If you missed the casting call for the second season of the hit series Succession, which filmed scenes in Lake George, Lake Placid and Albany in 2019, don’t worry: You have another chance to make your HBO acting debut. The network is looking for Troy, Albany and Schenectady area locals to portray 17th century upper, middle and working class pedestrians in its upcoming show The Gilded Age, which will be filming in Troy this May and June.
A period drama, The Gilded Age takes place in the 1880s and follows Marian Brook, the daughter of a Union general, as she moves into the New York City home of her two aunts who come from old money. Marian becomes enmeshed in a social conflict between one of her aunts and their neighbor, a rich railroad tycoon, and must choose between following the established rules of society and forging her own path in a world on the brink of the modern age. The show, which is being called the “American Downton Abbey” (it shares a creator with the British drama), has already filmed scenes in New York City’s Central Park; the Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence, NY; and Newport, RI, and stars Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon, among other famous actors.
To be considered for the show, email gildedage@gwnyc.com with “Schenectady/Albany/Troy – Available” in the subject line. Include your legal name and phone number; your union status (SAG-AFTRA or nonunion); the forms of ID you can bring to set to fill out an I9; your height, weight and shoe size; your wardrobe sizes (women: dress, bust x waist x hip; men: chest, neck x sleeve, waist x inseam); a list of tattoos you have; and several candid photos that show your hair length and color. Female applicants also should indicate if they are comfortable wearing a corset and bustle, how many inches below the shoulder their hair is and that their hair hasn’t been colored, dyed or highlighted. Applicants also must register at gwci.app/talent, selecting Troy and Albany as their employment area, indicating that they have open availability and uploading a current photo that shows their hair.
Filming will take place over multiple days between May 22 and June 18, with mandatory fittings taking place between April 20 and May 20. COVID-19 tests will be required before fittings and filming and will be provided by production. No prior acting experience is necessary.
