Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming, OBE, is a Scottish character actor, author, and activist who has appeared in numerous films, television shows and plays. His London stage appearances include Hamlet, the Maniac in Accidental Death of an Anarchist, the lead in Bent, and the National Theatre of Scotland's The Bacchae. On Broadway he has appeared in The Threepenny Opera, as the master of ceremonies in Cabaret, Design for Living and a one-man adaptation of Macbeth. His best-known film roles include his performances in...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth27 January 1965
CityAberfeldy, Scotland
Actually I like working kind of fast, because if you got it, why bother doing it over and over?
I like working on things that are very different and that involve different disguises.
Macbeth was the first play I ever read.
In my first year at drama school, I did this kids' show called 'Let's See.
I think American actors are much more intimidated by Shakespeare.
I started to itch to do a play again and 'Macbeth' came to the surface in my mind. I never thought I would do it in a conventional way. A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn't interest me.
I was so scared of going back to the theatre after 'Hamlet.' I didn't know if I'd do a play again because I was afraid of the power of it.
Romeo is the most misunderstood character in literature, I think. He's hardcore to play because he's displaying the characteristics of Hamlet at the beginning, and, well, then everything else happens.
I'm Scottish first, and it's odd to hear that I'm a Scottish-American.
So the experts think we could have an AIDS-free generation in Africa by 2015, even if the mothers are positive.
I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they're so universal.
I come more to Scotland than I ever used to, so I feel more connected to it, more part of the zeitgeist. You know when you realize you have a choice and I'm choosing my homeland. It's funny: when you get older these things creep up to you.
I don't avoid anyone but I always think some people hate me.
Performing a one-man Macbeth feels like the greatest challenge.