The Gilded Age’s Surprising Wild West Filming Location Revealed By Star

Morgan Spector reveals the surprising location where The Gilded Age season 3 filmed its Wild West scenes. The opening sequence of The Gilded Age season 3 broke from the show’s usual posh New York City locations and brought George Russell to Morenci, Arizona. The mighty 19th-century robber baron was a fish out of water in the dusty, gun-slinging frontier town.

Speaking to The Official Gilded Age Podcast, Morgan Spector (along with co-star Carrie Coon) revealed that The Gilded Age‘s Wild West town was filmed much closer to the series’ usual New York City setting. Spector told co-hosts Alicia Malone and Tom Myers that The Gilded Age‘s Arizona scenes were shot in Long Island, New York. Read Morgan’s quote and watch the podcast below:

Alicia Malone: George’s ambition really takes us out of New York, and we were watching the scenes in Morenci and wondering where did you film that?

Morgan Spector: Long Island. Have you been to our backlot ever? We shot it there. It was really fun. Did you get to see it?

Carrie Coon: I didn’t get to see it.

Morgan Spector: I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a Western, but I mean, there is nothing more Hollywood than walking on a set that’s got like that dust. You had like tumbleweeds and sh*t. I was like, ‘Wow, I have arrived.’ We were really doing it.

Why The Gilded Age’s Wild West Scenes Being Filmed In Long Island Is Such A Surprise

The Gilded Age’s Illusion Was Perfect

From the opening scenes of The Gilded Age’s season 3 premiere of George Russell’s stagecoach making its way through the desert to arrive at the frontier shanty town of Morenci, Arizona, the show’s illusion was perfect. The Gilded Age’s recreation of the Wild West looked like it was filmed on location. Indeed, audiences are used to historical series like Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 and 1923 filming on location in Western states.

Carrie Coon as Bertha wearing an embroidered red cloak in The Gilded Age

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The Gilded Age creating its Arizona town in a Long Island backlot betrayed no signs of artifice. The illusion was flawless, which makes The Gilded Age’s achievement even more impressive. Viewers never questioned George Russell traveling across the United States into the Wild West, and his journey expanded the scope of The Gilded Age beyond New York City and other locations shown in previous seasons.

Our Take On The Gilded Age’s Wild West Location

George Russell Will Likely Return To Arizona In Season 3

George Russell in a saloon — Image by Yeider Chacon

The resources The Gilded Age devoted to creating the frontier town of Morenci, Arizona, on the show’s backlot must mean George Russell will return to the Wild West at some point in season 3. George is gambling his fortune on his risky dream of building a better transcontinental railroad, and he’s buying up land in Arizona to fulfill his ambition. George even recruited J.P. Morgan to help finance his venture.

The American West was expanding at the same time as the Gilded Age was taking place on the East Coast.

George Russell abruptly left Arizona to return home to New York, leaving behind unfinished business. The Gilded Age creator Julian Fellowes introduced Arizona to show that the American West was expanding at the same time as the Gilded Age was taking place on the East Coast. There’s bound to be more happening in Morenci, Arizona, in The Gilded Age season 3.

Source: The Official Gilded Age Podcast