Inside Alan Cumming’s relationship with ‘hilarious’ husband who he married twice

Alan Cumming is thankfully returning to our screens with the actor and presenter hosting this year’s BAFTA Awards. The star is known for hosting the US version of The Traitors as well as appearing in major films and shows like GoldenEye, The Smurfs and Cabaret.

Away from the screen, the star has been married three times, including twice to his current husband, illustrator Grant Shaffer. The couple have three beautiful homes, splitting their time between a Manhattan home, one in upstate New York and a rural property in Alan’s native country of Scotland.

Here’s all you need to know about the pair’s relationship and Alan’s other marriage…

Grant Shaffer

Alan is married to Grant Shaffer, who is known for his work for illustration and graphic design. His work has previously appeared in The New Yorker and Interview magazine. Grant also regularly shares snaps of his art and photography on his Instagram account.

He currently lives with Alan in Manhattan, and has also worked as a storyboard artist for films and music videos. The talented star has also published children’s books for Penguin Random House, and has enjoyed 12 solo gallery exhibitions.

© Bruce Glikas/WireImage

The couple have even worked together, publishing their own children’s book in 2017, The Adventures of Honey & Leon. The book paid tribute to the couple’s late pet dogs and Alan shared: “Honey and Leon were both rescue dogs. I had Honey, and Grant had Leon, and when we got together they were about 4, and so then they became, you know, brother and sister. And so this book is kind of about us.”

The couple reportedly met through mutual friends, with Alan changing how his husband has conducted himself during their relationship. “He’s lovely, kind, and hilarious, but he’s also the first person who hasn’t wanted to change me,” he told Closer Weekly. “We respect each other, and we were a bit older when we met, so you know yourself more and are more respectful.“

Marriage

The pair became civil partners in 2007 with the law in the UK not yet allowing same-sex marriage. This was also the case in the United States, however, after a Supreme Court decision legalised same-sex marriage in 2013, the couple married once again. At the first service, Grant wore a black suit, with Alan opting for an eye-catching white two-piece.

Paying tribute to his partner on their 18th anniversary, Alan shared a snap from their first wedding and penned: “Eighteen years ago I married @granteepants and we’re still laughing. Happy anniversary my man.”

At the time of their London wedding in 2007, they released a statement that read: “As residents of America we would have loved to marry there, but we hope that soon the civil rights that we have been afforded in the U.K. will be available to all gay Americans, and we look forward to celebrating not only our marriage, but the end of prejudice.”

Previous relationships

Grant wasn’t Alan’s only wedding as the 60-year-old was previously married to actress Hilary Lyon. The pair were married between 1985 and 1993, however, Alan later confessed he ended up marrying the actress to try and prove to his divorced parents that he could find happiness.

Speaking to People, he reflected: “That’s not a great thing to do. I wouldn’t recommend that. I was 21 when I got married the first time. I knew I was bisexual when I was married the first time, as did my wife.”

© Back/Daily Mail/Shutterstock

The star also told the publication that the pair had considered having a child together. He told them: “I have friends who deal with, they’ve broken up and they’re co-parenting. I think that’s really difficult.

“I think of it as a blessing that didn’t happen because of the way that my life went afterwards and how difficult it would’ve been. I probably wouldn’t have had the inclination to come and live in America, perhaps, if that meant I wasn’t going to see my child. Everything happens for a reason.”

© FilmMagic

The star was also previously in a two-year relationship with You star Saffron Burrows and had a six-year relationship with theatre director Nick Philippou.