actors who are good at accents
However, just because an actor is perfect for a role (i.e. You are good at accents. Curtis is from New Zealand but his talent at accents shows his adept ability to become nearly anyone from anywhere. Actors often try to adopt accents that don’t suit them at all. For example, Dick Van Dyke gave a very good performance in the 1964 film 'Mary Poppins', but the American actor's attempt at a Cockney accent in the London-set movie didn't go very well. His talent even spans to vintage American dialects such as Californian and New York in There Will Be Blood and Gangs of New York, two films that have not only garnered him awards but recognition from the film community as one of the best that ever graced the screen. Many actors and actresses have tried perfecting roles with a foreign accent or dialect. Benedict is from London, England and has starred in many British plays, television shows, and films. ACTORS WITH ACCENTS is a recurring variety show in NYC open to all sorts of artists with all sorts of accents. That is not to say some people do not have the gift of modulating their voice, but it’s an extraordinarily difficult feat to master. Hugh Laurie Actor | House M.D. For those of you skeptical of the difficulty behind adopting an accent other than your own, try speaking in a Scottish accent for the rest of the day. At first I thought, “Have I been wrong this entire time? When it comes to the best movie accents, many of the actors who are great at accents develop quite a reputation for it. 1 THE IRON LADY (MERYL STREEP) Meryl Streep's legendary commitment to accents is known throughout the acting … After Zellweger’s rough time learning the intricacies of the dialect, her voice coach said that he was, “‘staggeringly impressed”, he told the LA Times in 2001. From the Eastern European Dracula to … However, mastering accents is one of the toughest challenges an actor can face. All the while, she never betrays her down under roots. She has starred in many French productions since becoming frustrated with working in Hollywood, such as Tell No One, I’ve Loved You So Long and Leaving. And rightly so. I would just assume they had it mastered, the way I would assume my doctor has a medical degree. 15 Actors Who Are Almost Suspiciously Good At Accents Heath Ledger For an Australian actor, Heath Ledger executed some ripper American accents. When it comes to the best movie accents, many of the actors who are great at accents develop quite a reputation for it. We all know someone who thinks they are good at doing an accent but in reality, they would be detained by local authorities if they ever tried it outside of the safety and confines of their own homes. Tell me who you think puts on the best accent! Viggo Mortensen’s life is apt for a movie adaptation in itself. He brings the infamous fictional detective to life with his acting skills and British accent. But let’s face it: Australian actors are really good at accents. We’ve seen many cases of this, and in recent years particularly we’ve seen this be prevalent in the superhero genre. Perhaps more impressively, she has tackled European accents such as French and German in The Monuments Men and The Good German respectively. A large part of his outstanding metamorphoses can be credited to his ability to accurately alter his accent. The American accents he has acted in include the American Southwest, Mid-Atlantic preppy, Brooklyn, and of course Gotham City. Like Quote Reply. The mark of a good actor comes across in not how well they memorize lines but in the mannerisms and quirks they put behind those lines. Subscribe to our mailing list to get our e-book freebie! It’s all because of your charisma that is very crucial for your future career as an actor. They're Not American? “There was a very brief phase where Renée sounded slightly like she’d had a stroke – a little bit slurred. This childhood travelling the world meant that Mortensen grew up to be multilingual, and in tune to the various dialects and accents the world over. Well, I decided to flip that doodie and try to find eight American actors who do great foreign accents. She has proven she can deliver a variety of English dialects too in films such as Elizabeth and Notes on a Scandal. Johnny DeppWhere is Johnny Depp from originally? It is because of this that the best in the business have made it a priority to not let any accent prevent them from playing the role they want. Having lived in France since she was 19, the versatile actress can speak French fluently and with an authentic accent. Christian Bale has an amazing American accent. Read great articles and guides about Accents on Backstage, the career resource for actors and performers. Though an Australian herself, Cate Blanchett plays American, British, and French characters. There are also actors who do the same accent in almost all of their roles and no one cares because they pull it off with such charisma, such as Jack Nicholson. Getting the look right may rely heavily on the makeup and effects teams an actor is provided with – or for the actor to undergo some form of regulated weight loss or gain – whilst taking on the physical mannerisms harkens back to the basics of drama school, or in other words how to act with your body. Perhaps more impressively, she has tackled European accents such as French and German in The Monuments Men and The Good German respectively. There are some actors who just aren't talented enough to portray a person from a different part of the world. They hire accent and dialect coaches, surround themselves with native speakers or even move and live in the country of a certain accent’s origin. Ellie Goulding. Sometimes I’ll watch a British actor and even forget that they’re not from the US. All rights reserved. Mortensen delivers a powerhouse performance as a Russian mobster with a heart. In 2009 Damon starred in Invictus as Francois Pienaar, the captain of the South African rugby team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, during a politically and racially turbulent time. 10 Great British Actors Who’ve Nailed An American Accent Chiwetel Ejiofor Hugh Laurie Rosamund Pike Idris Elba – note: clip audio NSFW Kate Winslet Damian Lewis Sonya Walger Christian Bale Karen Gillan Andrew Lincoln Is he not in fact British?”‘, For full article click here https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-who-are-great-at-accents/hugh-landman, Online CoursesPersonal CoachingScript RecordingTerms of UsePrivacy Policy, © 2021 SARAH VALENTINE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | SITE BY WKD1. Cate Blanchett Australia? One of the hardest parts of this transformation is nailing the accent. My British accent sounds way too cockney, and my Australian accent sounds, um, British. at 0:45 in the Blood Diamond trailer, every word is correct except ‘here’ (he over pronounces the ‘r’), and at 0:55 everything is correct except ‘told’ (it’s too British).”. It’s a given. The BBC noted that “for the British-born Sellers (1925-80), finding the perfect voice and accent was always the first building block in developing a role.” His turns as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films also show his range as a comedic actor in one of his best known roles. Perhaps best known for her roles in mainstream hits Four Weddings and a Funeral and The English Patient, she has also delivered consistently in many period pieces and genre films. British Actors who do Great American Accents by Roaarry | created - 18 Mar 2015 | updated - 12 Feb 2017 | Public Sort by: View: 105 names 1. Coolangatta Premiership Player. The accent he learned for the role earned high praise from the legendary Roger Ebert, who says Depp “made Barrie not only believable, but acceptable.”. Lots of British actors have really nailed their American accents, but Americans can't seem to imitate their peers across the pond. Consistently brilliant in every role she takes, Kristin Scott Thomas’ career can be defined by elegance. And of course, it is difficult, since there will always be locals who can pinpoint the smallest nuances of words that the actor might have gotten wrong. His work has ranged from American to Greek dialects. Subscribe to my mailing list to get instant access to your e-book freebie! Here are 12 celebrities you didn’t know have accents: 12. Elysium April 25, 2007, 12:36am #5. Even though, you will never have a truly Russian or British accent, being able to remotely recreate them is a good quality. Perhaps, his most spectacular display of his expertise in mastering accents is in Eastern Promises. One dialog coach noted that, “Idris Elba’s accent in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is one of the closest to the original I have heard. When an American actor plays a Brit, there's usually a fair amount of grumbling, followed by a whole lot of fanfare if he or she manages to handle the accent without pulling a Dick Van Dyke. ↓ next ↓ 1. It is through this commitment that he has mastered the art of accurately adopting accents. When foreigners watch Hollywood films they have so much fun when they hear actors making funny accents (British, Russian, Australian, German etc.) NEW! I personally love the man and think he does accents *very *well. So at 2:07 in Invictus, when he says ‘tiny,’ that’s a pretty good Afrikaaner accent, but I, for example, do not pronounce ‘tiny’ like that at all.”, Enoch keeps his American accent off set to practice it much to the astonishment of one interviewer who said, “I was really expecting a British accent. This is impressive given his English nationality. A large part of this is due to her ability to learn and perform authentic dialects from a variety of countries. 3. Many Americans seeing Astin in other projects such as Stranger Things still believe him to be a British actor using an American accent. Day-Lewis’s ability to engulf himself into a role, not just embodying the character but also becoming them, has meant he has taken few roles in a long illustrious career. For example, she has a proven track record with her ability to convincingly deliver an American accent no matter the geographical position of its origin. His portrayal is gritty and brooding, and his accent adds a level of authenticity that he seems so desperate to strive for in every role. And then she absolutely nailed it.” In fact, she never spoke in an accent other than the British one the entire time she was making the film. She was in good company as well - Ben Affleck's British accent as an arrogant theater actor was also noteworthy in a small but key role. and Katharine Hepburn, who are chiefly associated with their voices, and if you’re going to play any of them, you really have to go for the voice.” And go for it she did, all the way to the Academy Awards. So then, why are Australian actors so good at accents? She has arguably delivered her best work in French cinema. His English accent displayed in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is better than most American actors’ attempts, whilst his interpretation of Sigmund Freud in A Dangerous Method, through the director’s choice of a posh English accent with a hint of Austrian, is nuanced and impressive. It’s just awful. Viggo Mortensen. These actors, who are able to master the act of performing, accurately and authentically, any accent, often find great respect amongst the acting community and find themselves garnering a positive and prestigious reputation amongst critics. It is his commitment to realism that has made him such a household name. His ability to become near unrecognizable in any role he inhabits has always been admirable. We think nothing of our actors swanning over there and attempting to be House or Superman, but the spectre of Dick Van Dyke casts a long shadow over our national mythology – that’s how we think you think we speak. There are so many fantastic British actors who can do American accents, flawlessly! He has also narrated documentaries. While some of these foreign actors and actresses with accents are well known, there are a number of others who aren’t. Day-Lewis’s methodological process means he is meticulous in harmonizing every facet of his performance to reach maximum authenticity. Legends like Daniel Day Lewis and Meryl Streep arrived at their legacies by effortlessly and convincingly adopting different manners of speaking. they embody so accurately the vision the director has for that character) does not mean there aren’t limitations or steps that need to be taken by that actor to truly fit the role. Like, an incredible amount. Sometimes an actor is born to play a role. If you’re a serious actor, especially one who’s looking to make a career out of it, you’ve got to have the tools that can make you desirable to hire! One of her best performances stands as her portrayal of Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator. Blanchet has performed Southern American dialects to perfection in Hanna and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, as well as Transatlantic (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) and Connecticut (The Aviator). He was educated at Eton and Cambridge. Not only will you fail at it, others will remark that acting is probably not for you. He has conquered accents varying from the south to the north and the west to the east, and his ability to highlight the subtle nuances that appear when someone comes from a different background or era is something to marvel at. Get cast today. Hailing from Ivanhoe, Australia, Cate Blanchett has carved out a phenomenal career for herself. The veteran actor was born in New York to an American mother and a Danish father. This ability to cover a myriad of dialects and accents so dissimilar to his own has marked him as one of the most talented people to ever grace the screen. 14. 15 Actors Who Have Accents | TheThings The awards he has won (3 Oscar wins out of 5 nominations) and the critical acclaim he has garnered has sealed his place amongst the vanguard of the acting greats. An actor with accent skills already gives themselves a leg up in this department, for such vocal inflection allows them to adopt parts that may lie outside their background, lending to their versatility. The family then moved to Venezuela, then Denmark before settling in Argentina. Conversely, actors with terrible accent skills hurt not only themselves but the productions they're a part of as well. Check out this list of British actors who can do American accents. Taste of Cinema 2019. A South African accent expert commented about Damon’s work saying “Matt Damon is doing the accent of an Afrikaans-speaking South African speaking English. Do you go for absolute accuracy at the risk of alienating the audience and making it inaccessible? One such limitation may be that the actor naturally has a different accent than the character they have been chosen to play. As film fans we often celebrate actors who can completely transform themselves for any given role making them almost unrecognizable. The sheer difficulty of losing everything you know about pronunciation and vocal mannerisms, only to adopt an entirely new set of them, is obvious. Daniel Day-Lewis’ legacy as one of the greatest actors that ever lived is indisputable. So, here are the actors we believe to have mastered the act of adopting accents. Movie stars who do great accents, such as. Oct 27, 2007 3,087 2,561 Western Australia AFL Club Brisbane … I know people think Bronson Pinchot sucks. However, of the roles he has chosen each one has been celebrated and lauded. In a completely different role playing the Joker in The Dark Knight, Singer details how Ledger adopts “a weird idiosyncratic American accent for a weird idiosyncratic character” one that contributes to the character’s menace and mania alike, In fact, Oldman say he re-learned his British accent calling his current way of speaking since moving to Los Angeles a “cross-pollenation.”. There is the story of him auditioning for House and the director said 'see this is what we need a good american actor' his accent was that good For me Damian Lewis, I watched band of brothers and never realised he was English Same with Idris Elba in the Wire . That’s how good they are. Not bad for an English native. Although many of these have made an honorable attempt at it, some doing a decent job, it is rarely close to the original. Oldman has demonstrated that he cannot only master a litany of English dialects but also American ones. Eliza Taylor . British RP DIY Accent Course Now Available, 20 Celebrities You Didn’t Realize Had Accents, foreign actors giving impeccable American accents. … Nominated for best actor in... Gary Oldman As far as accents go, Gary Oldman uses a ton of them. It is because of this that actors who have mastered accents garner so much respect and is why it is no coincidence that these actors also happen to be some of the best working today. The New York Times noted, “Hepburn’s distinctive voice, loud, clipped and with a pronounced upper-class New England accent, that became crucial to Ms. Blanchett’s performance.” The voice coach on the film said the decision to so completely go for Hepburn’s voice was because, “There are a handful of historical figures, including J.F.K., F.D.R. Being classically trained and with years of experience under her belt, Scott Thomas has proven time over time her dialectal expertise. If I were an American TV producer I might hire an Australian without worrying whether they had the American accent down. Anaamika April 25, 2007, 12:23am #4. What has afforded Blanchett so much success is how she is not limited in terms of the roles she can perform. Gary Oldman is undoubtedly one of the greatest character actors working today. Trained English actors, Corff explains, “learn very early on that if they can’t do standard American accents, they will not have an international career. Referring to the trailer for the film, the expert noted “Leo goes for every word—e.g. He has also conquered some, arguably, more challenging accents such as the Russian accent he delivers in Air Force one or the 19th Century Eastern European accent he performs in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Doing a foreign accent isn’t easy. Boston? In Finding Neverland, Depp plays Scottish playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie. Look into some of his work or follow this pop culture icon to brush up on your British accent. This, coupled with his great technical acting skill and considerable emotional resource, makes for a compelling and brilliant performance.”. Hugh was born in Oxford, England on June 11, 1959, to Patricia (Laidlaw) and William George Ranald Mundell "Ran" Laurie, a doctor, both of Scottish descent. The actor would then go on to display his talents in the vast variety of film roles he has taken. Kentucky. His voice is always unique in each of his features no matter how subtle the variable. Beyond the screen Scott Thomas has also found success in the theatre and has been nominated for an Olivier an impressive 5 times, winning it once. Viggo Mortensen’s life is apt for a movie adaptation in itself. Whether or not his Chicago accent is any good is up for debate, but at worst he sounds like an American trying to sound Chicagoan. She has proven she can manage a spot-on American accent in films such as The Horse Whisperer and Only God Forgives but it is her work in French cinema that proves most impressive. When casting a role for a film it is advantageous to have the largest pool of actors to draw from. Not all actors are willing to put in the research for their roles. Many actors attempt overseas accents or regional dialects for film or TV roles, with varying results.