SCOTTISH star Alan Cumming has revealed that the fear of being attacked in America due to his political beliefs is leading him to consider relocating back to Scotland.
The Hollywood actor was interviewed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the launch of his new memoir in Edinburgh.
The Hollywood actor told Sturgeon that he felt under threat in the United States, where he has lived for more than 20 years.
The Perthshire-born actor said Donald Trump’s presence in the US is still being felt, adding that America is “a country constantly on the edge”.
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Speaking at the Usher Hall, he said although he enjoyed spending time with his husband Grant during lockdown in America, he became increasingly worried about the future of the country.
“It was getting really difficult. I had a scary incident,” he said.
“I was actually scared that I was going to be attacked because I was getting all these death threats, and then this job happened, a TV series in Vancouver, which meant I was out of America for the election, which was so good.
"Obviously it is so great that [Joe] Biden won, but Trump is still very present.
"All these senators and congressmen still support him, and something like 70 per cent of Republicans still think that Joe Biden won the election unfairly.
"All those Proud Boys and white supremacists have been slightly silenced, but they’re still there. We’ve got to be vigilant.
"I feel America is constantly on the edge, more so than ever. It’s just so partisan, there’s no meeting of minds. There are people who are just furious and ill-informed. It’s a scary combo.”
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Asked when he was “coming home”, the actor said: “I feel that my Scottishness is so important to me.
"Being out of the country for so long has given me a really good perspective and understanding of the values I have.
"I feel very formed by being Scottish. I really do want to come back."
Cumming added that he and his husband are set to spend months living in Scotland next year as he works on a new Robert Burns-inspired dance for the Edinburgh International Festival.
Sturgeon asked the Broadway star about his mental health issues as he wrote about in his new memoir Baggage, including suicidal thoughts when running for the James Bond film Goldeneye.
He told the First Minister that his work schedule and travel commitments helped him cope with the most difficult periods in his personal life.
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