Alan Cumming Biography

Alan Cumming, OBE (born 27 January 1965), is a Scottish-American actor who has appeared in numerous films, television shows and plays.

His London stage appearances include Hamlet, the Maniac in Accidental Death of an Anarchist (for which he received an Olivier Award), the lead in Bent, and the National Theatre of Scotland's The Bacchae. On Broadway he has appeared in The Threepenny Opera, the master of ceremonies in Cabaret (for which he won a Tony Award), and Design for Living. Cumming also introduces Masterpiece Mystery! for PBS and appears on The Good Wife, for which he has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Satellite Award.

He has also written a novel, Tommy's Tale, had a cable talk show called Eavesdropping with Alan Cumming, and produced a line of perfumed products labelled "Cumming". He has contributed opinion pieces to many publications and performed a cabaret show, I Bought A Blue Car Today. Cumming has also promoted LGBT rights, same-sex marriage, AIDS charities, and groups concerned with foreskin preservation and has spoken against the practice of routine infant circumcision.

Retaining his British citizenship, Cumming became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2008.

Early life

Cumming was born in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, the son of Mary (née Darling), an insurance company secretary, and Alex Cumming, a forester. He has stated that his father was physically and emotionally abusive towards him. He has one older brother, Tom, and a niece and two nephews. Brought up in Angus, Cumming attended Monikie Primary School and Carnoustie High School. Following graduation, he spent a year and a half employed as an editor and columnist for the pop and TV magazine TOPS before entering the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. On graduation from Drama school, he married fellow student, Hilary Lyon; they divorced eight years later and had no children.

Film

Cumming made his film debut in Gillies MacKinnon's Passing Glory in 1986. His feature film debut came in 1992 when he starred alongside Sandrine Bonnaire and Bruno Ganz in Ian Sellar's Prague, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and earned him the Best Actor award at the Atlantic Film Festival and a Scottish BAFTA Best Actor nomination. American audiences first saw him playing the oleaginous Sean Walsh, an unwanted suitor of Minnie Driver's character, in Circle of Friends, an Irish film released in 1995. Also in 1995 he played Boris Ivanovich Grishenko in the James Bond film GoldenEye.

His first film in the United States was 1997's Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, playing Sandy Frink opposite Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino. Cumming co-wrote, co-directed, co-produced, and co-starred in the ensemble film The Anniversary Party with friend and former Cabaret co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh, in 2001. The two starred in the film as a Hollywood couple. The film premiered at Cannes and garnered two Independent Spirit nominations and a National Board of Review award. He went on to star in and direct Suffering Man's Charity, later released as Ghost Writer.

He had prominent roles in the Spy Kids trilogy, X-Men 2 (as Nightcrawler), Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and played Saturninus in the 1999 Julie Taymor film production of Titus. His many other films include Investigating Sex, Josie and the Pussycats, Emma, Get Carter, Plunkett and Macleane, Son of the Mask, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, Full Grown Men, Spice World, Burlesque, The Tempest, Boogie Woogie and the animated films Garfield: The Movie, Jackboots on Whitehall and The Smurfs.

Earlier in his career, Cumming also directed two short films, Butter and Burn Your Phone. The latter began its life as a one-off drama on BBC Radio 4. He continues to direct short films and video pieces.

Television

Britain

In the mid-1980s Cumming made his TV debut in the Scottish Television series Taggart. He went onto star in STV's Shadow of the Stone and as Jim Hunter, an evil woodcutter, in the Scottish soap opera Take The High Road. He also appeared as the Angel in the lyrical Channel 4 series Heavenly.

His breakthrough role was as Bernard Bottle in the Christmas 1991 BBC comedy Bernard and the Genie, a Richard Curtis-scripted film in which he starred alongside Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson. Cumming went on to star as flight attendant Sebastian Flight in the BBC2 cult airline sitcom The High Life in 1995. The series was written by Cumming and co-star Forbes Masson, continuing an acting-writing partnership the two had developed since their drama school days. Masson and Cumming had previously formed a cult Kelvinside musical double act "Victor and Barry", who later made many shows and appearances for STV. They performed regularly at the Edinburgh Festival and appeared in the Perrier Pick of the Fringe season at the Donmar Warehouse in 1988, toured Australia in 1989 playing the Sydney Opera House, released a record ("Hear Victor and Barry and Faint") but were killed off onstage at the London Palladium in the early 1990s.

Cumming returned to British TV screens in 2011 to star as Desrae, a transvestite, on the Sky series The Runaway.

He has also made several documentaries: My Brilliant Britain, about Scottish humour, The Real Cabaret in which he investigated the Weimar cabaret artistes and the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are in which he discovered his maternal grandfather was a war hero who had died playing Russian roulette.

United States

Cumming has guested on several US TV shows: In 2001, he appeared in the HBO comedy Sex and the City as O the designer in the episode, 'The Real Me'. 2003 saw him playing a cameo role in the sitcom Frasier, playing Niles' yoga instructor. He also guest starred on 3rd Rock from the Sun.

In 2004, he shot Showtime's Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical in which he played the role of The Lecturer " a versatile character who narrates the story and transforms himself into several other minor characters. He also appeared in the television films Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, the Disney remake of Annie. Cumming played the role of Bill Blaikie, a gay drag queen party promoter hired by Kit Porter to manage her café cum nightclub, in season 3 of The L Word. His character had an affair with Max, a transgender male character in the show. He appeared in episodes 2 to 7, which originally aired on Showtime in 2006.

In 2007, Cumming played Glitch/Ambrose, an inventor whose brain had been partially removed, in the TV miniseries, Tin Man. He also provided the voice of Chuck Masters, a 50 year-old, paralyzed, HIV-positive gay man in Logo's Rick and Steve, a stop animation sitcom created by Q. Allan Brocka. Cumming also hosted the Oxygen cable television show, "Eavesdropping with Alan Cumming", in which he interviewed female co-stars of his film roles, and "Midnight Snack", where he and his dogs introduced cult films. Cumming hosted Saturday Night Live in 2000, with musical guest Jennifer Lopez.

He is also the host of the 2008"2012 seasons of the PBS Masterpiece Mystery! series.

He currently plays Eli Gold on the CBS television show The Good Wife. He appeared as a guest star in the latter third of the first season, becoming a series regular in the show's 2010"2011 season,. He has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Satellite Award for his performance.

In 2009, Cumming guest-starred in Lisa Kudrow's improvised web series Web Therapy, portraying Austen Clarke, a possible love interest for Kudrow's character, Fiona Wallice. In 2010, Showtime announced plans to air Web Therapy as a TV series, and Cumming's guest appearance was broadcast as part of the first season finale of the show on September 20, 2011. Originally, the character was intended for a one-off appearance, however, plans were later changed and Cumming became a recurring cast member during the TV series' second season in 2012.

Theatre

Cumming began his theatre career in his native Scotland, performing in seasons with the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Dundee Rep, The Tron Glasgow and tours with Borderline, Theatre Workshop and Glasgow Citizens' TAG. He played Slupianek in the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh's 1988 production of Conquest of the South Pole, which later transferred to the Royal Court in London and earned him an Olivier Award nomination as Most Promising Newcomer. He went on to perform plays with the Bristol Old Vic and the Royal Shakespeare Company and played Valere in La Bete at the Lyric, Hammersmith, London. In 1991 he played The Madman in the 1990 Royal National Theatre production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo, for which he won an Olivier Award. He also adapted the play with director Tim Supple. In 1993 he received great critical acclaim and the TMA Best Actor award for playing title role in the 1993 English Touring Theatre's Hamlet (playing opposite his then-wife, Hilary Lyon, in the role of Ophelia). He played the role of The Master of Ceremonies in Sam Mendes's 1993 revival of the musical Cabaret in London's West End opposite Jane Horrocks as Sally Bowles. He received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. He reprised the role in 1998 for the Mendes-Rob Marshall Broadway revival, this time opposite Natasha Richardson as Sally Bowles. He won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance.

Other US stage roles include Otto in the 2001 Broadway production of Design for Living by Noël Coward, Mac the Knife in Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill musical The Threepenny Opera opposite Cyndi Lauper. Cumming performed alongside Dianne Wiest in Classic Stage Company's production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, directed by Viacheslav Dolgachev. In 2002, Cumming and then-boyfriend British director Nick Philippou formed the production company The Art Party. The company's first and only play was the first English production of Jean Genet's play Elle, which Cumming had adapted from a literal translation by Terri Gordon. The company folded in 2003.

In 2006 he returned to the West End playing the lead role in Bent, a play about homosexuals in Germany under the Nazis. In 2007 he took the lead role in the National Theatre of Scotland's production of The Bacchae, directed by John Tiffany, which premiéred at the Edinburgh Festival in August, transferring to the Lyric Theatre in London and then to Lincoln Center, New York, winning him Herald ArcAngel award.

He collaborated again with Tiffany and the National Theatre of Scotland in 2012, playing all the roles in Macbeth. He brought this critically acclaimed production of Macbeth to New York's Lincoln Center in 2012 and to a 73-show Broadway engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 2013. Macbeth concluded its run on Broadway on July 14, 2013.

In 2013 Cumming also made a guest appearance on The Colbert Report singing a musical performance with Colbert "bridging the gap" between gay and straight Americans.

Other work

Cumming wrote a novel, Tommy's Tale, published in 2002. He has also written articles for magazines, notably as a contributing editor for Marie Claire magazine, writing on the haute couture shows in Paris, as well as what it was like for him dressing as a woman for a day. He also contributed articles to Newsweek, Modern Painters, Out, Black Book and The Wall Street Journal . He has also written introductions and prefaces to may books, including the works of Nancy Mitford, Andy Warhol and Christopher Isherwood and wrote a chapter of If You Had Five Minutes with the President, a collection of 55+ essays by members or supporters of The Creative Coalition. Cumming recorded a duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Liza Minnelli to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the September 11 Fund.

In 2005 he released a fragrance called "Cumming," and a related line of scented bath lotion and body wash. A second fragrance arrived in 2011, naturally named Second Cumming, with all proceeds going to charity.

On 1 September 2009, Cumming released his first solo album based around his one man show, I Bought a Blue Car Today.

In 2012, he launched his photography career with his first exhibition Alan Cumming Snaps.

In July 2012 Cumming presented Urban Secrets on Sky Atlantic where he uncovers hidden secrets in various urban areas including London and Brighton.

Cumming is also a supporter and activist for the Scottish 'YES' campaign in the run-up to Scotland's referendum on independence in September 2014.

Personal life

Cumming lives in Manhattan with his husband, graphic artist Grant Shaffer, and their dogs, Honey and Leon. The couple dated for two years before entering into a civil partnership at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, on January 7, 2007. Cumming and Shaffer remarried in New York on January 7, 2012, the fifth anniversary of their London union.

Once described as "a frolicky pansexual sex symbol for the new millennium", Cumming has stated that he considers himself bisexual, "although the pendulum has obviously swung". Previous relationships include an eight-year marriage to actress Hilary Lyon, a two-year relationship with actress Saffron Burrows, and a six-year relationship with theater director Nick Philippou. After his civil partnership with Shaffer, when asked if he was monogamous, he stated "I don't believe that monogamy is feasible". In 2006, Cumming stated that he "would dearly like to adopt a child", but that his life was "too hectic" for children.

Cumming used to be a member of the Church of Scotland, until his mother received a letter from them saying they had "read something about me being an atheist and would I like to leave". He said he had attended out of tradition, but realized being a part of it was "only condoning and validating lots of things I disapprove of: oppression, guilt, shame, etc".

Since coming out as bisexual in 1998, Cumming has promoted LGBT rights, MC-ing and attending fundraisers for organizations such as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and taking part in an Equality Network video campaign, from New York, promoting the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Scotland. Cumming also supports several AIDS charities, including the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR) and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and is also a patron of NORM-UK, an English-registered charity concerned with foreskin health and matters related to circumcision; he has condemned the practice of routine infant circumcision, particularly in the United States where it is common. In 2013 his book entitled May the Foreskin Be With You: Why Circumcision Makes No Sense and What You Can Do About It will be published.

In March 2005, Cumming received the Vito Russo Award at the 16th Annual GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding contributions toward eliminating homophobia. In July of the same year he was also presented with the HRC's Humanitarian Award in San Francisco, also for his LGBT public stance. In November 2006 Cumming received a Doctor of Arts honorary degree from the University of Abertay Dundee. He also is a patron of the Scottish Youth Theatre, Scotland's National Theatre 'for and by' young people. Cumming was appointed an OBE in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to film, theatre and the arts and activism for LGBT rights.

On November 7, 2008, Cumming became a dual-national and was sworn in as a citizen of the United States of America at a ceremony in New York City.

On April 17, 2013, Cumming made a guest appearance on The Colbert Report, where he sang a duet parody with Colbert of Brad Paisley's song Accidental Racist, entitled "Oopsie-Daisy Homophobe".

Awards

In 1998, Cumming won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for the revival of Cabaret.

In 2007, Cumming was honored with the Excellence in Acting Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival.

Awards and nominations

Year	Project	Award	Category	Result
1988	Conquest of the South Pole	Olivier Award	Best Newcomer in a Play
1991	Accidental Death of an Anarchist	Olivier Award	Comedy Performance of the Year
1992	Bernard and the Genie	British Comedy Award	Top Television Newcomer
1992	Prague	Atlantic Film Festival	Best Actor
1993	Prague	Scottish BAFTA Award	Best Film Actor
1993	La Bête	Olivier Award	Comedy Performance of the Year
1994	Cabaret	Olivier Award	Best Actor in a Musical
1994	Hamlet	Shakespeare Globe Award	Richard Burton Award
1994	Hamlet	Theater Management Association Award	Best Actor		1995 Circle of Friends-	1996	Romy and Michele's High School Reunion	MTV Movie Award	Best Dance Sequence
1998		Vanity Fair Hall of Fame		Inducted
1998	Cabaret	New York Free Press Award	Best Actor
1998	Cabaret	New York Public Advocate's Award
1998	Cabaret	FANY Award	Best Actor in a Musical
1998	Cabaret	Tony Award	Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
1998	Cabaret	Outer Critics Circle Award	Best Actor in a Musical
1998	Cabaret	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
1998	Cabaret	Theater World Award	Outstanding Broadway Debut
2000		Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film	Gertrudis Award
2001		New York Immigrant Achievement Award
2002	The Anniversary Party	Prism Award
2002	The Anniversary Party	Independent Spirit Award	Best First Feature
2002	The Anniversary Party	Independent Spirit Award	Best Screenplay
2002	The Anniversary Party	National Board of Review Award	Excellence in Filmmaking
2003		Bailey House	Key Award
2003		Convent of the Sacred Heart	Hatter's Ball Award
2003	Nicholas Nickleby	National Board of Review Award	Best Ensemble in a Movie
2004		Newfest	Trailblazer Award
2004		Bailey House	20 for 20 Key Award
2004		Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival	Artistic Achievement Award
2004		Special Civil Rights Award
2005		HRC Humanitarian Award
2005		Scotland Magazine	Icon of Scotland Award
2006	Bent	Theatregoer's Choice Award	Best Actor
2006		Human Rights Campaign	The Elizabeth Birch Equality Award
2006		LIGALY Award
2006	The Threepenny Opera	Drama League		Honored
2006		GLAAD Media Award	The Vito Russo Award
2006	Sweet Land	Sedona Film Festival	Birkner Humanitarian Award
2007	Sweet Land	Independent Spirit Award	Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
2007		Big Apple Film Festival	Golden Apple Award for Honorary Achievement
2007		Santa Fe Film Festival	Maverick Award
2007		LAMBDA Liberty Award
2007	Ghost Writer	Barcelona Gay and Lesbian Film Festival	Tribute Award
2007	Ghost Writer	Provincetown International Film Festival	Excellence in Acting Award
2007	Ghost Writer	SHOUT Film Festival	Beacon Award
2007	The Bacchae	Herald Arcangel Award
2007		Phoenix Film Festival	Copper Wing Tribute Award
2008		Anti-Violence Project	Courage Award
2008		Trevor Project	Hero Award
2009		Scottish Style Awards	Most Stylish Male
2009		National Trust for Scotland	Great Scot Award
2009		PFLAG	PFLAG Choice Award
2009	I Bought A Blue Car Today	SX Magazine	Best Cabaret
2009	I Bought A Blue Car Today	Whatsonstage.com Awards	Best Solo Performance
2010	I Bought A Blue Car Today	Time Out New York	Best of Cabaret
2010	I Bought A Blue Car Today	Bistro Award	Outstanding Recording
2010		Chicago International Film Festival	Artistic Achievement Award
2010		National Gay and Lesbian Task Force	Leadership Award
2010		Point Foundation	Courage Award
2010		Theater Offensive	Out On The Edge Award
2010		Johnnie Walker	Great Scot Award
2010	The Good Wife	International Press Academy	Best Supporting TV Actor
2010	The Good Wife	Emmy Award	Outstanding Guest Star in a Drama
2011		Denver Film Festival	Excellence in Acting Award
2011	Cumming The Fragrance	Fleshbot Award	Sexiest Fashion
2011	Zoorgamazoo	AudioFile Magazine	Earphones Award
2011	Zoorgamazoo	Audie Award	Solo Narration - Male
2011	Charity Work	Johnnie Walker	Great Scot Award
2011	The Good Wife	Emmy Award	Best Supporting Actor
2011	The Good Wife	Critics' Choice TV Awards	Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
2011	The Good Wife	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama
2012		Johnnie Walker	Great Scot Award
2012		Matthew Shepard Foundation	Making A Difference Award
2012		Live Out Loud Awards	Star Award
2012	Macbeth	AudioFile Awards	Best Voice of the Year
2012	Macbeth	Audiofile Magazine	Earphone Award
2012	The Good Wife	Crime Thriller Awards	Best Supporting Actor
2012	The Good Wife	Screen Actors' Guild	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2012	Any Day Now	Key West Film Festival	Golden Key Award
2012	Any Day Now	Napa Valley Film Festival	Favorite Actor or Actress
2012	Any Day Now	Outfest	Best Actor Award
2012	Any Day Now	Seattle International Film Festival	Best Actor Award
2013	Any Day Now	Dorian Award	Film Performance of the Year
2013	Any Day Now	Gaybie Award	Best Actor in a Gay Themed Movie
2013		Bailey House	Arts & Legacy Award
2013	Macbeth on Broadway	Drama League Awards	Distinguished Performance Award
2013	Macbeth on Broadway	United Solo	UAward
2013	Macbeth on Broadway	Broadway.com Audience Choice	Favorite Actor in a Play

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1986	Take The High Road	Jim Hunter	TV Series
1987	Shadow of the Stone	Tom Henderson	TV Series
1988	Take The High Road	Jim Hunter	TV Series
1991	Bernard and the Genie	Bernard Bottle	television film British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Newcomer
1992	Prague	Alexander Novak
1993	Micky Love	Greg Deane	TV film
	Mr. Bean	Roddy	Uncredited TV series (episode: "Blind Date")
1994	Second Best	Bernard
	Black Beauty	Black Beauty	Voice
1995	Circle of Friends	Sean Walsh
	GoldenEye	Boris Ivanovich Grishenko
	The High Life	Sebastian Flight	TV series
1996	Emma	Mr. Elton
	3rd Rock from the Sun	Angus: "The Hole" McDuff- Hole expert	Season 5, Episode 18 - "Dick and Harry Fall Into a Hole"
1997	Romy and Michele's High School Reunion	Sandy Frink	Nominated "? MTV Movie Award for Best Dance Sequence
	Spice World	Piers Cuthbertson-Smyth
	Buddy	Dick Croner, Trudy's assistant
1999	Titus	Saturninus
	Plunkett & Macleane	Lord Rochester
	Eyes Wide Shut	Hotel desk clerk
	Annie	Rooster	TV film
2000	Urbania	Brett
	God, the Devil and Bob	The Devil	TV Series
	The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas	Mick Jagged/Gazoo
	Get Carter	Jeremy Kinnear
2001	The Anniversary Party	Joe Therrian	Writer/producer/director Nominated "? Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature shared with Jennifer Jason Leigh Nominated "? Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay shared with Jennifer Jason Leigh
	Sex and the City	O	TV series - "The Real Me"
	Investigating Sex	Sevy
	Josie and the Pussycats	Wyatt Frame
	Spy Kids	Fegan Floop
	Company Man	General Batista
2002	Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams	Fegan Floop
	Nicholas Nickleby	Mr. Folair	National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
	Foyle's War	Host	TV series
2003	X2	Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler
	Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over	Fegan Floop
2004	Shoebox Zoo	Bruno the Bear	TV Series
	Garfield: The Movie	Sir Roland/Persnikitty	Voice
2005	Son of the Mask	Loki	Nominated " Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
	Eighteen	Father Chris
	Reefer Madness	Lecturer/Goat-Man/FDR
	Ripley Under Ground	Jeff Constant
	Neverwas	Jake
	Sweet Land	Frandsen	Producer Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
2006	The L Word	Billie Blaikie	TV series
	Full Grown Men	The Hitchhiker	Co-producer
2007	Gray Matters	Gordy
	Suffering Man's Charity (aka Ghost Writer)	John Vandermark	Director/executive producer
	Tin Man	Glitch	TV miniseries
2009	Boogie Woogie	Dewey
	Dare	Grant Matson
	PoliWood	Himself	Documentary
2010	The Tempest	Sebastian
	Jackboots on Whitehall	Adolf Hitler	Voice
	Riverworld	Judas Caretake
	Burlesque	Alexis
2010-present	The Good Wife	Eli Gold	TV series (Recurring Season 1; Main Cast Season 2-present) Nominated "? Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (2010) Nominated "? Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2011) Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor " Series, Miniseries or Television Film (2010) Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2011	The Smurfs	Gutsy Smurf	Voice
2011-present	Web Therapy	Austen Clarke	Guest Role (2011); Recurring Role (2012-present)
2012	Filth	Bob Toal
	Any Day Now	Rudy	Golden Space Needle Award for Best Actor Grand Jury Award for Best Actor
2013	The Smurfs 2	Gutsy Smurf	Voice

Bibliography