Alan Cumming | Not My Father’s Son

[@carrieanderson341]

I love that he said that his father would always be with him, be now on his terms. That is beautiful and healing.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

Like many children raised in fear, it takes reaching adulthood to realise that the enemy lived within. I'm grateful that you had one parent you could rely on. Please believe that you (like every other living being in this world) were and remain precious. Not in an egotistical way, but valued for merely existing.

[@deeholland2435]

I love this guy!! This book is so wonderfully written .. I've read it twice!! His words are so descriptive I can feel the pain (well, almost) of his father's cruelty.

[@lyndaking5538]

"I want to stay in the light" love this!

[@judithhand4987]

You amaze me, Alan. I could listen and watch you for hours. Thanks for the various sharings!

[@laurenolshan4565]

The vulnerability in this is lovely.

[@MarleeCraig]

I loved your book Alan and I also enjoyed your WDYTYA story, it was very emotional and I felt the grief of what was revealed as a viewer. I was jumping up and down at 3am when I read the end of your book happy for you and your family for the outcome of the 'Bairns' situation. You are a fantastic actor and a beautiful human being, I love all your films and I hope to see more of your films in future. All the best of wishes to you and your family.

[@lkbarrett39]

Thank you for your book, Alan. I didn't have the exact same experience, but parts of it were cathartic for me.

[@e.a.wtzipporah1192]

ALAN CUMMING IS SUCH AN ARTIST!! I LOVE HIS WORK. I DONT THING THE INTERVIEWER NEEDED TO EXPLAIN ACTING TO HIM.

[@charlesming7875]

I can’t imagine how terrified every day for a child who has a volatile violent parents, dreading, waiting, never sleeping and still having to go to school. The fatigue and adrenaline overload. It is a life time of cortisol overdose.

[@wildcrocus]

I am sad that Alan accepted the story about his grandfather committing suicide. The autopsy in no way reflected that. It described an exectution. I wish someone would dig for the truth because it reeks of cover up. He deserves the truth. His grandfather deserves the truth to be known.

[@george474747]

The people of Malaysia deserve the truth. The evidence in Who Do You Think You Are portrayed him as a strong suspect in Britain's unimaginably evil war crimes in Malaya.

[@joodonnell1542]

The autopsy stayed he was shot behind the head so Russian roulette seemed unlikely to me, too. However, he was well liked by the neighborhood kids and his Malaysia n friends to the point a park was named after him after he died and he brought Malaysians together to try and get them to get along .

[@brandyjean7015]

The 'no charring' what I believe is referred to as 'stippling' in modern autopsy descriptions, being missing; would mean the barrel wasn't close to his head when fired. So not only the awkward placement of the gun, but the distance from his head when fired; makes me question that story.

[@talkwench340]

Saw him in Flying High years ago playing airline steward, loved him since then. So talented.

[@danaleelavelle3708]

Alan, you are awesome. Thank you for sharing. I watched all the You Tube videos.

[@robertramsay5963]

Regarding American pronunciation, my dad's cousin was driving me around Oakland, looking for Versa-leeze Avenue. Turned out it was Versailles.

[@sarah.ashley.]

It feels painful to listen because Alan is talking about something serious and deep; and the interviewer keeps cutting him off

[@e.a.wtzipporah1192]

i enjoyed Circle of Friends. Granted it may not have been a Masterpiece but I enjoyed it.

[@najmikrisnawan189]

In the year of your grandfather passed, back then it was not called Malaysia. It was called Tanah Melayu or Malay States. This name is engraved on every pillars at The Buckingham Palace, England.

[@zangolli1963]

so true Alan, I come from the same type of family

[@upendasana7857]

Thank god we have refuges ..but also sadly it is still too common for child abuse and domestic violence to get overlooked and missed by schools and a lack of support.

[@laurenlongfellow9714]

His grandpa was murdered, I can’t believe he’s accepting the Russian Roulette story. It doesn’t add up with the autopsy or why the locals would name a park after him. I feel like he was too nice to the locals and his people didn’t like it.

[@giordanotirelli6028]

Haooy birthday alan from italian boy live in rome

[@concernedcitizen6313]

That story Alan was told about his grandfather didn't match up with the autopsy report at all.

[@carolinej3661]

This interviewer was so rude! Just when Alan Cumming would be into story - he would cut him off and not let him finish! So incredibly poor technique for an interviewer! I wanted to hear Alan speaking!!!

[@stephaniebray3983]

I think he looks like hisfather

[@katherinefisher6847]

The interviewer overreached his role.

[@The22Jeanne]

2023, June, I came to this interview directly after watching the complete YT-playlist of AC participating in "Who Do You Think You Are?" . And i must say that I concur with some of the comments I read there and here also : AC ought to be more circonspect, more cautious with believing more what has been SAID TO him than what he got to READ for himself about the circumstances of the death of Tom Darling, his motherly grandfather. I'm especially talking about the very detailed autopsy report he obtained himself from the district/public authorities. Therein it says that the bullet entrypoint is at the back of the head, and that there aren't any markings on the skin... So, I'm thinking : self-applied "Russian Roulette" is not very plausible if one accepts the ME/coroner's findings/report for being truthful and accurate... If you don't believe them, well, that's another story. But why letting yourself being so impressed by people TELLING you their thoughts just bc they are doing so while looking you in the eyes ? Either they weren't there, in the room with him, or they anyway had their own agenda/bias/pov on what they have heard second or third hand... - - - - Well, it's been almost ten years since this interview now, and I'm sure AC had the time to reflect again (and most likely again and again) on the whole of it all by now, and that he was also perhaps told to be careful with having certainties around this subject matter...

[@FigaroHey]

Guy introducing has no comic timing. Ruins good copy with his delivery.

[@gingerespinoza5015]

When does this guy move on and find something to be happy about? I saw him this month in 2024 at a live show here in Monterey CA. He cried and wailed, talked about being bullied and tortured....but he has had a great career, many lovers, many good things happen to him. He needs to move on--Alan was so rude to the audience....we were there supporting his sad story, but people would chime in to encourage him, and then he would literally yell "shut the fuck up" Then he talked about his uncircumcised penis. Ugh what a narcissist himself. He needs to find something new to talk about.

[@eightiesmusic1984]

I find him tedious. Used to watch Take The High Road but he was not in it at the time in the late eighties and early nineties, as far as I recall.

[@annetteolson2428]

Yes, he does tend to rattle on and on. Still amusing. Thr interviewer tried to reign him in, but then just gave up.

[@Sabhail_ar_Alba]

Basically, he's cashing in on his grandfathers tragedy.

[@jacquelineleubin5004]

What a stupid thing to say! Have you read the book? Guess not. Read it and then comment again!

[@shirsch7048]

That is bull.

[@The22Jeanne]

Are you that dense , or do you have a grudge towards AC , or are are you just trolling around , or what's your damage in sb writing their autobiography ?