There are plenty of reasons why the X-Men movies of the 2000s remain beloved amongst superhero devotees, and something that audiences still talk about is the superb ensemble cast. Some fans may not be aware, though, that there was a bit of strife amid the making of the films, particularly with regard to the second installment. I’ve personally been aware of the drama that unfolded on set, but what I didn’t realize is that “trauma” played a role in at least some of the cast staying in touch over the years.
Someone who worked on the X2 set was Alan Cumming, who made his franchise debut as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in Bryan Singer’s 2003 superhero sequel. Cumming’s performance has since been praised, and Singer’s movie received high praise and amassed some significant box office receipts. However, as Cumming alluded to via comments he shared with People, he and his co-stars remain linked by more than the success of that comic book flick:
It’s one of those films where I think we all were so traumatized we were bonded in trauma, so we stayed in touch.
Some have said that the notion of trauma bonding is quite real, but I’m still surprised Cumming would want to stay connected with his co-stars over what he previously described as a less-than-positive work experience. However, when I think about it, I guess it makes sense since his co-stars apparently weren’t what made the film shoot tough. With Cumming reprising his role alongside some of his co-stars in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, he spoke about his standing with them and whether they were on set together:
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The ones that I did reunite with, I’ve seen them since. I also didn’t reunite with that many because we did it all sort of separately; it was a bit of a modern way of doing things. I’m very chummy with Ian [McKellan], I’ve seen Rebecca [Romijn] over the years. Patrick [Stewart], I’ve seen quite a lot. Jimmy [Marsden], I’ve seen a lot of them actually.
During the last decade or so, some X-Men cast members have opened up about what it was like working on some of those films, specifically the ones helmed by Singer. Many of those details seem to pertain to X2. For his part, Cumming claimed that Singer (who apparently banned comic books on the set of the OG film) would deride the cast on set, leading to issues with some of the other actors. Cumming specifically remembered Halle Berry having problems with Singer, and she eventually confronted the filmmaker as a result.
On top of all that, there came a point at which the actors apparently threatened to quit the movie if producer Tom DeSanto was barred from the set by Singer. DeSanto notably called for filming to be halted after Hugh Jackman sustained a stunt-related injury. So, needless to say, the X2 set was quite tumultuous based on the anecdotes shared by the cast.
The few details that the X-Men stars have shared about working on Joe and Anthony Russo’s Doomsday, though, suggest that the experience has been much better this time around. Cumming revealed he initially thought he was being pranked when Marvel Studios called, though he was happy to reprise Nightcrawler. The really “great” part for him was not having to be in the makeup chair as long to play the blue character. Cumming seemed to have a blast, even though he apparently injured co-star Pedro Pascal during a scene.
While the X-Men cast may hold onto that shared “trauma” years after making those early films, I’m hopeful that their experience on Marvel’s highly anticipated team-up flick will give them some better memories to bond over. On that note, check out Alan Cumming and his co-stars in Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 amid the 2026 movie schedule. Fans can also stream those classic X2 and other movies featuring the famous mutants using a Disney+ subscription.