The Gilded Age directors explain unexpected "biggest challenge" for actors
From carriages to corsets, The Gilded Age directors open up about the surprising difficulties around filming.
The directors behind HBO's upcoming historical drama The Gilded Age have spoken about one of the "biggest challenges" actors encountered on set.
The upcoming series looks at 19th century New York and the rivalry between old money families such as the Brooks (Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon), and new money robber barons like George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon).
When asked what the biggest challenge was for the stars of The Gilded Age whilst filming, director Michael Engler told RadioTimes.com and other press: "Getting in and out of a carriage gracefully.
"I mean, it's so funny, there's a million things like that, where you think like, 'Okay, was it always awkward?' because these actors have never done it and every time they do it's awkward or do we decide that if you've done it since you were a child, you figured out a way to hop on and hop off.
"So part of it has to do with there's a certain amount you just learned and all that but part of it has to do with just making it your own and then living in it and saying if 'I was there, this is how I would do it'.
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He continued: "Each of them makes different choices about that, that actually bring their characters to life. So in a kind of detailed way, you're constantly having to learn on the job. Those are things you can't research and find out. And so there's there's a lot of things that I think you plan for and then once you get there you just have to see what happens and how everybody deals with it."
Salli Richardson-Whitfield, who also directed episodes of The Gilded Age, added that many of the actors found it difficult to do their jobs whilst strapped into tight corsets.
"It is very simple, silly things like for the actors breathing in the corsets and trying to talk and walk. It sounds silly but you know, we had at least one actress almost faint because they wanted to make her waist as tiny as possible and she realises that she can't breathe and talk that way and keep her energy.
"As directors, we want you to walk down the middle of the staircase, it looks so much prettier as your dress drags. And then that's hard to do. So yeah, it's those are the little small things that were problems."
The Gilded Age arrives on Sky Atlantic and NOW on 25th January. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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