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.
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.
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.
Check out any number of Monty Python skits.
Did you see her in that film about Beatrix Potter? What did you think of her accent in that?
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.
That one was pretty bad.
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.
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).
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.
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?
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 tothis production I wish I’d seen. (Yes, I’m shallow.)
Peri Brown from Doctor Who comes immediately to mind.
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
So… how was Brad Pitt in Snatch… or does Pikey not count as English?
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.
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. …
What about Johnathon Hillerman, Higgins from Magnum, PI? How was his accent?
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.
Isn’t Paltrow sort of pseudo-half-British anyway?
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