The best Alan Cumming movies for the actor, dancer, and writer have been in a multitude of genres. More often than not he shows the world how he can turn into almost any character in any role, one of cinema’s true chameleons. He is an award-winning actor as well, earning an Emmy Award and BAFTA Award while also picking up a Tony Award for his work on the stage. He has been acting on television since 1984, in movies since 1986, and on the stage since 1988, and along the way he has become a cult favorite for several of his multitude of roles.
However, Cumming has not just enjoyed roles in indie movies and art house fare. He has appeared in two of the biggest franchises in the world with a role in the James Bond franchise in Goldeneye and in the Marvel Universe with a role as Nightcrawler in X-Men 2. On top of that, he has appeared in comedies, dramas, action movies, rom-coms, and even a satire based in the world of Archie. Through it all, Cumming gives great performances in every role he takes, regardless of the size and status of the movie in which he appears.
12 Goldeneye (1995)
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In this Pierce Brosnan-led James Bond flick, the iconic spy battles Sean Bean’s rogue ex-MI6 agent in a race to prevent him from causing a worldwide financial meltdown. A box office smash, it made over $300 million dollars and spawned a massively popular and pioneering N64 first-person shooter game. In Goldeneye, Alan Cumming plays Boris Grishenko, a Russian computer programmer working for Bean’s villain. He even has an iconic death overshadowing the king of movie deaths, by being frozen solid in liquid nitrogen. The film became a fixture in the cultural canon, so much so that Cumming still receives shouts of his catchphrase, “I am invincible” in the street.
11 Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
- Stream now on Starz
Josie and the Pussycats was an underrated movie that was a critical and commercial failure when it came out. However, it is one of those rare cases where it ended up reevaluated years later and has since become a more appreciated cult classic. Based on the characters from the Archie Comics world, the movie is based on a girl band that hits it big and Cumming plays a manipulative promoter who recruits and manages young bands for MegaRecords. The movie is funny and has a lot of heart, and it is a movie that plays better when people realize it is a satire of consumerism and pop-culture success.
10 Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
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Stanley Kubrick was still working on the final touches of his final film at the time of his passing. Eyes Wide Shut is an erotic psychological thriller starring real-life husband and wife, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. When his wife admits that she has fantasized about another man, Dr. Bill Hartford is transfixed by the idea of getting revenge, eventually ending up at a mysterious mansion for a secret group’s bizarre meeting. Cumming was selected by Kubrick to play a hotel desk clerk in a fleeting yet attention-grabbing role. Since its release, the film has been polarizing to scholars, critics, fans, and academics alike.
9 My Old School (2022)
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Cumming appeared in the documentary My Old School, retelling the story of Brandon Lee, who enrolled in Bearsden Academy in Glasgow aged 30, disguised as a 16-year-old student. The documentary shows his time at school and the fallout after his unmasking told through interviews, archive footage, and recreations. The real Brandon Lee refused to take part. Cumming, who attended drama school in Glasgow, lip-syncs the audio of his interviews as a stand-in for the subject. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival and continued a festival run before being picked up by Magnolia Pictures. So far, its garnered positive reviews, with comparisons to a real-life Never Been Kissed (1999).
8 Emma (1996)
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Having been adapted in a modern retelling a year earlier by Amy Heckerling with Clueless (1995), Jane Austen’s Emma received a historically accurate regency-era adaptation. It stars Gwenyth Paltrow as the vivacious gossip, who plays matchmaker to her pals and accidentally falls in love herself. Alan Cumming stars as Reverand Elton, a rich suitor enchanted with Emma. He plays the character as uppity and ostentatious, with a gloriously upper-class accent. The film was well received by critics at the time, often noting Paltrow’s charming performance, and that the script made the most of the excellent Austenian dialogue.
7 Any Day Now (2012)
- Stream now on Prime VIdeo
Any Day Now concerns the gay couple Rudy and Paul, who attempt to take custody of a vulnerable teenager but are forced to fight a biased justice system. Director Travis Fine rewrote a script that writer George Arthur Bloom has written 30 years earlier. It features an actor with Downs Syndrome, Isaac Leyva, as the couple’s son. Cumming plays Rudy, a drag performer and musician, highlighting his great talent for cabaret. On release, the film received a multitude of accolades, gaining a GLAAD Media Award for Best Film In Limited Release. It also has a 79% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
6 X2: X-Men United (2003)
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This is one of Cummings most mainstream roles, but yet one where he is the least recognizable. He plays Nightcrawler in the first sequel of the X-Men franchise. Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Rogue, and Jean Gray are forced to partner with Charles Xavier’s historic enemy Magneto to beat anti-mutant, William Stryker. Cummings bursts into the franchise in the striking opening scene, where the troubled mutant invades the White House, bouncing off the walls and kicking more than a few secret service members in the face. He subsequently becomes an ally of the X-Men in what is highly regarded as the best of all X-Men films, and rightly so.
5 Battle Of The Sexes (2017)
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Battle Of The Sexes is a biographical sports film concerning the lead-up to one of the world’s most famous tennis matches; when former world No.1 Bobby Riggs bet he could beat any woman. The title roles are played by Steve Carrell and Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, with Cumming playing real-life fashion designer Cuthbert “Ted” Tinling. Tinling was an openly gay tennis icon, designing Billie Jean King’s outfit for the historic match. Although he was famously bald, in this adaptation, Cumming plays him with a full head of grey hair. Overall, the film was praised as a solid dramedy for lining up parallels to current issues, such as highlighting the gender pay gap.
4 Titus (1999)
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One of the best Alan Cumming movies, Titus is a retelling of William Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, Titus Andronicus, about the unraveling of a Roman general. Anthony Hopkins plays the title role in the directorial debut of Julie Taymor. In the epic play, Titus sacrifices the son of the Romans’ great enemy, the Queen of the Goths, and she sets out for brutal retribution. Alan Cumming plays the deceased Roman Emperors’ son, Saturninus, in a villainous costume and daring hairstyle. The film received mixed reviews and was a box office bomb, only making $2.8 million. However, since then, the film has gained a cult following.
3 The Anniversary Party (2001)
- Stream now on Kanopy
Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh teamed up in 2001 to both direct and star in the movie The Anniversary Party. This was both actors’ directorial debuts and was also the last role that Phoebe Cates took on before she retired from acting. Cumming and Leigh star as a Hollywood couple who celebrated their wedding anniversary after reconciling following a period of separation. The movie takes place during the anniversary party when they take some ecstasy and the drugs cause everything to fall apart once again. The movie won the National Board of Review Award for Excellence in Filmmaking for Cumming and Leigh.
2 Sweet Land (2005)
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Sweet Land is an American independent romance film featuring Elizabeth Reaser as a German woman who travels to Minnesota for an arranged marriage with Olaf, a Norweigan man. It is set in 1920 and is one tale of the millions of immigrants that formed the USA as citizens know it today. The role he plays, Frandsen (a friend of Olaf), was written specifically for Cumming, as he was an earlier supporter of the film and helped get the project off the ground — and the connection shines through, as Sweet Land ended up being one of the best Alan Cumming movies. The film was produced on a modest budget of $1 million, funded by the director himself, and was very well received upon release. It ended up winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature at its 2007 ceremony.
1 Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
- Stream now on Showtime
This adaptation of Charles Dickens’ third novel concerns a young man on a mission to save his family from his cold-hearted uncle after being sent to a boarding school due to his father’s death, and it’s easily the best Alan Cumming movie. Despite this heavy premise, it’s a jolly and mischievous ride. The film garnered similar reviews to Emma, namely the script being a respectful adaptation of its source material and featuring an excellent ensemble cast. This included Cumming as Mr. Folair, a member of the Crummles Theatre Company – always dressed in traditional Scottish garb. For their work, the actors received an award from the National Board of Review for Best Acting Ensemble.
