# Worst British / Irish Accents by American Actors **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881 "2000-07-17T20:18:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/41 "2000-07-18T13:18:19Z")
Wow! I’m glad to see my “Penis Van Lesbian” nomination so thoroughly passed! I recently got a letter from a British friend who’d seen “Mary Poppins” on television and the ink was smudged, she was still laughing so hard. Ase, I think he was cast because he was still coasting on his “Dick Van Dyke Show” fame. Wasn’t “Mary” shot while the show was still on the air? As for bad “Amuurc’n” accents, I saw a British TV version of “Dracula” about ten years ago. One of the characters is from the U.S., and the Brit actor figured if he threw enough rrr’s into every word, it would work: “Hir, Ir’m arn Amurrrc’n!” ---
**Author:** ![Spnstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Spnstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spnstr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/42 "2000-07-18T13:57:27Z")
There was some movie replaying of HBO in which Julia Roberts was the love interest of two feuding Irish brothers, one (or both) of whom were in the IRA or some such political group. She looked really nice but the accent… ): ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/43 "2000-07-18T14:00:29Z")
AuntiePam: Tony Curtis’ line “Yondah Lies da Castle f my Fadduh” isn’t from Taras Bulba (that’s set in Poland, for gosh sakes!), but in “The Black Shield of Falworth”. He’s supposed t be English. This film is finally out on video, if you want to check it out. Much as I love Dick Van Dyke, I have to agree that his “cockney” accent in “Mary Poppins” is a wonder. Several years ago the revue “Forbidden Broadway” came up with a whole section of a song to comment on it. As for Britishers doing American accents – I’m usually surprised at the high caliber (calibre?) of their efforts. I’m a little annoyed at Leo McKern’s American, though. The only way he seems to be able to do one is as a slow drawl. He uses this even when it’s not appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/44 "2000-07-18T14:18:03Z")
ahh, accents… Sean Connery. As for accents, he ALWAYS speaks in a scottish accent i.e. Irish (Untouchables, Darby O’Gill and the Little people) English (Robin Hood, Prince… ) Russian (Red October) Spanish (Hilander) the best Irish accent was emm… I hate to say this, but Brad Pitt. cant remember the name of the Film but it was good. the worst was, as Swiddles said, Tom Cruise in Far and Away. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/45 "2000-07-18T14:20:19Z")
Glad to see that the big three have been mentioned: Dick Van Dyke, Kevin Costner in “Robin Hood”, and Tom Cruise in “Far and Away.” I can’t really think of any off the top of my head that were worse. Well, OK.: Keanu Reeves in anything where he wasn’t playing a surfer or a slacker (“Dracula” jumps to mind, as does the Kenneth Branagh Shakespeare movie he was in. I can’t remember which one…they all run together) So to continue with the hijack that has been occurring (non-Americans doing American accents), I have to say that Russel Crowe did a damn good American accent in “L.A. Confidential”. I had no clue he was from down under. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/46 "2000-07-18T14:43:04Z")
Best American Accent by an Australian has to be shared by Guy Pearce for his work in “LA Confidential” and "Ravenous, and Hugo Weaving for his spot-on Yank accent in “The Matrix.” Best Brit Accent by an American goes to James Marsters, who plays “Spike” on “Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.” Worst Australian Accent by an American goes to James Coburn in “The Great Escape.” Worst Irish Accent by an American–Julia Roberts in “Mary Reilly” ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/47 "2000-07-18T18:52:36Z")
Almost in this same vein: I once knew a British pub owner who was from Manchester. I asked him how Jane Leeves’s Manchester-ian (?) accent measured up (Jane Leeves plays Daphne on Frasier). He said she sounded awful. Come to think of it, she didn’t sound at all like the pubkeeper. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/48 "2000-07-18T19:07:05Z")
Diane Lane’s Boston accent was horrid, as well as Mark Walhberg’s. Also, turning the tables on the OP… worst American accent by English actors has to go to _Kristin Scott Thomas_ for her role in **Random Hearts**. Too many inklings of her British side could be heard. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/49 "2000-07-18T19:19:18Z")
Pug, Jane Leeves really IS a Brit—maybe she’s just not from manchester? ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/50 "2000-07-18T19:23:03Z")
**Charley** , re: _Buffy_, I agree about Angel’s Irish accent; OTOH, James Marsters, who plays Spike, does a pretty good British accent for an American. On the other side of the coin, I was absolutely flabbergasted to discover that Cary Elwes is English. I assumed he was American. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/51 "2000-07-18T19:37:12Z")
goboy, were we the only two people who even saw “Ravenous?” Great except for the last couple of minutes… Anyway, in no particular order- Had no clue that Russell Crowe was not American (see his accents in “Confidential” and “Mystery, AK”) Thought John Hillerman was British until I saw “Blazing Saddles” The all-time worst British accent has got to be the now-you-hear-it-now-you-don’t accent of Matthew Broderick in “Ladyhawk” (a very sad thing coming from an otherwise good actor) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/52 "2000-07-18T20:02:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Kyla: It was Henry V, and personally, I thought his American accent sounded too forced in DA. His former and current squeezes both have better American accents IMHO. Oops, my mistake. Anyway, I disagree. I could tell Emma Thompson was English through her American accent. It was good most of the time, but there are a few scenes where she slips a little. BTW, James Marsters isn’t English? Wow, I’m very surprised, his accent is excellent. Oh, and David Boreanaz’s Irish accent is truly hideous, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/53 "2000-07-18T21:04:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spnstr \* > There was some movie replaying of HBO in which Julia Roberts was the love interest of two feuding Irish brothers, one (or both) of whom were in the IRA or some such political group. She looked really nice but the accent… ): That sounds like [Michael Collins](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0117039) [(bio).](http://shrike.depaul.edu/~sconneel/col.html). The other character was Harry Boland. They where comrades in arms in the IRA during our “War of Independence” with the British . Sorry about the small history lesson but I would imagine it would be like me saying that George Washington and John Adams where brothers. You are completely correct about Julia’s accent though, it sucked big time . HHhhhmmm, Julia sucking big time . ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/54 "2000-07-18T23:06:00Z")
I have to go with the majority: Dick Van Dyke in _Mary Poppins_ takes the cake. This was on television a few months ago; my wife had never seen it. I said, “Okay, we can watch it, but beware of the bad dialect.” And when Mr. V.D. came on, she wrinkled her brow, and said, “God, that’s bad.” Other comments: > [@](#): > > **Archer:** The newest fake british accent is coming from none other than Madona. She sounds like a trailer park, bowling alley, sixth grade education bimbo trying to act refined. > > \*\*Swiddles:\*\*That’s because that’s what she is, Archer. ::falls out of chair:: - ::high-fives Swiddles:: > [@](#): > > **astorian:** Kevin Costner attempted to sound English on and off for the first ten minutes of “Robin Hood,” then quit trying entirely. A common bit of misinformation here. Movies aren’t filmed in story order, so whatever Costner might have been attempting for the first few days of the shoot would be sprinkled throughout the film, not grouped together at the beginning. I’m with Bucky: I think, apart from a random word here and there, Costner didn’t even try. His southern in _JFK_ is far more consistent, even if it isn’t that hot either. > [@](#): > > **aseymayo:** I’m not a huge Gwyneth Paltrow fan, but I thought she handled the accent quite well in both _Shakespeare in Love_ and _Sliding Doors._ The accent’s fine. Her handling of Shakespeare is not. Watch the rehearsal scene where the camera is up high, looking down at her, and watch her hand. It’s fully extended, twitching, like a spider having a seizure. Not one of Oscar’s best choices from the last few years… And if you want good American accents by non-American actors, look no further than Mel Gibson. He’s been doing American for years. It wanders a bit in the early films (listen carefully during _Lethal Weapon_), but he’s gotten it down pat since then. Look also to fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman; she’s quite nastily American in _To Die For._ Brit Paul Scofield does a very respectable Ivy League American in _Quiz Show_, but fellow Brit Ralph Fiennes, playing his son in the same movie, doesn’t fare quite as well. And finally: > [@](#): > > **Charley:** Keanu Reeves in Dracula (“carFayx aybeeee”) ROTFLMAO! My brother and I watched this flick together. When this line was spoken, he and I looked at each other, and fell off the couch in hysterics. It’s been an inside joke between us ever since. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/55 "2000-07-18T23:41:53Z")
> [@](#): > > And if you want good American accents by non-American actors, look no further than Mel Gibson. Mel Gibson _is_ American. He was born in Peekskill, NY to American parents, and his family moved to Australia when he was 12. Any accent he has is a result of spending a lot of time there. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/56 "2000-07-18T23:56:56Z")
**pldennison:** You’re right, of course. I thought it was an unnecessary digression, so I elected to leave it out. I should have known a fellow Doper would come along with The Rest of the Story. Still, the original point is valid. He did acquire a strong Australian dialect, which he then worked hard to eliminate. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/57 "2000-07-19T12:22:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > **Charley:** Keanu Reeves in Dracula (“carFayx aybeeee”) > > ROTFLMAO! My brother and I watched this flick together. When this line was spoken, he and I looked at each other, and fell off the couch in hysterics. It’s been an inside joke between us ever since. \*\* YOU TOO! It’s been our instant reaction to every mention of Keanu ever since we saw this film! And speaking as a **Mancunian** , I have to agree that Jane Leeves’ accent is dire. She is British, but not from Manchester - the accent she comes out with sounds much more Yorkshire to me - and that’s about the worst insult you can give to someone from the right side of the Pennines. (It’s a War of the Roses thing, we have long memories here). Charley. ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/58 "2000-07-19T13:32:28Z")
Charley et al: As a brit i really can’t share you enthusiasm for Spike’s accent in BTVS. In fact the only positive thing to say is that it’s more convincing than drusilla’s - just. They can both oscillate between cockney and faux-posh in the space of a syllable. Don’t know if you saw the Mel Brooks piss-take of Robin Hood, but Cary Elwes has the line of the movie; when challenged as to why he should be taken seriously “Because unlike other Robin Hoods, i can do a convincing british accent” ( or words to general effect) ---
**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/59 "2000-07-19T13:49:01Z")
Speaking of Jane Leeves, John Mahoney is originally from England IIRC. Doesn’t have a trace of the sound, though. I always thought that Leeves’ dialect sounded odd. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881/60 "2000-07-19T16:46:50Z")
Did no one here see the Meryl Streep movie **Out of Africa**? Robert Redford played a real-life, historical Englishman in it, but clearly didn’t even try to do the accent. We were just supposed to assume he was from an American-sounding part of England, I guess. Answer, please: is it better for an actor in a movie to do an accent badly, or not to attempt it at all? Assume we can’t recast the role for whatever reason. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-british-irish-accents-by-american-actors/25881.md?page=4)