‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Kicks Off Final Season with Civil War-Era Flashback

Bradley Cooper guest stars as Elijah Gemstone in a bold, unconventional premiere directed by Danny McBride.

The fourth and final season of HBO's 'The Righteous Gemstones' premiered with a standalone Civil War-era episode featuring Bradley Cooper as Elijah Gemstone, the family's morally complex ancestor.
The premiere marked a departure from the show's usual formula, with none of the main cast appearing and a focus on the 1860s origin story of the Gemstone family's religious empire.
Danny McBride, who co-wrote and directed the episode, revealed the challenges of securing Bradley Cooper for the role and praised his performance for embodying the charm and charisma of a typical Gemstone character.
The episode explores themes of greed, faith, and survival, laying the groundwork for the family’s legacy of contradictions and moral ambiguity.
The season is set to shift back to the present-day Gemstone family dynamics, with storylines addressing personal growth, unresolved grief, and the series' trademark mix of sharp comedy and heartfelt moments.