Alan Cumming, Sam Spector Discuss ‘The Traitors’ Season Three Trend

Alan Cumming has been on TV for the reason that ’80s — lengthy sufficient for family and friends to get used to seeing him onscreen. However his function internet hosting “Traitors” has them starstruck another time.

“When this began, so many individuals have been texting me, and being actually type of expressive and actually enthusiastic about it,” says the celebrated theater and display screen actor, in New York shortly earlier than the tip of the yr. “In order that’s after I knew it had hit a nerve.”

“Do you keep in mind after I mentioned to you, ‘I believe that is turning into a factor’?” says stylist Sam Spector, addressing Cumming seated a number of toes away. The pair had convened inside Spector’s styling studio to revisit the style from the present’s new season. “As a result of I used to be utterly stunned. I’ve labored on so many initiatives, TV reveals with different shoppers, simply dressing them as themselves, that make it or don’t — however this turned one thing particular,” provides Spector.

Peacock’s homicide thriller present, set inside a Scottish fortress, returns for a 3rd season on Thursday with a motley forged of figures from throughout the truth present universe: Boston Rob and Tony from “Survivor,” Bob the Drag Queen from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and Bob from “Largest Loser,” “Vanderpump Guidelines” villain Tom Sandoval, in addition to previous contestants from “Large Brother,” “The Bachelor” and “Bachelorette,” a number of “Actual Housewives,” Zac Efron’s brother, Brittany Spears’ former husband Sam Asghiari, a descendant of the British monarchy and extra. Every week, contestants try to vote out “the murderers” hiding amongst “the faithfuls,” whereas competing in “missions” within the Scottish countryside.

Main the pack in character as present host for the U.S. franchise is the native Scotsman Cumming, whose over-the-top Scottish-themed model — plaids, kilts, tweeds, cloaks, capes and extra — have turn into a trademark of the present. “It’s type of a part of the entire DNA of the present now,” says Cumming of his present model.  “I really feel like we’ve type of subverted the type of actuality TV a little bit bit. And so what I’m carrying is a component of every episode. We’ve form of added one other layer to the factor,” he provides.

Within the first episode of Season Three, Cumming rides into the scene on a horse. The actor is carrying an extended velvet cape with a glowing “A C” embellishment, together with a beret, kilt and sporran. “My inspiration was this ‘Outlander’ character, however we wished it brighter and extra vibrant. So I discovered this teal kilt,” says Spector, exhibiting off a temper board for the look that features imagery of “Outlander” star Sam Heughan and depictions of vikings. “After which because the mission goes on, it turns into a little bit extra theatrical.”

“Extra theatrical” sums up the pair’s sartorial method — and now, ongoing problem — every season. 

“We’ve obtained type of a home model. I at all times say, ‘dandy, Scottish layered,’” says Cumming.

“What’s dandy?” Spector rapidly deadpans, after which clarifies, “That is an inside joke.”

Flipping by way of Spector’s temper boards and meticulous documentation of their inspiration and outfits for the brand new season, the pair enthuse over take care of look, providing definitive descriptors for every: one is “dominatrix meets subversive Linda Evans,” one other “Pillsbury Doughboy meets Renaissance truthful leather-based daddy” and “Little Store of Horrors meets pope meets man bride.” 

Spector eyes the (vegan; Cumming doesn’t put on animal leather-based) look from the primary episode, which they describe as having a “plastic-leather daddy muff vibe.” “There was speak forwards and backwards whether or not it was too harness — whether or not America’s prepared for a harness,” says Spector. “Is that OK for community TV?”

The reply is within the scores and urge for food — each from audiences and actuality stars desperate to get forged — and capped off by vital reception. The second season of the present was the number-one unscripted sequence within the U.S. throughout all streaming platforms throughout its launch week in response to Nielsen scores. Final yr “The Traitors” acquired 4 Emmy nominations and two wins, for excellent actuality competitors program, whereas Cumming received excellent host for a actuality or actuality competitors program. 

“It was one thing so new and totally different to what I’d executed earlier than,” says Cumming of the enchantment of getting into the internet hosting function. “It type of jogged my memory of Clue or one thing,” he provides. “I really like a board recreation, and I really like the campiness and theatricality of these video games. I may inform from the beginning they [the production company] wished to form of up the ante. It wasn’t simply, ‘whats up, I’m Alan Cumming, and right here I’m with these folks.’ They purposely wished to match the tone of the present.” 

Cumming, who in any other case doesn’t work with a stylist and clothes himself for pink carpets, linked up with Spector for “The Traitors” on suggestion from his supervisor Nikola Barisic and spouse Allison Stein.

“I at all times wished to work with Alan,” says Spector, including that each males moved to New York within the late ’90s, and share mutual connections by way of the theater and movie neighborhood. “Most New York folks I’ve labored with a few times, however we had by no means labored with one another. I at all times wished to, however I usually simply do pink carpet and press appearances. So to do costumes, after I obtained the decision, I simply thought we have been going to be dressing Alan Cumming. However then it gave me this problem.”  

“To which you rose,” says Cumming, nodding.

Extra is extra — and thus far, viewers proceed to be recreation for extra of the whimsical Scottish styling. 

“I believe it’s so hilarious that the American model of this present is way campier and extra theatrical than the British model. I don’t suppose that that may ever have occurred earlier than. And I believe it’s due to our work,” says Cumming. “I actually like how that’s been embraced by everybody. Persons are tuning in to see the folks they know from these different reveals,” he provides. “[And] they’re truly additionally tuning in to see what kind of loopy femme-y outfit this middle-aged man goes to be carrying.”

And whereas the first purpose is leisure, Cumming is optimistic that the lingering impression could possibly be acceptance. 

“I believe that may be actually useful, in that once they see somebody on the road who’s not conforming to the traditional mores of male-female binary dressing, possibly they’ll be much less judgy about it,” he says. “Perhaps they’ll perceive a bit extra once they see what Sam’s put me in. I actually do suppose it should assist — or it’s a optimistic factor to current in that means.”

The present has additionally minted a brand new sudden star, who’s been getting stopped on the road for her function as cohost: Cumming’s canine Lala, who additionally dons her personal coordinated costumes. “She’s not so good with hats,” says Cumming. “She loves a kilt.” 

A number of seems from the season are hanging from a rack in Spector’s styling studio, and Spector turns consideration to the blue bejeweled cape hanging amongst different scene-stealing outfits from the season. Viewers of the primary two seasons will acknowledge the cape from previous finales, and has turn into a sartorial throughline. 

“This he wears to disclose the winner,” says Spector, pulling out the colorfully bejeweled aqua-tone cape. “It’s been on each season, and we’ve determined that we’re going to simply hold including increasingly more to it. So it began plain, then the second season we added the jewels, after which the third season we’ve added—” properly, you’ll need to tune in to search out out.

“All people’s like — it’s an enormous debate — ‘is that basically costly,’ you understand, like Chanel,” provides Cumming. “Or is it some skanky factor off of Etsy?”

“It’s a little bit little bit of each,” says Spector.