Matt Damon and David Letterman turned up as uncredited background extras in the Season 4 premiere of HBO’s The Gilded Age, which aired Sunday night. The pair can be spotted strolling across East 61st Street in full 19th-century dress, and HBO has confirmed the cameos.
What We Know
The appearance comes early in the premiere episode, “Ring the Bells,” roughly eight and a half minutes in. Just after a tense scene set in England involving Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga), the episode cuts back to Manhattan for a short establishing shot. Two well-dressed gentlemen walk across the street in front of the van Rhijn and Russell homes: Damon, sporting a period-appropriate moustache, and Letterman, with the long white beard he has worn in recent years topped by a bowler hat.
Neither man has a line, and neither is listed in the credits. Blink and you would miss it, which is exactly why viewers began rewinding and posting screenshots soon after the episode went out. HBO confirmed to Decider that the two stars do appear in the episode.
Background
According to a behind-the-scenes account first reported by Vulture and relayed by Screen Rant, the idea came from Isabel Richardson, showrunner of Letterman’s Netflix interview series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. Letterman had reportedly wanted to try his hand as a background actor for some time, and earlier attempts to slip into other productions had not worked out. The pitch was put to series creator Julian Fellowes and HBO chief Casey Bloys, who reportedly found it hysterical, and the schedules lined up. The scene was shot on the show’s main street set in Old Bethpage, Long Island.
The choice of Damon is a neat nod to his own beginnings. Long before Good Will Hunting and the Bourne films, he and Ben Affleck picked up work as extras. Damon is also among the guests lined up for the new season of Letterman’s Netflix show, which explains how the two came to share a sidewalk in 1880s New York.
The Gilded Age, created by Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes, follows old-money and new-money families competing for status in late-19th-century Manhattan. The new season opens with a wedding in the van Rhijn household, a dramatic birth for the Russell family and Agnes van Rhijn preparing to host President Grover Cleveland, played by comedian Jim Gaffigan. Carrie Coon returns as social climber Bertha Russell.
Reactions
The cameo quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the premiere. Deadline’s headline described them as “Blink & You Missed It” cameos, while The Daily Beast’s recap opened by assuring readers that their eyes were not deceiving them. Several outlets, including Decider and Screen Rant, published timestamps so fans could find the shot for themselves.
What’s Next
New episodes of The Gilded Age Season 4 air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and stream on HBO Max. There is no indication that Damon or Letterman will return later in the season, so Sunday’s walk-on may be their only trip to Fellowes’ version of old New York. Letterman’s Netflix series, meanwhile, is set to feature Damon as a guest in its upcoming season.
Related reading on biographiestart.com: David Letterman biography · Carrie Coon biography · Conan O’Brien biography
Sources
- Deadline – Matt Damon & David Letterman Make Blink & You Missed It Cameos On ‘The Gilded Age’
- Decider (via Yahoo Entertainment) – ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 4 Premiere Boasts Two Huge Celebrity Cameos
- The Daily Beast – ‘The Gilded Age’ Premiere Has Shocking Cameo From Matt Damon and David Letterman
- Screen Rant – Matt Damon & David Letterman Just Had A Secret Cameo In HBO’s The Gilded Age