Jun 14
'The Traitors' Host Alan Cumming Says He Pushed to Make Season 3 More LGBTQ-Friendly
Emell Adolphus READ TIME: 2 MIN.
After RuPaul's "Drag Race" alum Peppermint was eliminated early on in season 2 of "The Traitors," host Alan Cumming reportedly hatched a plan for more LGBTQ-inclusivity in the next season of the show.
In a cover story for Entertainment Weekly, Cumming teased that Season 3 of the show will be full of changes.
"Having the freedom to push the boundaries like we've been doing, that's made it really exciting," said Cumming. "It's great to see that working – with viewers' interest in the show – so that when we come back to it each season, we kind of up the ante a bit more."
According to Cumming, the show will challenge contestants more and has challenge the dynamics of diversity in the series.
"This season's very different, and it's got a whole new series of challenges for me as well as for the contestants," Cumming added, explaining that he is still also finding his footing as the host of the show.
Yet two seasons in, he's already rave reviews for his outfits.
"I'm still working on it all. I don't feel I've figured it all out," said Cumming. "I didn't quite understand why they wanted me to do it. But I met with them and I realized that it was because they wanted me to be theatrical and camp, to play this larger-than-life character, and create the mood of the whole show. Once I understood that, I was really on board."
And fans of the show have seemingly been on board with the Tony Award-winning actor since day one. He works with stylist and costume designer Sam Spector to get into his "Traitors" "character." And then the rest flows from there.
"Everyone goes nuts for what I'm going to wear. And the more outrageous and sort of crazy thing I wear, the more people like it," said Cumming. "Everyone, not just queer people. I think it's because it's fun, and I make it fun, and we're all having a laugh with it. But I also hope that that translates in some small way to when [Traitors fans] see someone on the street who's wearing something gender-nonconforming, they will think, 'Oh, that's just like Alan on The Traitors.' And hopefully that will, in some way, make them more accepting to that."
He adds, "I really do think that's how you make change, just by example. And if the example happens to be fun, and fabulous, and a hoot, then all the better."
"The Traitors" season 3 is expected to be back January 2025.
