Alan Cumming Says ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Got His X-Men Transformation Down to 90 Minutes: ‘It Was Four and a Half Hours’ to Become Nightcrawler for ‘X2’

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Two whole decades have passed, and yet here we are, with Alan Cumming stepping back into his role as Nightcrawler for “Avengers: Doomsday.” During a chat on “Today With Jenna and Friends,” he mentioned this exciting news. Joining him in the Marvel blockbuster will be some familiar faces from “X2: X-Men United” – Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Kelsey Grammer. Cumming expressed his delight at the advancements in movie makeup, which have significantly reduced the time he’ll need to spend transforming into Nightcrawler, with his distinctive blue skin and tattoos.

Can you believe it? Cumming expressed both excitement and astonishment. It’s been 23 years since he last played a superhero, and yet, he’s already undergone some makeup trials for the new role. What makes this exciting is that whereas it used to take around four and a half hours to apply his makeup, now it only takes 90 minutes!”

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“Cumming was thrilled and astounded, stating that it’s been 23 years since he last portrayed a superhero. He’s already had some makeup tests for the upcoming role, and what’s fantastic is that the application time has decreased significantly, from around four and a half hours to just 90 minutes!

Previously, all the tattoos were manually applied, he mentioned. The designs weren’t finalized before we began shooting. Now, they simply adhere to my face. It’s a significant shift. I’m returning to playing a 60-year-old superhero, and everyone seems quite friendly.

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Originally, every tattoo was drawn by hand, he pointed out. They hadn’t settled on the designs before filming started. But now, they simply affix to my face. It’s a major change. I’m going back to portraying an elderly superhero, and everyone seems quite pleasant.

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Earlier, all tattoos were hand-drawn, he explained. The designs hadn’t been chosen before we started filming. Now, they just get stuck onto my face. It’s a big difference. I’m going back to playing an older superhero, and everyone seems very nice.

Only appeared as Nightcrawler once in a major film, and didn’t reprise his role for subsequent “X-Men” movies like “The Last Stand” or “Days of Future Past.” He gained widespread attention last year by labeling “X2: X-Men United” as the most queer film he had ever worked on, stating that it was directed by someone who identifies as LGBTQ+ and featured numerous queer actors. He expressed his admiration for how something so mainstream and deeply rooted in comic book lore could be so inclusive of diverse sexual orientations.

David Hayter, the screenwriter behind “X-Men,” expressed delight upon the actor’s announcement, telling TMZ: “I’m overjoyed that we portrayed him correctly. He’s a beacon for LGBTQ+ rights. Ian McKellen also saw the symbolism from a gay viewpoint.

Cumming noted that films like ‘X2’ can provide a unique perspective on understanding queerness, as they offer an artistic representation of the concept, making it less intimidating for many. Essentially, these movies serve as a symbolic portrayal of the struggles and hidden talents queer individuals often face.

“Avengers: Doomsday” is set for release May 1, 2026 from Disney and Marvel Studios.

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2025-04-08 02:48