# Are there any American actors who do a convincing English accent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 5, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948 "2009-09-05T06:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/21 "2009-09-06T17:30:39Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Now, now. Spike was an upper class Brit in the age of Victoria. But he started to abandon that accent for something more working class just after he was turned. He’d traveled the world in the century since, spending lots of time in the USA & other un-English places. Or maybe the American actor just couldn’t do a very good English accent. ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/22 "2009-09-06T17:53:36Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Americans portraying English have a harder task- a few posters have pointed out actors who did a good job despite missing a couple words or vowels. Whereas if an English actor accidentally dropped into his own accent for a word or two, it would seem much less apparent or contrasting to the American accent. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/23 "2009-09-06T17:59:54Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I think Connie Booth was very good in Fawlty Towers, though others disagree with me. I didn’t realise she was American for many years. I just learned this right now. I had no idea, so it is a pretty good accent. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/24 "2009-09-06T18:15:27Z")
I once read some article about Dublin natives being shown various clips of American actors doing Irish accents, and all of them saying that Brad Pitt’s performance in _The Devil’s Own_ was the most accurate, not just for the accent, but that he was also dead on Dublin in his mannerisms, and even the way he held his cigarette. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/25 "2009-09-06T18:31:38Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I just learned this right now. I had no idea, so it is a pretty good accent. I don’t think Polly is meant to be British. Doesn’t Basil call her a ‘cloth-eared American bint’? I never thought of her as anything but American when watching the show. MiM ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/26 "2009-09-06T18:38:34Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Now, now. Spike was an upper class Brit in the age of Victoria. But he started to abandon that accent for something more working class just after he was turned. He’d traveled the world in the century since, spending lots of time in the USA & other un-English places. So, in other words…a wizard did it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/27 "2009-09-06T20:06:54Z")
This is one thread where it would certainly be relevant to know everyone’s location. At least, whether or not the posters are British - and even better, if they are from the same location and socioeconomic status\* as the character portrayed. > [@Made\_in\_Macau](#): > > I don’t think Polly is meant to be British. Doesn’t Basil call her a ‘cloth-eared American bint’? I’ve seen every episode multiple times, and I’m pretty sure I’d remember if she was ever referred to as an American. Basil did call her a “cloth-eared bint” in one episode. I can’t speak to the authenticity of her accent in the show, but to this Southern California it does _not_ sound like it is meant to be American. - I really wanted to write _class_, but that opens up a whole nother can of worms. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/28 "2009-09-06T20:14:49Z")
Can anyone confirm whether Brad Pitt’s “Pikey” accent in Snatch was remotely convincing? ---
**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/29 "2009-09-06T20:41:10Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Can anyone confirm whether Brad Pitt’s “Pikey” accent in Snatch was remotely convincing? not just the accent but the whole performance was fantastic ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/30 "2009-09-06T21:36:15Z")
Don Cheadle on Oprah with the rest of the Ocean’s 11 cast said he got about a 50/50 split between “Hey, that was pretty good.” and “Don’t ever do that again.” from Britons. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/31 "2009-09-06T21:41:25Z")
I like to point out that in the movie Batman Begins, the only actors who didn’t have fake accents were Morgan Freeman and Katie Holmes. Christian Bale perfected the American accent for American Psycho. Cillian Murphy is newer on the scene, so his Irish accent still pokes through in the way he pronounces a few words. Gary Oldman is a master, though. I think, in general, it’s much easier to go from any accent to a generic American accent than it is to go from American to any other accent. I think it’s about rules. To learn a non-US accent you have to memorize how they say specific syllables, but to do an American accent you just need to learn some basic conversion rules (move the tongue as little as possible). ---
**Author:** ![Hrududu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Hrududu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrududu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/32 "2009-09-06T21:48:03Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I once read some article about Dublin natives being shown various clips of American actors doing Irish accents, and all of them saying that Brad Pitt’s performance in _The Devil’s Own_ was the most accurate, not just for the accent, but that he was also dead on Dublin in his mannerisms, and even the way he held his cigarette. Dead on Dublin? But his character was from Northern Ireland, which is a different country. His accent was very good though. His “Pikey” was also terrific. I’m surprised by the Marsters love because he always sounded fake to me. Denisof was much better. Zelwegger was very good as Bridget Jones but at times she went overboard and sounded a lot plummier than anyone really is. But to be honest that’s just me picking nits, she was very good. As was Paltrow. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/33 "2009-09-06T22:28:47Z")
> [@Hrududu](#): > > Dead on Dublin? But his character was from Northern Ireland, which is a different country. His accent was very good though. His “Pikey” was also terrific. I got the city wrong. I should have said Belfast, not Dublin. He supposedly dead on Belfast. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/34 "2009-09-06T22:48:33Z")
RE some awful American accents by British actors the entire crew of Monty Python generally all had simply awful American accents. They were amazingly bad. That [large breasted sidekick girl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brl9ubo03Cc)on “Dr Who” in the 80’s had a startlingly bad attempt at an American accent as well. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/35 "2009-09-06T23:33:27Z")
wierdaaron writes: \> To learn a non-US accent you have to memorize how they say specific syllables, \> but to do an American accent you just need to learn some basic conversion \> rules (move the tongue as little as possible). No, I don’t think this is true. The reason that it’s easier to learn an American accent is that pretty much anyone in any English-speaking country will have watched a lot of American TV shows and movies. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/36 "2009-09-07T00:47:51Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > So, in other words…a wizard did it. 😃 No, a wizard didn’t turn Spike–Drusilla did. And her Insane Cockney-esque accent was far worse than his. As a member of the Cosmopolitan Undead, his accent was just part of his persona–like the bleached hair & leather coat. Compare it to Angel’s Irish accent, heard only in flashbacks. Nope, Spike’s accent was better than either of theirs. But I agree that Wesley’s was better. > [@](#): > > …The reason that it’s easier to learn an American accent is that pretty much anyone in any English-speaking country will have watched a lot of American TV shows and movies. The Brits who learn “American” well enough for the big screen or to headline a US TV series have put in a bit more effort than that. Some that we hear in smaller UK productions (like _Doctor Who_) seem to have learned their accents from 30’s gangster films or Westerns. Or a combination of the two. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/37 "2009-09-07T01:00:09Z")
No, I wasn’t claiming that all it took for a Brit to be able to do an American accent was to listen to a lot of American TV shows and movies. I was denying wierdaaron’s claim about an American accent being easier to do because all it was necessary to do for an American accent was to learn a few rules like “move the tongue as little as possible” (which I doubt is true at all). I was saying that that a Brit learning to do an American accent has a little headstart as compared to an American learning to do a British accent because the Brit will have seen a lot more American movies and TV shows than the American has seen British movies and TV shows. This doesn’t mean that it’s sufficient just to watch a lot of movies and TV shows of the country of the accent that you’re learning. It takes some training beyond that. It’s a start though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/38 "2009-09-07T02:39:11Z")
> [@Made\_in\_Macau](#): > > I don’t think Polly is meant to be British. Doesn’t Basil call her a ‘cloth-eared American bint’? > > I never thought of her as anything but American when watching the show. > > MiM When did that happen? Why did you think her character was American? I have no memory of that. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/39 "2009-09-07T04:09:30Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > I read an interview in which Hugh Laurie jokingly described van Dyke’s English accent as an “act of war.” He’s one to talk. I heard Laurie doing a British accent in some BBC program, and he just sounded ridiculous. Where’s he from, anyway? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948/40 "2009-09-07T06:25:33Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > Don Cheadle on Oprah with the rest of the Ocean’s 11 cast said he got about a 50/50 split between “Hey, that was pretty good.” and “Don’t ever do that again.” from Britons. The former group were just being polite. His accent was horrible. In fact, it was so shit that it obscured his abilities: Ocean’s 11 was the first time I saw him act, and it wasn’t until I saw Hotel Rwanda that I realised that Mr Cheadle was an actor of rare talent, rather than some terrible hack. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-american-actors-who-do-a-convincing-english-accent/508948.md?page=3)