Alan Cumming on hosting ‘The Traitors’: ‘It’s the campest thing I’ve ever done — and that’s me saying that’ [WATCH]
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Gold Derby caught up with Alan Cumming, the host and producer of “The Traitors,” as he walked the red carpet on Thursday, May 18 at the NBCU FYC House at The Aster in Hollywood. Based on the Dutch program “De Verraders,” which Cumming was “completely obsessed by,” the Peacock version welcomes reality TV stars and everyday people and tasks some of them with being “traitors” (those who lie, deceit and even “murder” their opponents) and others with being “faithfuls” (those who try to uncover the villains’ identities). Watch our red carpet interview above.
During the 10-episode series, Cumming always looks fabulous as he wears extravagant suits and capes. Was the wardrobe a part of the reason the award-winning actor signed on for “The Traitors”? “I didn’t know the wardrobe when I said I would do it, so that was an added bonus,” he tells me.
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Cumming loves the fact that “The Traitors” is a “new thing” for his resume. “They asked me, who was not an obvious choice, and I got to sort of develop this new character,” he says about his on-screen persona. “Although I’m hosting a reality show, I feel like I’m definitely acting a character.”
If Cumming were to be a contestant on the show, would he prefer to be a duplicitous traitor or a heroic faithful? “I totally want to be a traitor,” he confesses. “I think it’s so much more fun. You get to wear those cloaks. You get to camp around. It’s the most camp show. It’s the campest thing I’ve ever done — and that’s me saying that.”
The series films in the Scottish Highlands at a beautiful castle, which Cumming explains used to be owned by the Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce company. Some of the players include Cirie Fields and Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick from “Survivor,” Rachel Reilly and Cody Calafiore from “Big Brother,” Arie Luyendyk Jr. from “The Bachelorette,” Kate Chastain from “Below Deck,” Kyle Cooke from “Summer House,” Brandi Glanville from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and Reza Farahan from “Shahs of Sunset.”
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As the host, Cumming gets involved in the missions and in the character dynamics. How would he describe his hosting style? “I’m very much sort of a disapproving daddy,” he smiles. “I would say things like, ‘You’ve disappointed yourselves and you’ve disappointed me.'” He even believes the contestants were “slightly scared” of him.
Addressing the issue of how so many faithfuls felt betrayed by the traitors’ game play, Cumming notes, “People forget that it is a game. And of course, they didn’t have their phones, they weren’t allowed to talk to anyone, they were just completely in a bubble. So they went mad.” He adds, “You have to lie. You have to be treacherous. It’s called ‘The Traitors.’ Hello!”
Also in our exclusive video game, Cumming talks about how “great” it would be if the show were to be nominated for some Emmy Awards. “I do feel that the show has connected with people in a way,” he readily admits. “With this show, so many people were so excited about it … It’s had this great connection in a really extraordinary way. The Emmys are obviously voted on by our working peers and by the people who work in our industry, and that’s always a really nice thing to be sort of lauded by people who you work alongside.”
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