This week on HBO‘s The Gilded Age, two gentlemen threw down for the woman they both love…and it was hot. When Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) finds herself reunited with former flame (and real life historic figure) T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones), her new beau, Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), does not mess around. The two handsome men get into literal fisticuffs over Peggy in The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 5 “A Different World” and it was great.
**Spoilers for The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 5 “A Different World,” now streaming on HBO MAX**
Peggy’s first real love interest on The Gilded Age was none other than her editor, T. Thomas Fortune. Like many supporting characters on the HBO show, T. Thomas Fortune was a real life person who ran a newspaper in the era. The Gilded Age showrunners Sonja Warfield and Julian Fellowes originally wanted Peggy to wind up with Fortune, but they were thwarted by the historic figure’s real life marital status.
“I think that Julian and Sonja kind of dreamt that Peggy and Thomas Fortune would be able to actually have a longer love story. And then we ran into the fact that he was actually married at that time. So they were like, ‘Oh, no!’” Denée Benton shared at a Gilded Age Season 2 event in 2023. “I think they were hoping that we’d get to run off into the sunset, but history and Google [had other plans].”
Peggy and Thomas break things off in The Gilded Age Season 2, opening the door for Dr. William Kirkland to swoop in during Season 3.
Peggy and Dr. Kirkland have been getting along great all season. The only issue in their relationship so far seems to be his mother’s own classism and colorism. However, Dr. Kirkland is all about Peggy. So when T. Thomas Fortune comes back into Peggy’s life in The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 5, he’s not about to give up his lady so easily.
“Clearly Kirkland knows who he is, too, and so there’s an automatic respect that Dr. Kirkland has for him,” Jordan Donica said, emphasizing his own character’s status.
T. Thomas Fortune asks Peggy to return to her gig reporting for his paper, but the subtext is that he also wants Peggy to return to him. It’s an implication that Peggy wants to ignore.
“I feel like Peggy and Fortune also had this intellectual connection and I think that it’s easy for her to be like, ‘Well, why can’t I still do my work here? Maybe we’ve grown, maybe we’ve gotten past it,'” Denée Benton explained.
“And Marian is like, ‘Girl,’ and Peggy’s like, ‘Relax,’ and Marian was right!” Benton said.
When Peggy arrives at the train station to travel for her assignment, she’s surprised to find Fortune waiting to accompany her even though she made it clear that she was not interested in traveling with him. The good news is Dr. Kirkland has come to escort her…and assert himself as Peggy’s new love interest.
“As he says later, like, ‘I feel a certain way for you and about you and I have strong intentions with you so I’m going to set the boundaries. I’m going to make clear what I want of you. I’m willing to fight for that, no doubt.'”
In this case, a literal fight breaks out between the two men. It’s a quick battle that Dr. Kirkland wins.
“It was very fun, watching the fisticuffs, that was like…” Benton paused, before swooning, “More.“
“And it was a blast to film,” Donica said. “It was so much fun because I think I got to play with Kirkland’s fire. You get to see a little more than just this nice, gentle guy. Nah, but he’ll also fuck you up if he needs to. I know how to box. Lets go!”
“Peggy and her caramel kings,” Benton said. “That’s a hashtag we have to start.”
“Yes, you need to hashtag it, yeah,” Donica said.
Well, maybe it should just be Peggy and her one caramel king, Dr. William Kirkland.