Alan Cumming


1965 -

Stage, television and screen actor. Born in Aberfeldy (Perth and Kinross), Cumming was brought up on the Panmure Estate in Angus, where his father was head forester. He was educated at Carnoustie High School. He began his career as a sub-editor with D.C. Thomson in Dundee, before training as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He became internationally known for his stage role in Cabaret as the Master of Ceremonies, which won him a Tony award. His film roles are varied and include work on the Bond film Goldeneye (1995) with fellow Scot Robbie Coltrane (b. 1950), Circle of Friends (1995), Emma (1996), Spice World (1997), Nicholas Nickleby (2002) and X-Men 2 (2003). In Scotland he is best known for his TV role in the comedy The High Life, with Forbes Masson (b. 1963). Cumming explored his family history in an episode of the BBC television series Who Do You Think You Are? (2010).

He was awarded an OBE in 2009.


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