Alan Cumming’s new Sky drama Instinct
Alan Cumming on playing a dapper New York sleuth
Instinct thursday / sky witness / 9Pm
Alan Cumming has certainly packed a lot into his 53 years. Since his first big role as a murder suspect in an episode of Taggart, the Scottish actor has been the toast of Broadway in Cabaret, hosted a US talk show, played a Bond villain, written a novel, voiced a kilt-wearing Smurf in two movies, opened his own bar in New York, and launched his own line of men’s fragrance.
We’re set to see even more of the Perthshire-born star when he guests in an episode of Doctor Who as James I later this year. But before that, Alan is playing a charismatic American sleuth in new Sky Witness crime drama Instinct.
The 13-parter, based on James Patterson’s Murder Games novel, follows Alan’s character, Dylan Reinhart, a gay former CIA operative turned psychology professor and author, who begins working with the NYPD after a series of corpses are linked to one of Dylan’s best-selling books.
The drama, which also stars Whoopi Goldberg as Dylan’s literary agent Joan, has already been commissioned for a second season. We met up with Alan to hear more…
What can you tell us about your character?
Dylan is a genius who went to Yale. He drives a motorbike. He was a child musical prodigy. He’s gay with a lovely husband. I love the fact that he’s gay is the fourth or fifth most interesting thing about him.
How much does his sexuality play a role in the show?
We wanted to show a normal, grown-up, adult same-sex relationship. When he gets home from work, he gives his husband a kiss. I’m sure some people who watch the show in America will be a bit shocked, perhaps because they haven’t seen anything like this before. But it was important to me that we show a kind, loving relationship.
How many of the show’s stunts do you tackle yourself?
I try to do some of my own stunts, but the first time I tackled one was so funny. As soon as I finished the scene, the whole crew burst into applause. At first I thought, ‘Thanks a lot.’ But then I thought, ‘Wait a minute. Are you clapping because you thought I was too old? Or are you clapping because you thought I couldn’t butch it up enough to do it?’ Whenever I do a stunt now, the crew always clap.
Your character has a very snazzy sense of style… Yes, he wears a lot of great jackets. In America, his clothes have been getting rave reviews!
In America, his clothes have been getting rave reviews