Alan Cumming, the host of Peacock‘s hit reality series The Traitors today reflected on how the show’s “gothic and queer” aesthetic has captivated audiences and, maybe, sparked a shift in perceptions around queerness.
Cumming told a Cannes Lions audience how the “theatricality and campiness, the gothic and queer vibe” have been key to the series’ success, and that his own character’s style had the potential to change anti-queer opinions.
Paying tribute to NBCUniversal-owned Peacock and Traitors producer Studio Lambert, he said: “When you do a new show like this, everyone is a bit nervous and cautious, [but] all the things we were kind of nervous about were the things people really liked about it: The theatricality and campness, the gothic, queer vibe. Those are the things we’ve leant into that have stuck with people.”
Later in the talk with Bravo star and fashion designer Rachel Zoe on the Lumière stage at Cannes Lions, Cumming returned to the subjects of his character and Ardross Castle, the Scottish castle where The Traitors films.
“I really love the fact that the clothes and the queerness of the aesthetic, in a time in our culture where queerness and non-binariness is seen as a negative and not looked upon well by our leaders, that this show is so successful,” he said. “One of the reasons for that is I, as a middle-aged man, can rock up in a weird, femmy outfit from time to time. It’s a really positive thing and I like that we will probably be changing people’s attitudes.”
Cumming revealed how he had initially approached Studio Lambert with a concept to frame his host character as a “Scottish laird lord – a dandy,” which was accepted. “That aesthetic we took into the fittings and clothes and that has become more and more and more,” he added. “Last season I was dressed as a coffin at one point, it was a good look.”
The actor and presenter revealed he “took it down” a notch for the recently-filmed first civilian season of the Peacock show.
Cumming said he had a realization about the character on a recent visit to the Liberace Foundation in Las Vegas for research on a play he is directing. “The man taking us around said the thing about Lee was his outfits were so buoyant and big that he kept having to top himself. I thought, ‘Oh my god, that is me in The Traitors,'” he said.
Cannes Lions runs from June 22-26. Cumming will this evening be playing a DJ set for the crowds at an NBCUniversal event this evening.
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