ALAN ON BEING FABULOUS AT 56
THE GOOD WIFE STAR OPENS UP ABOUT BEING IN HIS ’50S AND STAYING FABULOUS
“I certainly keep waiting to not feel like a horny 22-year -old” –CUMMING
From his humble beginnings in rural Scotland to becoming one of the most respected faces in the industry, Alan Cumming has managed to straddle both the big and small screens, with blockbusters including the likes of X-Men 2 and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion under his belt, alongside TV credits such as Sex and the City, Frasier, and a long time lead role as cunning political consultant Eli Gold in the Emmynominated series The Good Wife. Then there’s his multiple sell-out runs on Broadway, and stints on the bestselling lists for his literary work. It really seems that there’s nothing this bona fide triple threat can’t turn his hand to.
And while he’s had a stellar career spanning three decades, at the age of 56 he’s still got plenty of goals left to kick – most imminently, the debut of his new show Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age at the upcoming Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
“I still seem to be able to exist in pretending to not be the age I am … how old am I again?” the Scottish actor asks WHO jokingly. “I’m 56. And I certainly keep waiting to not feel like a horny 22-year-old, but it just hasn’t happened – I haven’t lost that aspect of my personality yet!”
Touted as “a thrilling evening of story and song”, his one-man show will delve into the star’s thoughts and observations on the ageing process. “It’s about the idea of what is appropriate ageing,” he reveals. “It’s really fascinating to me that we’re told how we should behave; that we’re encouraged to remain youthful, to do things to our bodies to make them seem younger – and that this is seen as a positive thing – rather than celebrating the wisdom that comes with age. And unfortunately, this culture of youth is getting worse. My show is about celebrating what you learn from growing older, and the life you have.”
As honest as he is in his approach to getting older, Cumming is equally candid about his personal life. Despite his celebrity pedigree, he’s managed to avoid the massive entourages and diva-like behaviour that so often go hand in hand with the fame game.
“I’m a famous person whose public image is actually really similar to the way I am in real life,” explains the Tony Award
winner. “People get that I’m going to be nice and easy and have a laugh. I’m not a diva and I don’t make any crazy demands, but in saying that, I don’t take any s--t either!”
Now openly bisexual, Cumming was married to fellow actress Hilary Lyon for eight years before entering a relationship with a man in the late 1990s. At the threat of tabloid exposure, he made the decision to come out very publicly and has continued to be candid about every aspect of his life. He’s talked about everything, from his views on monogamy to confessing to “accidentally” taking crystal meth. “It works for me to be open and honest,” he admits.
This openness seems to go hand in hand with the performer’s readiness to try anything. His résumé goes on for days, as does the breadth of his career and list of accomplishments, everything from TV and film to singing, dancing, writing, podcasting and political activism. “I’m just a genius!” he chuckles. “No, I’m moderately talented, but what I do have is lots and lots of curiosity. I think that’s what it is. I just give it a go, and that’s a good mantra the older I get. I think it’s a great way to live your life – to not just stick to the lane that you’ve been told to stay in.”
His “switching lanes” approach has led to his upcoming stint Down Under, with the Broadway stalwart taking the reins as creative director – the first international name to do so – at this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June. “I just went with my gut,” he says of his rationale for taking the gig. “I’m always open to new experiences. Plus, Adelaide is the underdog – it’s no Melbourne, or Sydney, it has its own personality. I feel like that, too. I think we’re very much alike.
An annual fixture on the Australian arts calendar, the festival’s growing reputation is a testament to the calibre of big names (Cumming included) who are being lured from overseas. But agreeing to the role wasn’t a hard sell for the performer who is a long-time fan of Oz. “There’s such a positive attitude here,” he says. “Plus, you guys get my sense of humour, which helps!”
However, before hitting the streets of Adelaide, Cumming must endure two weeks of quarantine – his fourth, he tells us – but he’s not phased. Though he’s called the bustling Big Apple home for close to 20 years, for much of the past six months he’s been in his “country pile” nestled in the New York state mountains, alone with his husband, Grant Shaffer, and their dogs. “I’ve absolutely loved it!” he exclaims. “I’ve been able to contemplate, to write, to think about new things, and to experiment.”
Taking advantage of the COVID-related confinement to get creative is an example of this go-getter’s approach to his work and his appetite for life. He’s busy – but he clearly thrives on it. “It’s important to do what you enjoy,” Cumming muses. “I think about death all of the time. I’m 56, what have I got left? Hopefully another 25 to 30 years, possibly more. I think it’s really important to have a sense of your own mortality. To not waste any time because life is just too short.”
• By Paul Ewart
Alan Cumming is the creative director of this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival, where he will be performing his Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age show. For the full line-up and ticket information, visit adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au
“What I do have is lots and lots of curiosity” –CUMMING