Kelli O’Hara – The Gilded Age

By starrymag | January 31, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “The Gilded Age.”

A) New York high society.  Who gets to be in. Who gets to be out.  From Aurora’s vantage point, it can be a real headache.

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) Everything.

 

Q) How was your character Aurora fane originally described to you?

A) Old money New York, cousin to the Brook family and very Philanthropic.

 

Q) Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on this series?

A) I knew almost all of them fairly well. Some are very close friends. Others have become so.  Most of them have been heroes of mine for years.

 

Q) The series is created and written by the iconic Julian Fellowes. How hands on was he when it came to filming the show?

A) He was always there, carefully perfecting and tweaking, watching and learning and adapting.  I think he is very passionate about this project which he has been working on for a long time.

 

Q) The costumes for the series are incredible! Does it take slipping into the gorgeous dresses for you to find your character?

A) The work of Kasia Wallicka Maimon and her incredible team is truly a work of art. The careful attention to detail reminded me of the best of Broadway’s Katherine Zuber but with a massively bigger budget. Costumes are always my final collaborator— never underestimate the power of a corset to put you in the mind of a confined women.

 

Q) What have you found challenging about your portrayal?

A) See the last answer and add in the racial and economic inequities of the time period (or of any time period).  Aurora is a product of the old ways.  That is sometimes difficult to want to play, but I see an inkling of hope in her.

 

Q) You have such an incredible singing voice. Will we be getting to see you perform at all during the show? 

A) Thank you.  Sadly, I don’t think so.  Although some of the crew has started a band called “Aurora Fane and The Gilded Rage” and I hope they will let me sit in on occasion. 😉

 

Q) What were some of your favorite episodes or memorable moments you had from filming “The Gilded Age?”

A) I loved this process.  My scenes and long afternoons spent with Nathan Lane will always be a highlight.  I also very much enjoyed my scenes with my on-screen husband, Ward Horton, where we were able to go deeper into the Fane’s history.

 

Q) What do you think it is about this new series that will make it a fast fan favorite?  

A) I hope it is a combination of the artistry, the sets, costumes, performances and storyline.  I also think it is an interesting window into how things might have been, where we are now changed for the better and where we are, unfortunately, just the same.  Some things seem so timely.

 

Q) We’ve loved seeing you on stage over the years. Do you have any upcoming plans to return to Broadway?  

A) I don’t have any immediate plans although I have been working on a new piece by the creators of “The Light in the Piazza,” Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas.  I will also be back at The MET with “The Hours” next fall.

 

Q) With the current state of the pandemic, what did it mean to you to see that shows are beginning to return?

A) I knew Broadway would return.  It made me feel like things would be okay when it finally did.  And they will be.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

A) I am forever grateful.