The Gilded Age Reveals George Russell's Shooter Was Son of a Ruined Man
The mystery of who shot George Russell on The Gilded Age has been solved, and the answer came from an unlikely source: the actor playing him. Per TVLine, the shooter is Will Morris, the son of Patrick Morris, a man who took his own life in Season 1 after a business deal with George ruined him financially.
Executive producer Sonja Warfield told the outlet that actor Morgan Spector suggested the twist while filming the assassination attempt last season. "It was Morgan who said, 'What if it was the son of the man who killed himself?'" Warfield recalled. She loved the idea and brought it to series creator Julian Fellowes.
The reveal dashes fan theories that the attack was orchestrated by George's former business partner. Warfield noted the storyline was built on open questions, as "a lot of people were not happy with George. He was causing a lot of problems."
In the episode, George's men drag Will from his home, but George ultimately spares the young man's life. Warfield pointed to a Season 2 moment where George chose not to shoot striking workers as precedent for his capacity for mercy, even in a rage.
The episode also showed George's mental state deteriorating, with Spector telling TVLine his character is "disintegrating somewhat" and is "a mess," partly due to laudanum use. In other storylines, Marian is consumed with guilt after her night with Larry, and the van Rhijn household hires a charming but unqualified new footman.
