While the show isn’t a literal retelling of historical events, it draws heavily from real-life figures and social dynamics of the late 1800’s. As the show’s title suggests, the story occurs in America’s Gilded Age. This was a period of rapid industrialization, immense wealth and some intense social upheaval. Ultimately, the lines between fact and fiction are intentionally blurred to create a more believable narrative. For fans looking to better understand The Guilded Age, here’s what we know. 

Is the HBO series based on the Vanderbilts?

Many viewers wonder if the fictional Russells from The Gilded Age are inspired by real-life figures. And while the show never explicitly names names, it’s no stretch to see the parallels with the powerful Vanderbilt family. Drawing from the historical rise – and social struggles – of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt and his wife Alva, the series crafts the Russells as a thinly veiled homage to “new money” trying to crack the exclusive old-money elite.

One of the biggest similarities between the characters and the real-life Vanderbilts, other than looks, is how the characters act. Bertha is similar to Alva due to the way she attempts to climb the ranks of the elite New York society. She uses lavish parties and over-the-top architecture to be accepted.

As Business Insider reports, Alva actually threw one of the most iconic balls of the time. This led to her being accepted by “old money” families. This real-life ball was thrown in 1883, but this desperate attempt at social acceptance was adapted in The Gilded Age. These stark similarities, among many others, have convinced many viewers that the show is based on the Vanderbilts.

How historically accurate is ‘The Gilded Age’?

When it comes down to historical accuracy, The Gilded Age does a pretty good job, according to Smithsonian Magazine. It is a fairly authentic portrayal of the era, despite some creative liberties that might have been taken. Overall, the setting, architecture and societal tensions are grounded in fact. Viewers see the very real social divide between “new money” and “old money.” These differences were grounded in the exclusionary practices of New York’s high society. While these same sentiments may still exist, back in the day, it was even worse. So, despite the extreme wealth of the Russells, they still had to fight their way into many social circles, especially as newcomers. 

Having to break into the upper echelons of New York is definitely a historically accurate experience. This experience reflects the power struggles between families like the Vanderbilts, self-made millionaires, and the Astors, who came from wealth. Overall, historical consultants help accurately depict period detail, put together costume design and even dialogue. This era was depicted quite well. And with the inclusion of the Black character Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), the lesser-known parts of 19th-century Black elite life were revealed. So, The Gilded Age pushes some pretty historically accurate themes and plotlines. 

Is George Russell based on a real person?

Many fans have speculated that George Russell is modeled on William K. Vanderbilt, making The Gilded Age feel like a semi-true story. While George does echo Vanderbilt’s legacy – as the wealthy grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt – he’s not a straight historical portrait. Instead, George is a composite character, drawing traits from multiple industrial titans of the late 19th century, including robber barons like Jay Gould, whose rivalry with old-money elites is mirrored on-screen.

As Distractify reports, Jay was a railroad tycoon who was well known for his ruthless business practices and financial manipulations. George Russell, like Gould, is depicted as a man with his eyes on the prize. Empire-building was more important than social climbing. That is, until he met his wife who had greater ambitions for the family’s legacy. 

So, being motivated to join the upper crust of New York society and being depicted as a devoted husband and father sets this character apart. Direct links are not made between Russell and a historical figure. Basically, producers have been able to add different layers of complexity to the character while not being confined to strict historical documentation. In this way, George has served more as a symbolic figure of the industrial age rather than a direct historical replica. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Did the Vanderbilts get divorced?

Although divorce was uncommon then, Alva divorced William in 1895, according to Town & Country. She cited adultery as the reason for the split, which likely is the reason the divorce was allowed. This left her quite wealthy due to divorce settlements. Also quite surprisingly, she later remarried another rich man, Oliver Belmont.

Is the Vanderbilt family still rich?

While the Vanderbilt family was once considered one of the wealthiest families in the United States, they are much less well off now. In the mid-20th century, due to poor money management and considerable spending, the Vanderbilt family lost most of its wealth. Although the family’s legacy still lives on, it is nowhere close to where it used to be, per Forbes.
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According to E! News, Huisentruit’s producer, Amy Kuns, last heard from her that morning around 4 a.m. when she called to find out why Huisentruit hadn’t arrived at the station by her usual time.

“I called her twice. I talked to her and woke her up that first time,” Kuns recalled in a 2011 interview. “She asked what time it was. I told her. She said she’d be right in.”

But Huisentruit never made it to work. By 7 a.m., after several failed attempts to reach her, someone from the news station called the police for a wellness check at her home. When officers arrived at her apartment complex, they discovered signs of a struggle in the parking lot near her red Mazda Miata, E! News reported.

Exterior of KIMT TELEVISION 3, where posters are hanging in front doors, re mysterious disappearance of TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit | Photo by Steve Kagan/Getty Images

Some of Huisentruit’s belongings were scattered on the ground, leading police to believe there was foul play and someone may have abducted her. Over the years, law enforcement received tips and interviewed persons of interest, but none led to solving the case and providing Huisentruit’s family with closure. She was legally declared dead on May 14, 2001, at 32.

A three-part Hulu docuseries, Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit, premiered on Tuesday, offering an in-depth look at the 30-year-old unsolved case that has haunted Mason City, her hometown of Long Prairie, and communities across the country, still seeking answers.

Here’s everything to know about the young broadcast journalist’s life, her mysterious disappearance, and how communities continue to keep her memory alive.

What happened to Jodi Huisentruit on the day of her disappearance?

Kuns recalled that when she last spoke with Huisentruit around 4:10 a.m., the 27-year-old said she had overslept but would be right into work. She was the morning anchor for KIMT-TV’s Daybreak, the station’s 6 a.m. morning program.

After time had passed, Huisentruit still hadn’t shown up. The person from the station who called for a wellness check at her home led police to discover some disturbing findings that prompted an investigation.

Exterior of apartment complex where TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit resided & mysteriously disappeared fr. on June 27 | Photo by Steve Kagan/Getty Images

E! News reported that Huisentruit may have been in a scuffle with someone as she attempted to enter her car. Several items, including a pair of red high heels, a hairdryer, earrings, a can of hairspray, and a bent car key, were found on the ground near the vehicle. Police had also recovered a partial palm print that did not belong to Huisentruit on the car.

“My first gut reaction was just to be mad,” Kuns told the Pioneer Press in 2015. “I’m like, ‘Where the hell is she?’…Never in a million years did I envision abduction.”

While police initially saw no signs of foul play, discovering Huisentruit’s belongings at the scene led them to believe this was no ordinary case.

“Things went from we’re just looking for somebody missing to we’re looking for somebody that was abducted,” a Mason City Police Department officer said in a trailer for the docuseries, according to People.

Did Jodi Huisentruit fear for her safety?

Huisentruit had dreams of becoming a famous journalist and reaching the national level one day. For many journalists, it’s typical to move around from market to market to advance their careers.

For the Minnesota native, she steadily climbed the ladder and landed the morning news anchor position at KIMT-TV in the small city of Mason City, Iowa. Huisentruit’s family was supportive of her decision to move away and pursue her dreams and didn’t think anything negative would happen to her.

“We thought Mason City was a real safe place for Jodi to go and work. It seemed like a nice-sized town. We weren’t nervous about it at all, and she seemed that — to feel that it was a step up in her career,” Huisentruit’s sister, Joann Nathe, said, according to a 2005 ABC News article.

More than a year after settling in a new town, Huisentruit became a local media celebrity. However, those perks led the young woman to fear for her safety and well-being in the fall of 1994 after she thought one user had gone too far and grew suspicious that a van was following her.

“She got very, very nervous and was even crying when she called my mom on the phone. So, after that, she was taking even more precautions,” Nathe told 20/20.

Were there any breaks in the Jodi Huisentruit case?

Huisentruit’s case had drawn years of attention from journalists and true crime investigators who wanted to help solve her mysterious disappearance. While many people nationwide felt a strong connection to Huisentruit and wanted to help find her, others did not want to get involved.  

Beth Bednar, a former TV anchor who wrote Dead Air: The Disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit, encountered resistance in her research.

“No one wanted to talk about Jodi,” she told the Elk River Star News in 2012. “I never expected there to be an atmosphere of denial and a culture of resistance to solving the murder of this young woman.”

Over the decades, police officers have worked tirelessly to keep Huisentruit’s case open. From more than a dozen tips each month to questioning incarcerated people, none of the leads had led law enforcement to capture the person responsible for her disappearance.

“I think that the case is absolutely solvable,” Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley told NewsNation in a June interview.

Each decade since her disappearance, the communities of Mason City and Long Prairie have held memorial events to honor Huisentruit, including a special tribute in 2018 on what would have been her 50th birthday. Now, at what would be age 57, there are still no concrete leads on what happened to her more than 30 years ago.
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