Alan Cumming Celebrates the Good Life in Scotland

As The Good Wife takes its last bow, life is still a cabaret for Alan Cumming.

- Joanna Della-Ragione

Mention Alan Cumming’s name to anyone man, woman, straight or gay and the response is usually a version of this: “Oh, my God I love him.” The actor  along with Robert the Bruce, Sean Connery and Royal Lochnagar Scotch is clearly one of Scotland’s most famous exports. 

Throughout his career, Cumming has played roles as diverse as a Bond villain in 1995’s GoldenEye, the flamboyant master of ceremonies in Cabaret on Broadway and, of course, his ongoing role as confrontational crisis manager Eli Gold on CBS’ critically acclaimed drama The Good Wife, now in its seventh and final season. His talent, Scottish brogue, outré fashion sense (is there a plaid this man hasn’t rocked?) and the ubiquitous twinkle in his eye are instant smile-inducers to his legions of fans.

But for Cumming, his on- and offscreen charm belies a real-life story more dramatic than many scripts. Back in Edinburgh for a photo shoot, strolling through the cobbled streets clad in tartan and attracting quite a bit of that aforementioned attention and adoration, he opens up about his past, his present and how the future can be anything you want it to be.

WATCH!: I have to say, you have never looked better or seemed happier!

ALAN CUMMING: I felt great turning 50, even though I thought someone my age was elderly when I was younger! I don’t feel 50—when I was doing Cabaret I could high-kick better than girls half my age, and I’d drink everyone under the table every night and I felt fantastic. It was a great thing to be doing, just to be so physically fit at my age.