# Brits: Are there any Yank actors who can play a convincing Brit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587 "2008-11-07T03:48:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/21 "2008-11-07T14:14:24Z")
The mistake I hear a lot of British actors make is that their “American” accents are often New York accents, regardless of where the character is supposed to be from. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/22 "2008-11-07T14:17:28Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > The main problem I have with American actors doing British characters is they think we’re all Cockneys or unbelievably posh. Bridget Jones was a good example of this - Renee Zellweger’s accent wasn’t bad, but I don’t think someone of the sort of lower middle-class background the character was supposed to have would sound so plummy. Disclaimer: I have not read any of Bridget Jones’ Diaries and only seen the film once; but my impression was that Bridget’s family were firmly middle to upper middle class and, as such, her accent was spot on. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/23 "2008-11-07T14:22:07Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > You’re kidding right? > > Just in case you’re not - his English accent is terrible. It took me a while to realise he was trying to do an English / cockney accent. It really is all over the place (which actually suits the character well). The worst is when he sings and he goes back to his US accent. And I say this all as a big Spike fan. Spike’s accent does make sense for a vampire who’s lived all over the world. It goes with the image that Billy Idol stole! In comparison, we have Angel’s “Irish” accent. Which makes no sense at all. What do you think of Wesley’s accent? Denisoff studied acting in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/24 "2008-11-07T14:52:11Z")
> [@Hostile\_Dialect](#): > > I’m curious: what, exactly, does a badly-mimicked American accent sound like? Does anyone have some YouTube links they can share? Check out any number of _Monty Python_ skits. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/25 "2008-11-07T14:53:34Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > The main problem I have with American actors doing British characters is they think we’re all Cockneys or unbelievably posh. Bridget Jones was a good example of this - Renee Zellweger’s accent wasn’t bad, but I don’t think someone of the sort of lower middle-class background the character was supposed to have would sound so plummy. Did you see her in that film about Beatrix Potter? What did you think of her accent in that? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/26 "2008-11-07T15:02:03Z")
I’d say Marsters has a pretty good English accent - not being a Buffy fan I was completely unaware of who he was when he sauntered onto Torchwood and I simply assumed he was British. I agree that Zellwegger’s accent in Bridget Jones was very good but it was exceptionally plummy, but then so was virtually everyone else in that film so it didn’t stand out too badly. I’ve read the book and I’m not sure if I really know whether she’s supposed to be upper-middle class or not, when I read it I kind of assumed she was lower-middle but that’s definitely not how she was portrayed in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/27 "2008-11-07T15:22:28Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > In comparison, we have Angel’s “Irish” accent. Which makes no sense at all. That one was pretty bad. > [@](#): > > What do you think of Wesley’s accent? Denisoff studied acting in the UK. Only saw him in Buffy (I never got into Angel). It certainly didn’t grate or seem weird, which is a good sign. On the other hand I didn’t immediately identify him as English. The accent was more mid-Atlantic in my head, like maybe he was a snobbish American. [QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus] I’d say Marsters has a pretty good English accent - not being a Buffy fan I was completely unaware of who he was when he sauntered onto Torchwood and I simply assumed he was British. [/QUOTE] Not seen him in that. I can only presume he was using a different accent as no way would you ever mistake Spike for pure English (although he says bollocks and bugger off pretty well). ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/28 "2008-11-07T15:22:38Z")
> [@MarcusF](#): > > Disclaimer: I have not read any of Bridget Jones’ Diaries and only seen the film once; but my impression was that Bridget’s family were firmly middle to upper middle class and, as such, her accent was spot on. I was also under the impression that Bridget’s family was upper-middle-class. The parties she attends with her parents seemed to be somewhat fancy, and of course she met Mark Darcy at one of them. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/29 "2008-11-07T15:58:38Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > It certainly didn’t grate or seem weird, which is a good sign. On the other hand I didn’t immediately identify him as English. The accent was more mid-Atlantic in my head, like maybe he was a snobbish American. I think his accent is seasons 4+5 of Angel was probably better. It seemed to become less “snobbish,” and more relaxed, as it were, to suit his character. But being a Yank, what would I know? ---
**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:** [November 7, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/30 "2008-11-07T15:59:49Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > …Not seen him in that. I can only presume he was using a different accent as no way would you ever mistake Spike for pure English (although he says bollocks and bugger off pretty well). In his recurring _Torchwood_ role, Marsters played (plays?) Captain John, a Time Agent from the far future. His accent was like his costume–a bit of this & that to suit his style. The accent was Spike-like for the fans–who include _Torchwood_’s creators. But the costume was more Adam Ant than Billy Idol. His former lover/adversary is Captain Jack–another former Time Agent & star of the show. Who is played by John Barrowman, a Scotsman raised in the USA who mostly “speaks American.” Nobody on _Torchwood_ is “pure.” Marsters reportedly based Spike’s accent on Anthony Stewart Head’s. His “real” accent–not the one he used as the classier Rupert Giles. Perhaps this explains Spike’s skill with “bollocks” & “bugger off.” All of which gives me an excuse to link to[this production I wish I’d seen](http://www.johnbarrowman.com/stage/rope.html). (Yes, I’m shallow.) ---
**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:** [November 7, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/31 "2008-11-07T16:00:30Z")
> [@Hostile\_Dialect](#): > > I’m curious: what, exactly, does a badly-mimicked American accent sound like? Does anyone have some YouTube links they can share? Peri Brown from _Doctor Who_ comes immediately to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/32 "2008-11-07T16:05:31Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > I was also under the impression that Bridget’s family was upper-middle-class. The parties she attends with her parents seemed to be somewhat fancy, and of course she met Mark Darcy at one of them. In the book I got the distinct impression that her parents were a distinct source of embarrassment to Bridget because of their background. It’s been years since I read the book, but she and her family seemed lower-middle to me, or mid-middle at most. I suspect they were “poshed up” in the film. Besides, just about everyone in South-East England has a bit of an estuary twang these days, [no matter what their background](http://www.answers.com/topic/estuary-english) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/33 "2008-11-07T16:13:09Z")
So… how was Brad Pitt in _Snatch_… or does Pikey not count as English? ---
**Author:** ![nootlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/49beb7/32.png) [@nootlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nootlin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/34 "2008-11-07T16:15:58Z")
I’d second the impression that most American’s I’ve seen doing an English accent tend to do London cockney. Saying that, I don’t think Johnny Depp in Sweeney is a bad stab at it (pardon the pun). (I haven’t seen him in the Pirate movies, but from clips it sounds pretty similar). I think the reason the London accent is copied is that it’s very distinctive, well known, and similar to why, when I attempt an American accent, I can only manage either Texan or New York hud. Renee does a posh English accent, as witnessed in every Richard Curtis film. And it’s pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/35 "2008-11-07T16:21:26Z")
I remember hearing praise for Gwyneth Paltrow in _Emma_ and _Sliding Doors_. True or false? By the way, I think sometimes Python’s American accents are so off that Americans don’t know they’re doing them. To wit, I saw the “Mr. Neutron” episode not that long ago. … ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/36 "2008-11-07T16:22:30Z")
What about [Johnathon Hillerman](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384916/), Higgins from Magnum, PI? How was his accent? ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/37 "2008-11-07T16:40:00Z")
How convincing (to a Brit) is **Connie Booth** ’s accent (_Fawlty Towers_, among others)? It wasn’t until recently that I learned she was American, moving to England at about age 24. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/38 "2008-11-07T17:09:57Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I remember hearing praise for Gwyneth Paltrow in _Emma_ and _Sliding Doors_. True or false? Isn’t Paltrow sort of pseudo-half-British anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/39 "2008-11-07T17:20:09Z")
> [@](#): > > How convincing (to a Brit) is Connie Booth’s accent (Fawlty Towers, among others)? Put it this way - I always assumed that her character Polly was supposed to be American. I also never realised that Higgins in Magnum was supposed to be British. He sounded upper crust Ivy League to me, but definitely American. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587/40 "2008-11-07T17:30:12Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > Put it this way - I always assumed that her character Polly was supposed to be American. > I also never realised that Higgins in Magnum was supposed to be British. He sounded upper crust Ivy League to me, but definitely American. Yep, he was supposed to be British. He always told war stories, Higgins was in the British Army in WW2, mostly in the South Pacific from the sound of it. More info here: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan\_Higgins](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Higgins) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-are-there-any-yank-actors-who-can-play-a-convincing-brit/471587.md?page=3)