Alan Cumming

  • Name: Alan Cumming
  • Date of Birth: January 27, 1965
  • Place of Birth: Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
Mini-bio: Alan Cumming was born on January 27, 1965, in Aberfeldy, Scotland. His family lived nearby in Dunkeld, where his father, Alex, was a forester for Atholl Estate. The family (Alex, mother Mary, big brot...( read more)her Tom and Alan) moved to Fassfern near Fort William soon after, before moving to the east coast of Scotland in 1969 where Alan's dad took up the position of Head Forester of Panmure Estate, and it was here Alan grew up. He went to Monikie Primary School and Carnoustie High School, where he began appearing in plays, and soon after that began working with with the Carnoustie Theatre Club and Carnoustie Musical Society. In 1981 he left high school with 8 'O' Grades and 4 Highers, but because he was too young to enter any university or drama school he worked for just over a year as a sub-editor at D.C. Thompson publishers in Dundee. There he worked on the launch of a new magazine "Tops" and was also the "Young Alan" who answered readers' letters. In September 1982 he began a three-year course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He graduated in 1985 with a B.A. (Dramatic Studies) and awards for verse speaking and direction. He also had formed a cabaret double act with fellow student Forbes Masson called Victor and Barry, which went on to become hugely successful with tours (including two Perrier Pick of the Fringe seasons in London and a month-long engagement at the Sydney Opera House as part of an Australian tour), records ("Hear Victor and Barry and Faint", "Are We Too Loud?") and many TV appearances throughout the UK. Before graduating Alan made his professional theater and film debuts in "Macbeth" at the Tron theater in Glasgow and in Gillies MacKinnon's "Passing Glory". After graduating Alan worked extensively in Scottish theater and television, including a stint on the soap opera "Take the High Road" (1980) before moving to London when "Conquest of the South Pole", a play by German playwright Manfred Karge, transferred from the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh to the the Royal Court in London, earning him his first Olivier award nomination for Most Promising Newcomer of 1988.Alan performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and then the Royal National Theatre where he starred in "Accidental Death of an Anarchist", which he also adapted with director Tim Supple. The production was nominated for Best revival at the 1991 Olivier awards and Alan won for Comedy Performance of the Year. Then his film career began with Ian Sellar's Prague (1992), in which he starred with Sandrine Bonnaire and Bruno Ganz. The film premiered at the 1992 Cannes film festival and went on to win him Best Actor award at the Atlantic Film Festival and a Scottish BAFTA Best Actor nomination. In the same year he made two films for the BBC - The Last Romantics (1991) (TV) and Bernard and the Genie (1991) (TV), the latter winning him the Top Television Newcomer award at 1992 British Comedy Awards. In the 1992 Olivier awards he was also nominated for Comedy Performance of the Year for "La Bete". In 1993 he played Hamlet for the English Touring Theare to great critical acclaim ("An actor knocking on the door of greatness" - Daily Mail; ranked first and second--with his performance in "Cabaret"--in the Daily Telegraph's performances of the year) and then immediately went on to play the Emcee in Sam Mendes' revival of "Cabaret" at the same venue (London's Donmar Warehouse). He received a 1994 Olivier award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for "Cabaret", and for Hamlet he received the 1994 TMA Best Actor award and a Shakespeare Globe award nomination.In 1994 he made his first Hollywood film, Circle of Friends (1995), and his performance as the oleaginous Sean Walsh along with those in two films released in quick succession (Emma (1996) and GoldenEye (1995)) brought him to the attention of American producers, and he appeared in several Hollywood films, such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and Buddy (1997). He returned to the UK in 1997 to work with Stanley Kubrick and The Spice Girls before returning stateside in 1998 to reprise his role in "Cabaret" on Broadway. The show and his portrayal were a sensation, and he received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Theatre World, FANY, New York Press and New York Public Advocate's awards for his performance. Since then he has alternated between theater and films, and also between smaller independent films and more mainstream fare. His theater work includes 2001's "Design for Living" on Broadway and the hugely successful off-Broadway "Elle" by Jean Genet, which he adapted and played the lead in 2002. Films have included Julie Taymor's Titus (1999), Urbania (2000), the "Spy Kids" trilogy, Josie and the Pussycats (2001), X2 (2003), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Son of the Mask (2005) and the Showtime movie musical _Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) (TV)_ . He wrote, directed, produced and acted in The Anniversary Party (2001) with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which premiered at the Cannes Film festival in 2002 and went on to win a National Board of Review award and two Independent Spirit award nominations. More recently he has produced the documentary "Show People" (2004) and the films Sweet Land (2005) and Full Grown Men (2006) (and appears in both) and acted in the movies Grey Matters (2005) opposite Heather Graham and Bam Bam and Celeste (2005) opposite Margaret Cho. in 2006 he will return to Broadway as Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera". He has also found the time to write a novel, "Tommy's Tale", in 2002 and a fragrance "Cumming" (cummingthefragrance.com) in 2005.
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Replace this image with an actor photoAlan Cumming mini-bio: Alan Cumming was born on January 27, 1965, in Aberfeldy, Scotland. His family lived nearby in Dunkeld, where his father, Alex, was a forester for Atholl Estate. The family (Alex, mother Mary, big brother Tom and Alan) moved to Fassfern near Fort William soon after, before moving to the east coast of Scotland in 1969 where Alan's dad took up the position of Head Forester of Panmure Estate, and it was here Alan grew up. He went to Monikie Primary School and Carnoustie High School, where he began appearing in plays, and soon after that began working with with the Carnoustie Theatre Club and Carnoustie Musical Society. In 1981 he left high school with 8 'O' Grades and 4 Highers, but because he was too young to enter any university or drama school he worked for just over a year as a sub-editor at D.C. Thompson publishers in Dundee. There he worked on the launch of a new magazine "Tops" and was also the "Young Alan" who answered readers' letters. In September 1982 he began a three-year course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He graduated in 1985 with a B.A. (Dramatic Studies) and awards for verse speaking and direction. He also had formed a cabaret double act with fellow student Forbes Masson called Victor and Barry, which went on to become hugely successful with tours (including two Perrier Pick of the Fringe seasons in London and a month-long engagement at the Sydney Opera House as part of an Australian tour), records ("Hear Victor and Barry and Faint", "Are We Too Loud?") and many TV appearances throughout the UK. Before graduating Alan made his professional theater and film debuts in "Macbeth" at the Tron theater in Glasgow and in Gillies MacKinnon's "Passing Glory". After graduating Alan worked extensively in Scottish theater and television, including a stint on the soap opera "Take the High Road" (1980) before moving to London when "Conquest of the South Pole", a play by German playwright Manfred Karge, transferred from the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh to the the Royal Court in London, earning him his first Olivier award nomination for Most Promising Newcomer of 1988.
Alan performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and then the Royal National Theatre where he starred in "Accidental Death of an Anarchist", which he also adapted with director Tim Supple. The production was nominated for Best revival at the 1991 Olivier awards and Alan won for Comedy Performance of the Year. Then his film career began with Ian Sellar's Prague (1992), in which he starred with Sandrine Bonnaire and Bruno Ganz. The film premiered at the 1992 Cannes film festival and went on to win him Best Actor award at the Atlantic Film Festival and a Scottish BAFTA Best Actor nomination. In the same year he made two films for the BBC - The Last Romantics (1991) (TV) and Bernard and the Genie (1991) (TV), the latter winning him the Top Television Newcomer award at 1992 British Comedy Awards. In the 1992 Olivier awards he was also nominated for Comedy Performance of the Year for "La Bete". In 1993 he played Hamlet for the English Touring Theare to great critical acclaim ("An actor knocking on the door of greatness" - Daily Mail; ranked first and second--with his performance in "Cabaret"--in the Daily Telegraph's performances of the year) and then immediately went on to play the Emcee in Sam Mendes' revival of "Cabaret" at the same venue (London's Donmar Warehouse). He received a 1994 Olivier award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for "Cabaret", and for Hamlet he received the 1994 TMA Best Actor award and a Shakespeare Globe award nomination.
In 1994 he made his first Hollywood film, Circle of Friends (1995), and his performance as the oleaginous Sean Walsh along with those in two films released in quick succession (Emma (1996) and GoldenEye (1995)) brought him to the attention of American producers, and he appeared in several Hollywood films, such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and Buddy (1997). He returned to the UK in 1997 to work with Stanley Kubrick and The Spice Girls before returning stateside in 1998 to reprise his role in "Cabaret" on Broadway. The show and his portrayal were a sensation, and he received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Theatre World, FANY, New York Press and New York Public Advocate's awards for his performance. Since then he has alternated between theater and films, and also between smaller independent films and more mainstream fare. His theater work includes 2001's "Design for Living" on Broadway and the hugely successful off-Broadway "Elle" by Jean Genet, which he adapted and played the lead in 2002. Films have included Julie Taymor's Titus (1999), Urbania (2000), the "Spy Kids" trilogy, Josie and the Pussycats (2001), X2 (2003), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Son of the Mask (2005) and the Showtime movie musical _Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) (TV)_ . He wrote, directed, produced and acted in The Anniversary Party (2001) with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which premiered at the Cannes Film festival in 2002 and went on to win a National Board of Review award and two Independent Spirit award nominations. More recently he has produced the documentary "Show People" (2004) and the films Sweet Land (2005) and Full Grown Men (2006) (and appears in both) and acted in the movies Grey Matters (2005) opposite Heather Graham and Bam Bam and Celeste (2005) opposite Margaret Cho. in 2006 he will return to Broadway as Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera". He has also found the time to write a novel, "Tommy's Tale", in 2002 and a fragrance "Cumming" (cummingthefragrance.com) in 2005.

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Last update: Aug 13 2008, 7:06 AM EDT by ed (content history | content tools) (help)
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Alan Cumming Biography Alan Cumming Quotes Alan Cumming Best Movies and Characters

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  • lottie1014
    lottie1014
    omg im a huge fan of alan he such a fantastic actor and so totally hot (especially in son of the mask) lolz. Charlottexxx
    posted 567 days ago
  • pearldragon145
    pearldragon145
    I loved Tin Man! Glitch and Caine were my two favorite characters! <3
    posted 695 days ago
  • DuncanRR
    DuncanRR
    I saw him perform a song from "Threepenny Opera" with Cindy Lauper on T.V. a little while back. He was soooo sleazy. God, I wish I could've seen that show live with him in it...
    posted 721 days ago
  • aqintactus
    aqintactus
    I can forgive Mr. Cumming for 'son of the mask', suckfest that it was, since I enjoyed him in 'Tin-Man' and X-Men.
    posted 740 days ago
  • bluevixen1
    bluevixen1
    Alan Cumming is a great actor. It doesn't really matter that he's gay. We girls (and guys) can still fantasize right? We love you, Alan.
    posted 798 days ago
  • Ladynightcrawler3
    Ladynightcrawler3
    Again, does the actor of this profile even come here. ...... why do i even bother....

    \ \
    .\ \ /
    ...\
    ....\ still a work in progress -_-;
    posted 807 days ago
  • MovayBayBay
    MovayBayBay
    I love this guy! I love Annie and X men and Son of the mask. he is so talented. he cans sing and act!!! can't wait to see more movies with him in it!
    posted 879 days ago
  • 115b
    115b
    I love you in a total heterosexual way man....
    Nightcrawler is my favourite X-Man and you are a pretty cool guy...
    I didn't care when I found out you were gay, I mean I have a TON of gay friends and I never felt uncomfortable with them...
    Keep you're cool and go in some more films that I will actually see....Like any film ever made.
    posted 905 days ago
  • kiribrittain1
    kiribrittain1
    Does it matter if Alan Cumming is gay? I just think he's completely cool! I wish he was my... UNCLE! Yeah! He seems really nice. I wish he was in the third Xmen... they should have paid him a million dollars to be in it, actually, pounds cos thats more, we should have done 'the put Alan Cumming in X-men 3 please fund', and all chipped in to get a million pounds to pay him to be in it. Or something. It's so cool how he can 'bamph!' teleport! If I was an X-man i would be good, and i would be able to bamph! yes, yes.. im leaving... *sigh* i BELIEVE i had a HAT. hrumph.
    posted 945 days ago
  • angelicniwa
    angelicniwa
    Best actor ever :3
    I wuv you *hug hug*
    posted 1014 days ago
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  • Hugh Grant and Alan Cumming were both considered for the role of which Professor at Hogwarts?   Answer »
  • Which character did Alan Cumming play in X-Men 2?  Answer »
  • This 2001 kids movie at an all-star cast of Carla Gugino, Teri Hatcher, Tony Shaloub, Antonio Banderas, Alan Cumming, and Cheech Marin.  Answer »
  • In which James Bond film does Boris Grishenko (Alan Cumming) continually proclaim, “I am invincible!”?  Answer »
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