Sheriff Country's Kelli O'Hara Also Stars In A Popular HBO Historical Drama Series

Kelli O'Hara is taking care of business as the relentless magnate Miranda Fraley on "Sheriff Country," but she plays a different type of powerful woman on another standout show. Set in the late 19th century, HBO's historical drama "The Gilded Age" revolves around wealthy society in New York City. 

In all three released seasons, O'Hara plays Aurora Fane, a savvy old-money socialite who often lends a helping hand to those looking to break into upper-class life. Aurora can also skillfully match potential romantic pairings when needed, though she eventually encounters relationship turmoil of her own with her husband, Charles (Ward Horton). "She's a charity woman and she ultimately gets herself under the responsibility of having to bridge the gap between the old and the new," O'Hara told Theatrely about her character. "Aurora has to put her foot into the other waters, which I think as a character is really fun to play, it gives her a little dual personality."

With 15 Emmy nominations to its name thus far and a fourth season on the way as of this writing, HBO's "The Gilded Age" has given O'Hara a major television role alongside her recurring turn on "Sheriff Country."

Having started her work on "The Gilded Age" in 2022, three years before making her debut as Miranda on "Sheriff Country," Kelli O'Hara was already an established Broadway star by the time the CBS "Fire Country" spin-off premiered. She's just one of numerous stage actors to star in "The Gilded Age," as Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Nathan Lane, and Denée Benton also have prominent theater backgrounds.

According to O'Hara, filming "The Gilded Age" alongside so many fellow stage performers made for an enjoyable and easy process. "There was a definite air to the place that was screaming with theatrical background, and so it did feel like we had a shorthand," she said in a 2022 interview with TheaterMania. "There wasn't a lot of 'We want to get out of here.' We're all used to the world of work, so there wasn't a lot of complaining. It was just sort of, 'Let's do it.' And I think that's a theater thing."

Even though "The Gilded Age" differs considerably from the modern crime-drama atmosphere of "Sheriff Country," it offers viewers another side of O'Hara's work to check out before "Sheriff Country" Season 2 premieres in fall 2026.