Alan Cumming is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, comedian, director, and author. Alan Cumming was born in Aberfeldy, in Perthshire, Scotland, the son of Mary and Alex, and has one older brother, Tom.

Alan aspired to a career in veterinary medicine, but a teacher prevented him from taking a related elective and he subsequently set his sights on becoming an actor.

He enter the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. On graduation from Drama school Alan Cumming married fellow student Hilary Lyon.