Alan Cumming on Veganism: Be Kind, Eat Plants, and “Just Do It, Bitch”

In 2009, Emmy and Tony award-winning actor, singer, author, director, and producer Alan Cumming read an article about boxing champion Mike Tyson being vegan. “It turned me,” says Cumming during a recent call from the Scottish Highlands where he was performing in a play called “A History of Paper” at a local theater. “If Mike Tyson could do it, so could I.”

Cumming, perhaps best known these days as the theatrical host of the hit reality TV show The Traitors, has become an increasingly staunch advocate for veganism. The 61-year-old Scot says he “never, never, never” feels deprived by not consuming meat and dairy, and urges others to “do the math” by recognizing the harm—to animals, to the environment, and to one’s health—these industries cause.

“It’s about actually deciding you want to take an active part in making the planet better … making a really positive and strong change for the world.”

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The performer has never shied away from pushing boundaries—including with his signature, outrageous (and animal-free) outfits-and when asked about his approach to meat eaters, he says he doesn’t mince words. “I bless you with my love and release you from my life,” he laughs. “No, not really. I mean, I’ve got lots of friends who eat meat, and they get it. They’re just lazy.”

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Cumming lives with his husband, artist and illustrator Grant Shaffer, and their rescue dog, Lala, in homes they have in the Scottish Highlands, New York City’s East Village, and the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. While many audiences know him as the face of The Traitors, Cumming is a prolific Broadway and TV actor. He’s the artistic director at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the venue at which he’s currently performing, and it’s there where he can be found directing I’ll Be Seeing You—a surrealist comedy play about the life of the legendary pianist and entertainer Liberace—as well as starring as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. He is also starring in the psychological thriller series Tip Toe, which debuts this year on Starz. Amid all this work and back-to-back—and sometimes overlapping—professional pursuits, Cumming took time out of his busy schedule to talk with VegNews about his vegan journey.

When did you go vegetarian, and when did you pivot to veganism?

I became vegan in 2009. Like most people, I did it in stages. I became pescatarian first, then vegetarian, and then vegan. I never really liked meat. I didn’t like the taste, the texture of it. I used to pretend to be vegan—even though I was vegetarian—on planes because the food was better. So I was vegan in the air. And then lots of things were happening … I was doing [solo] concerts and was worried about my voice.

I noticed when I had a lot of dairy, I had more mucus, and I knew that was going to be an issue. At the same time, I was fed up with everything being drenched in cheese. It was just so boring. But what tipped me off, in addition to animal cruelty, was the environmental impact. That is a huge thing for me. I think that anyone who talks about caring about the environment should not be participating in the dairy industry because it’s the largest cause of problems for our planet.

And then when Mike Tyson [started becoming the poster boy for veganism], that turned me. If Mike Tyson could do it, so could I.

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So how did adopting a vegan diet impact your physical health?

I used to get rosacea, but it disappeared. Also, with singing, I used to get this mucusy thing, and my voice got so much better because I wasn’t doing dairy. It was so long ago, so I don’t remember all of the differences, but I certainly feel that compared to people my age, my peers, I have a lot more energy. You can feel it in your body when you’re eating better. I like the way it makes me feel, and I like what it says and does in the world.

What do you say to fellow diners who opt for a meat dish?

If I’m at dinner and they’re having meat, people will say to me: “Would you mind if I eat meat?” I just say no, if you don’t mind having rotting corpses, rotting carcasses in your body. I don’t mind for you. It’s your decision. I always say that.

With your busy lifestyle, do you find it difficult to adhere to a strictly plant-based diet?

Not really. I feel like the world has evolved. I mean, especially in Scotland—even in the Highlands of Scotland in the tiniest little places—there are always options. But you can always think ahead, too, and have something with you if you’re going somewhere where options might be limited. And it’s so incredible how much has changed with what’s available, and how many more options there are over the last 17 years since I’ve been vegan. It’s actually pretty easy.

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Do you miss anything about consuming meat or dairy?

No, I don’t. Straight away, I didn’t. But the thing about all these new products that are on the market is that it does give you access to things you forgot you [used to like]. But if, in order to stop eating meat, people need to have things that taste like it—and all the amazing food chemistry and food science we have now can do such clever things and make it look like meat—I think that’s fair enough. I’m not one of these vegans who thinks, “No, I don’t want things to look like meat.” I mean, if that’s what it takes … and it’s nice to have something else to eat—to have a different texture and to have all these things—as long as you know you’re not eating something horrid.

What do you say to people who say “I love animals, but I could never be vegan”?

I say you obviously don’t love animals that much, because you can do it. Everybody can do it. Billie Eilish made a really great comment about that recently—that if you care about the environment or you care about animals, you [won’t eat them]. Don’t try and make excuses. If you don’t want to stop eating meat, you don’t want to. I’m not going to force you. It’s not my job to force you … and I don’t want to be your sounding board about it. I’m not interested in that. If you want to ask me any questions about it, fine, but I’m not going to be your confessional about why you’re not vegan, because everyone can do it.

You seem to have a middle-ground approach when talking about veganism—where you get your point across without being too preachy.

Yeah, I think being hardcore is sort of exactly the stereotype that people are fed about vegans.

I also find that nobody does anything if someone is shouting at them to do it—or they don’t do it in a good way. I don’t think shouting is the way to do it—about anything. I mean, look at American politics; everybody’s shouting at each other and look where we are.

I believe that luring people in, being kind, being supportive, and letting them make up their own minds is a better approach.

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What are some of the staples in your pantry and refrigerator?

I’m a very big fan of chickpeas, so hummus for sure. I’m very big on beans. I love butter beans, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and all those sorts of things. I cook a lot with them, and I love them as snacks as well. I’m a big tempeh fan, so there’s usually always some tempeh—or tofu—marinating somewhere. I do some of the fake meats and vegan cheeses. I’m a peasant. I love potatoes—especially baked potatoes—and soups and chilis and stews. I love a big, delicious stew. And fresh vegetables. That’s the good thing about stews: you can put anything in them. I love plates of one thing; I don’t like too many options on a plate. There’s a place here that does a really delicious vegan breakfast, and I love it, but there are so many different things on the plate when it arrives. I kind of get overstimulated.

While there have been strides made in veganism, there are still naysayers who have a serious problem with plant-based food and those who eschew meat and dairy. What do you think that’s all about?

It’s because people have been fed lies and misconceptions and myths about it for generations. That’s why. And it’s our job—it’s their job—to look at the evidence. The meat and dairy industries in America are so powerful and have such a powerful lobby and have, for years, quashed attempts to alter the status quo. It’s not because of anything other than propaganda and people who don’t want things to change. But luckily, we’re making some headway.

And what would you say to veg-curious folks who read this and are maybe apprehensive about taking that first step toward eliminating animal products from their diets?

Just dive in. It’s easy. You’ll be a better person. You’ll feel better, and the world will be a better place for it. It’s bigger than you. Stop kind of fixating on what it’s gonna mean for you. It’s not just about you; it’s about the whole world. So, yeah, grow a pair.

What does the future of veganism look like to you, and are you hopeful?

I am hopeful. I think it’s really going in an upward and positive trajectory. I think there are many more places to eat plantbased food, people are becoming much more cognizant of the link between our environment and what we put in our bodies, and yeah, I’m hopeful. But I’m just also kind of like, bored of being a sounding board for people. You know, don’t tell me how you would be a vegan if … just do it, bitch.