Alan Cumming Over-the-top actor Alan Cumming was born on January 27, 1965, in Perthshire, Scotland. Growing up, Cumming harbored hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian; however, a clash with his biology teacher turned him off the idea, and he then aspired to become an actor. Cumming worked as an editor for the Scottish pop magazine TOPS before enrolling in the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. After graduating in 1985, Cumming landed a role on the long-running Scottish soap opera Take the High Road. At this time, he also made his film debut in Passing Glory (1985).
Cumming continued to work steadily in theater, and was employed with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In his late twenties, Cumming starred in the film Prague (1992), a historical overview of the city, which did not garner him much notice as an actor. A few years later, he was introduced to American audiences as the narrator of Black Beauty; however, it was a small role as a Russian computer programmer in Goldeneye alongside Pierce Brosnan that landed Cumming in the public eye. The exposure that Cumming received from Goldeneye led to roles in Circle of Friends in 1995, alongside Minnie Driver; and Emma in 1996, with Gwyneth Paltrow. Cumming continued to secure roles for the rest of the 90s, starring in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion in 1997, with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino; and Spiceworld in 1998, with none other than the Spice Girls. In 1998, Cumming landed a stage role in Cabaret, which earned him three New York theater awards: a Tony, a Drama Desk, and an Outer Critics Circle. The accolades led to new opportunities for the actor, including a part in Stanley Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut in 1999 alongside then-married couple, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Cumming’s performance in Titus the following year, co-starring Jessica Lange and Anthony Hopkins, was rendered too flamboyant according to some critics.
The new millennium saw Cumming regaining critical acclaim when he directed (along with Jennifer Jason Leigh) and starred in The Anniversary Party in 2001, featuring an ensemble cast of actors such as Kevin Kline, Phoebe Cates, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Beals. In 2003, Cumming landed the role for which he is best known, playing Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X-Men 2: X-Men United, alongside Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, and Anna Paquin. In addition to acting, Cumming has also branched out into the areas of writing, singing, and marketing his own fragrance. His first novel, Tommy's Tale, was published in 2002, and he has also penned several articles for magazines and served as a contributing editor for Marie Claire covering haute couture shows in Paris. In 2001, he recorded a duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Liza Minnelli to raise funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and September 11. His own range of beauty products was kicked-off with his own scent, called Cumming: the Fragrance. An open bisexual, Cumming has promoted gay rights for GLAAD and the HRC, and worked for such AIDS charities as AMFAR. He is also a member of the Creative Coalition, which aims to raise public awareness of social issues. In 2005, Cumming was presented with the San Francisco Human Rights Campaign's Humanitarian Award. YUDDY |
