# Any UK films / TV where Americans use flawless UK accents? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032 "2012-03-28T11:28:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/41 "2012-03-29T15:13:52Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I will also mention that UK television shows do feature a lot of British actors doing _appalling_ American accents **SciFiSam** ’s already mentioned it, but BBC radio is far, far worse. I’m not even American and I chew my knuckles to the bone when I hear them. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/42 "2012-03-29T15:19:51Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Bridget Jones Bridget jones:mad: Yeah, there are actually a lot of examples of Americans playing Brittish characters. > [@Intergalactic Gladiator](#): > > Kevin Costner. He doens’t even do an accent when playing one of the best known Englishmen of all time (ie Robin Hood)! ---
**Author:** ![Raskolnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Raskolnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raskolnikov)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/43 "2012-03-29T15:27:22Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Why? Northern Ireland was part of the UK last I checked. Tom used a capital “I”, Northern Ireland may be culturally “irish” but Irish refers to the Republic of Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/44 "2012-03-29T15:29:54Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > He doens’t even do an accent when playing one of the best known Englishmen of all time (ie Robin Hood)! There is nothing quite so satisfactory as witnessing a good whoosh perpetrated on someone else, and for that, I thank you this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/45 "2012-03-29T15:30:14Z")
> [@Raskolnikov](#): > > Tom used a capital “I”, Northern Ireland may be culturally “irish” but Irish refers to the Republic of Ireland. “Irish” is always capitalized in the English language, whether referring to the Republic of Ireland or to the nation, geography, culture, history, etc., of the entire island of Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/46 "2012-03-29T15:43:47Z")
> [@glaeken](#): > > David Anders in Hero’s was very good as was Philip Winchester in Strike back. Both so good that I was really surprised to find out they were not English. You often hear Americans in US programs doing English accents and even when they are pretty good there is normally something a little off but with these two I was genuinely surprised when I found out they were American. > > Strike back is actually really mixed up as a program when it comes to nationalities as the main English guy is played by an American and the main American guy is played by Australian. Winchester’s mother is British and he went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after high school. Even if we count him as American (I think he has dual citizenship), it isn’t surprising that his accent is good. I agree that it was weird the first time I saw them interviewed together about the show and their real accents were not at all what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/47 "2012-03-29T16:45:23Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > He doens’t even do an accent when playing one of the best known Englishmen of all time (ie Robin Hood)! Technically speaking, there’s no reason for us to assume that a modern English accent is any closer to a 13th Century English accent than a modern American accent is. Not that that excuses Costner. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/48 "2012-03-29T16:49:54Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > **SciFiSam** ’s already mentioned it, but BBC radio is far, far worse. I’m not even American and I chew my knuckles to the bone when I hear them. It’s not the generic faux-American accent that bothers me, it’s the faux-Texan one (which is the only regional accent Americans have, apparently). It’s so very, very wrong. Incidentally, I once taught a British children’s choir to sing with an American accent. They were stunningly good at it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/49 "2012-03-29T19:39:11Z")
How about James Cromwell as Prince Philip, in THE QUEEN, faking it opposite an authentic Helen Mirren? ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/50 "2012-03-29T20:02:38Z")
I’m not British but I think James Marsters (Spike in Buffy) did a pretty good Brit accent. I believe he based it on Tony Head (Giles)'s actual accent, while Head adopted a different one. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/51 "2012-03-29T20:08:28Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > I’m not British but I think James Marsters (Spike in Buffy) did a pretty good Brit accent. I believe he based it on Tony Head (Giles)'s actual accent, while Head adopted a different one. Ah, Buffy, that quintessentially British TV show! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/52 "2012-03-29T20:15:48Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > How about James Cromwell as Prince Philip, in THE QUEEN, faking it opposite an authentic Helen Mirren? He was pretty good I thought. James Cromwell had the manner, look and posture of Prince Philip down pat, too. It maybe helps the actor that Phil is a bit of a living caricature anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/53 "2012-03-29T20:29:19Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Ah, Buffy, that quintessentially British TV show! I learned what Weetabix are from watching Buffy! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/54 "2012-03-29T20:44:15Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > He doens’t even do an accent when playing one of the best known Englishmen of all time (ie Robin Hood)! I think he gave up trying part way through filming. This does not matter, because _Prince of Thieves_ is an excellent film. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/55 "2012-03-29T20:53:04Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Kevin Costner. > > _Ducks and runs away_ He wasn’t as bad as Sean Connery, whose French accent in “Robin Hood” sounded awfully Scottish. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/56 "2012-03-29T21:44:41Z")
Director: Sean, the part of the movie you’re in is set in Scotland… SC: Gud. D: And everyone in it is Scottish SC: Ah, Gud. D: Except you. You’re Egyptian. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/57 "2012-03-29T21:50:13Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > The winner is Gwyneth Paltrow. Her English accents are stunningly good. I say that in the plural because she has done more than one - in Sliding Doors and Shakespeare in Love. In the latter I heard one solitary vowel slip and no more. Utterly convincing. This. I first saw Paltrow in Sliding Doors (excellent film) and was stunned to discover later that Paltrow was not from London. ---
**Author:** ![steveo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@steveo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steveo1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/58 "2012-03-29T21:59:05Z")
To the Australian guy - Who didn’t tear up when Meryl said, “A dingo ate me baby”? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/59 "2012-03-29T23:29:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > He wasn’t as bad as Sean Connery, whose French accent in “Robin Hood” sounded awfully Scottish. He plays a much better Scottish Russian submarine captain. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032/60 "2012-03-30T02:43:38Z")
> [@Raskolnikov](#): > > Tom used a capital “I”, Northern Ireland may be culturally “irish” but Irish refers to the Republic of Ireland. Another vote for this being wrong. Geographically, politically or even linguistically, “Irish” is always capitalised. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-uk-films-tv-where-americans-use-flawless-uk-accents/617032.md?page=4)