Alan Cumming and David Morrissey have revealed that their friendship spans decades, long before they starred together in Channel 4's hit series Tip Toe. The actors first met in the 1980s and even lived on the same road at one point.
Friendship Origins
The pair appeared on This Morning on Thursday, June 11, where they shared the story of their long-standing bond. They were once neighbors, with David living just down the road from Alan. David recalled taking a photograph for the Edinburgh show The High Life, which Alan starred in. 'I couldn't get enough light inside so I took them out into Alan's garden, so they're on this white wall and there was all these builders next door on the scaffolding shouting at us as I was trying to take photographs of them,' David said.
Alan added that they built a garden shed together. Later, on Instagram, he shared more about their friendship alongside a selection of pictures from over the years.
Instagram Tribute
Alan wrote: 'I love @davidmorrissey We first met in 1989 (yes, in the eighties!!) when I was doing a weird German play at Bristol Old Vic and his girlfriend at the time was in it with me. Then it turned out we lived a street over from each other in London. We saw each other all the time and bonded over building a shed in my garden. (Yes that is the actual shed!) Then Dave moved into a flat down the street, and then I moved into a house even closer to him! He has been such a good friend to me over the years. I'm godfather to one of his kids.'
He continued: 'He is also of course a brilliant actor so I was so happy to play opposite him in Tip Toe and get to spend so much time together again. But most importantly, we were both able to go deeper into our characters because of that deep friendship and trust we have. In spite of the awful things that happen in the story between us, I felt safe with Dave and I'm so proud that our friendship and love for each other added to the potency of Tip Toe.'
Tip Toe Finale
The five-part series followed Leo and Clive, who have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them grows more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually, two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense, suburban thriller.
On Tuesday, June 9, the series came to an end with viewers left in tears after the final scenes. After Clive saw images of his eldest son's sex work and youngest son George enjoying a night out in the gay village, tensions rose. The group of football fans at the party mocked Clive and suggested he was having an affair with the drag queen, acting as a catalyst for what comes next. In an extreme attempt to reassert his masculinity, Clive and his group attack Leo, before fatally hanging him from a lamppost outside his home. While the rest of the group runs off, Clive stands there in shock.
Viewers of the Channel 4 series were left in tears over the harrowing watch, but the friendship between Alan and David provided a positive backdrop to the intense drama.
