Alan Cumming Admits He 'Told Everyone' About Will Gardner's Death On 'The Good Wife'

By Emily Richardson | TV | February 15, 2024 |

By Emily Richardson | TV | February 15, 2024 |

Ten years ago (!!!), The Good Wife unexpectedly killed off its male lead, Will Gardner. Actor Josh Charles’ contract was up and he wanted to explore other career opportunities. Co-creators Michelle and Robert King decided to have his character go out with a bang: Will was shot to death in the courtroom. It was shocking. For most Good Wife fans, at least. Some of them had a heads-up, thanks to that blabbering big mouth Alan Cumming, aka Eli Gold.

On Tuesday, Alan told reporters at the 2024 Television Critics Association Winter press tour that he totally spoiled Will’s big death, via Entertainment Weekly:

“I’m the most indiscreet person, “When I was on The Good Wife and Will was murdered — do you remember Will was shot? — I told everyone.”

HA! 59-year-old Alan knew he was meant to keep the shocking courtroom shooting a secret, but he just couldn’t help himself:

“I can’t understand how that didn’t get out,” he admitted with a laugh. “I remember once doing this fashion thing, and I sat down and a guy starts to do my hair, and he goes, ‘I’m a huge fan of The Good Wife,’ and I go, ‘Will dies!’ I mean, I told the hairdresser, who is statistically the worst person you can tell a secret to.”

See, I can relate to this big time. You tell me to keep a secret? It kills me. It eats away at my stomach, begging to crawl up my esophagus and out my mouth, for all the world to hear. It’s just so exciting to have brand new information to share!

Unfortunately for Alan, his current job is as the host of Peacock’s The Traitors. So he’s had to get better at keeping confidential information close to his chest: “I’m very conscious of it.” For example, in every season premiere, Alan must secretly alert two or three contestants that they are Traitors by discretely tapping their shoulders at the roundtable (everyone is blindfolded):

“I could f*ck it up hugely by knocking someone with my elbow,” Cumming said. “And there was one more [cast member] than last year, so they were more squashed at the table and I could barely get my arm in… I do all these tricks to try and confuse them.”

Well, I’m glad Alan’s secret-keeping has improved. Because this season of The Traitors is great television, and I want to be surprised at every twist and turn. For example, the Phaedra vs. Dan Roundtable Smackdown. SPOILER ALERT:

Who got killed harder: Dan by Phaedra on The Traitors or Will by his client on The Good Wife? Discuss.