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I love a film where I get squished by two dumpsters or I fly through the air.

Alan Cumming

I always think about a little gay boy in Wisconsin or a little lesbian in Arkansas seeing someone like me, and if I cannot be open in my life, how on earth can they?
ALAN CUMMING

Always Earth Lesbian Life Little Gay Open
I like working on things that are very different and that involve different disguises.
ALAN CUMMING

Different Disguise Involve Thing Work
Nowadays people don’t know how to handle it if all the ends aren’t tied up and they’re not told what to think in films. And if they’re challenged, they think it’s something wrong with the film.
ALAN CUMMING

Challenge Feel Greatest Like Man One Perform
I was so scared of going back to the theatre after Hamlet. I didn’t know if I’d do a play again because I was afraid of the power of it.
ALAN CUMMING

Afraid Again Back Go Hamlet Know Power Scare Theatre
It’s about how you exist as a person in the world, and the idea that your work is more important than you as a person is a horrible, horrible message.
ALAN CUMMING

Exist Horrible Idea Important Message Person Work World
I come more to Scotland than I ever used to, so I feel more connected to it, more part of the zeitgeist. You know when you realize you have a choice and I’m choosing my homeland. It’s funny: when you get older these things creep up to you.
ALAN CUMMING

Come Connect Country Ever Feel More Used
It’s really rare for film directors to be that interested in things other than themselves.
ALAN CUMMING

Director Film Interest Other Rare Really Themselves Thing
Performing a one-man Macbeth feels like the greatest challenge.
ALAN CUMMING

Cinema Film Home People Television Temple Theatre
Some things are just really difficult to do. That’s what I find hard. I usually can find a way to do a character to make it real and work. But sometimes it’s a struggle sustaining that, because there’s such a level of personal involvement and personal, physical, and emotional distraughtness.
ALAN CUMMING

Character Difficult Hard Just Make Real Really Something Usually Way Work
I wouldn’t do my roles if I really hated it. I’ve done things I hated, but I didn’t go into them thinking I would hate them. I want to have fun. I don’t want to go to work and not enjoy it.
ALAN CUMMING

Done Fun Hate Really Role Thing Want
You’ll see Dame Judi Dench in a Bond film, in Shakespeare and then starring in her own sitcom. You never see that here with Meryl Streep.
ALAN CUMMING

Author Bond Dame Dench Film Own Sitcom Starring
The thing with film and theater is that you always know the story so you can play certain cues in each scene with the knowledge that you know where the story’s going to end and how it’s going to go. But on television nobody knows what’s going to happen, even the writers.
ALAN CUMMING

Always Certain End Film Go Know Knowledge Play Story Theatre Thing
I’m quite good, though I say it myself, at making strangers feel at ease.
ALAN CUMMING

Feel Ease Good Make Myself Quite Say Stranger
I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they’re so universal.
ALAN CUMMING

Comedy Like More Tragedy Universal
I started to itch to do a play again and ‘Macbeth’ came to the surface in my mind. I never thought I would do it in a conventional way. A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn’t interest me.
ALAN CUMMING

Again Came Itch Mind Start Surface
It’s actually quite a good ethos for life: go into the unknown with truth, commitment, and openness and mostly you’ll be okay.
ALAN CUMMING

Actual Commitment Ethos Good Mostly Okay Openness Quite Truth Unknown
My mum always told me I was precious, while my dad always told me I was worthless. I think that’s a good grounding for a balanced life.
ALAN CUMMING

Always Dad Mom Precious Told Worthless
Usually, there’s a story I’ve told that leads up to why I’m singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting with these songs. The best way to do that was in a room with an audience and for people to listen to that.
ALAN CUMMING

Lead Sing Song Story Told Usually
If you are a cabaret artist and you are mostly singing other people’s songs, you’re asking them to rethink a song, listen to it in a different way. The most impact you can have while asking them to re-listen to a song is if it’s a song they know very well.
ALAN CUMMING

Ask Cabaret Different Listen Mostly People Rethink Sing Song
Pantomime is a big thing in the cultural calendar of my country, you know. So subtlety’s not my forte.
ALAN CUMMING

Big Calender Country Culture Forte Know Pantomime Subtitety Thing
I’m not a fan of Twitter.
ALAN CUMMING

Fan Twitter
You could then, when you lay that as the groundwork, say, “Here I am. This is what I think. I come in peace.” Then you’re able to push out, to be able to talk about more things. And that’s been a really heartening thing about my life, actually.
ALAN CUMMING

Able Groundwork Peace Push Really Talk Think
It’s exciting to be with really, really good people. Some people make you feel like you’ve got to up your game.
ALAN CUMMING

Excite Feel Game Good Like People Really Some
I’ve actually found – especially doing my cabaret show – I’m connecting with people in a way I haven’t connected with them. I’ve found that when you’re open and honest, people respond to that, whatever you’re being open and honest about.
ALAN CUMMING

Actual Cabaret Connect Done Especial Found People Show Way
I actually find in America, there’s a slight snobbery about actors who go back and forth between big heavy dramas and popcorn fare. That always intrigues me, because that doesn’t exist in the same way in Britain. And I imagine it would be worse.
ALAN CUMMING

Actor Actual Back Big Country Drama Fare Forth heavy Popcorn Slight Snobbery
Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues it can begin to feel commonplace and eventually acceptable.
ALAN CUMMING

Abuse Acceptable Continue Finally Form Opinion Scare Shape
When you’re on TV, you come into people’s homes. In theater and film, they go to you – to the temple of the cinema or theater. And it’s very different.
ALAN CUMMING

Aim Barrier Film Intrigued Month Six Writer Year

I love a film where I get squished by two dumpsters or I fly through the air.

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I love a film where I get squished by two dumpsters or I fly through the air.

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