TROY, N.Y. — HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age’ began filming its third season in Troy on Monday.
A period drama from the late 1800s, the Emmy-nominated show has filmed in Troy and other parts of the Capital Region for all of its seasons so far. The filming started Monday, Aug. 5, and will continue until Aug.
23. As the first week of filming, and its subsequent road closures, ends, crews have already revisited Washington Park and shot along several downtown streets, including Franklin Alley and Congress, Division and State Streets. “I think it’s wonderful for Troy,” said Teri, a former Lansingburgh resident, as she and some friends looked at the lighting crew setting up a shot in the alley.
Though HBO has yet to release many details about the upcoming episodes, including a potential release date, they announced the addition of four new cast members on their Instagram in June, the same day the series announced its nomination as an Outstanding Drama for the 2024 Emmys. This week residents and visitors looking to spy glimpses into the reimagined lives of upper-class New Yorkers could see fake snow and pine tree wreaths on the brownstones near Washington Park. It takes advantage of something the city already has in its old buildings, said resident Carolyn O’Donnell.
With a camera around her neck, O’Donnell, Teri and Anele said they had walked around both Franklin Alley and Washington Park on Thursday to see what was happening and the transformations happening under the crew that is nominated for both production and costume design. They’re just curious, they said. “We’re retired,” Anele said with a laugh.
“We go see things, we go to lunch.” Theresa Van Duyne, owner of T&J Soaps on River Street, said it’s fun to watch and they get guests from the crews during filming and from tourists once the seasons come out. Though Thursday’s rain stymied the larger amount of people she’d seen on Tuesday and in past years, Van Duyne said crew members had stopped in to ask her for recommendations for bars and restaurants.
Barring the weather, she said they were never not busy. It was great to see them both interested in local places and seeking out advice from local people too. ‘The Gilded Age’ is one of the things bringing a “buzz” to the city, said Mayor Carmella Mantello.
Corey Aldrich, executive director of ACE! Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy, said that the ability of Troy to host a Gilded Age period drama downtown at the same time as they have a medieval circus tent in Prospect Park shows the city’s versatility. “Troy’s a very unique place in that this week when I walked out of my office near Monument Square, we actually had HBO blocking off several streets shooting a major series,” he said at a press conference talking about the circus’ launch on Saturday. “It’s just incredible, the vibe that’s happening in the city right now.
” The city published a new section on its website dedicated to filming in Troy after the release of the first season featured it so prominently. “We are so excited to have HBO back in the City of Troy,” said Mantello in a press release announcing the week’s road closures. “This series highlights the beauty and history of our city and the mesmerizing architecture that goes with it.
“As filming begins, we ask that residents be patient with road closures and follow no-parking signs,” she continued. “Thank you to HBO for choosing Troy!”.
