbilt fortune and the manager of the dynasty’s railroad enterprise.

Feb 14, 2022 · George and Bertha Russell in ‘The Gilded Age’ weren’t real historical figures, but might be based on a real couple. In a promo for The Gilded Age, Morgan Spector compares his character of George to the real-life Jay Gould.

Dec 5, 2023 · The old-money families of New York shun Mrs. Russell in the first episode of The Gilded Age, which makes her determined to make her mark on society. Like Mrs. Vanderbilt, she becomes a skilled social climber, calculating her way into the coveted Four Hundred.

Jun 25, 2025 · Here are the real historical figures, and their television counterparts, featured in The Gilded Age. The Gilded Age ’s Bertha Russell (right) is based on Alva Vanderbilt (left), the...

Jul 8, 2025 · In The Gilded Age, Bertha Russell is determined to climb her way into New York's most exclusive and elite circles. Her character closely follows Alva Vanderbilt, the Southern wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt.