If you haven’t heard of The Traitors, where have you been and who have you been talking to?!
For anyone who doesn’t know, it’s Peacock’s incredibly addictive reality game show, filled with twists and turns (and blindsides… and murders!), that is coming off its highly successful second season and was just been renewed for a third. (We can hardly wait!)
The show features known reality stars of recent and yesteryear who are forced to lie, deceive, and build relationships with one another, all while being hosted at Alan Cumming’s gothic “castle” in the remote Scottish Highlands.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Cumming’s beginnings didn’t start in a castle, however. In many ways, it was the opposite. The 59-year-old bisexual has said his childhood in eastern Scotland was one troubled by a strained relationship with an abusive father.
Cumming has described his childhood as a time when his fondness for acting was developed out of necessity to survive rather than for creative expression or joy. Eventually, he was forced to flee home, cutting off communication with his father for several years.
After moving out, he launched his career in the UK by becoming a popular figure on Scottish and English stages. He took small roles in various film and TV projects in late 1980s and early 1990s before landing his breakout role across the pond, playing Emcee in the 1998 revival of Cabaret on Broadway, which landed him his first Tony.
Since appearing in Cabaret, some of Cumming’s other Broadway credits include the 2001 production of Design for Living by the great gay playwright Noël Coward, and in the Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill musical The Threepenny Opera opposite longtime LGBTQ+ ally Cyndi Lauper.
In 2006, he returned to the West End playing the lead role in Bent, a play about homosexuals in Nazi Germany. And in 2014, he reprised the role of Emcee in the yet another revival production of Cabaret.
Cumming’s life off stage has always been a point of interest. He’s known for his bold fashion choices and fancy-free lifestyle. He’s also known for throwing a great party where everyone is welcome.
In 2017, he and his business partner bought out the East Village’s well known gay bar Eastern Block and transformed the space into Club Cumming.
The bar features cabaret singers, drag queens, and overall serves as a place to welcome all to are looking for fun, mischief, and a place to reprieve.
During 2020’s George Floyd unrest, Club Cumming opened its doors to Black Lives Matters protesters seeking refuge.
In 2022, Cumming launched back into the national spotlight as the host for the American version of The Traitors. It’s a gig seemingly tailormade for him as he invites reality stars to his native Scotland to wheel and deal their ways through the binge-worthy contest.
In many ways it proves to be a love letter to his homeland, and arguably the series would not be as successful without the playful and stylish approach Cumming brings to each episode.
With an career spanning over three decades, Cumming has demonstrated powerful longevity, all while authentically staying true to himself.
Whether it’s with intention or not, his role as the beloved Emcee in Cabaret has mirrored his own life and career. He has always welcomed everyone of all genders, color, backgrounds, and upbringings all to his space to his party.
One can’t help but feeling like an invite to Cumming’s dazzling soiree is truly only merrier when there are more included.
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