Actors' Accents

[brainiac]

I'm often amazed at the number of actors who have made a very decent living, but who cannot do any accent other than their own regional one. Three examples: James Nesbitt (Northern Irish), Paul Copley (Yorkshire), Bill Paterson (Scottish) - they're the same in everything they've been in! Plenty of actors master all sorts of accents, but I always groan when I see any of the above in anything.

[hc4361]

Sean Connery was the first to come to mind

[brainiac]

Yesh, hc, absholutely

[vulcan42]

And what about all those Americans....

[mazie]

...Like Renée Zellweger?

[ummmm]

I thought Renee's English accent was very good.

[brainiac]

Some Americans are good at accents: Kyle Soller in Poldark, Paul Dano in War and Peace

[hc4361]

I'm not sure actors must have a range of regional accents if they can neutralise a strong accent if they have one. Nowt worse than a bad attempt

[mazie]

So did I ummmm.

[brainiac]

That was my point, hc: the three examples I gave cannot neutralise their regional accents, so they just play themselves each time

[douglas9401]

It's an extension of inclusivity, ending in frustration and inappropriate placement.
The human body was never meant to be crowbarred.

[bunkmoreland]

They don't "play themselves" every time,they "act" different characters while using their ordinary accents.

[Mamyalynne]

I can largely ignore an accent if the part is otherwise played well.

[jno]

actors who try it often just get sniggered at. I remember Donald Sutherland was criticised for the accent he used in Revolution, which the critics thought was northern, mummerset, whatever. In fact, he explained, he'd hired a dialogue coach and they'd carefully worked out the character's back story, what regiments he'd served in, what countries he'd lived in, and how exactly his voice would have sounded in the 18th century. But the critics, being basically pig ignorant,, just called it the first thing that came into their heads.

[tonyav]

I am impressed by how some of the 'Peaky Blinders' characters Brummie accents have improved over the three series that have been filmed.

[cupid04]

Anyone been watching the coroner? Matt Bradock who plays the cop is really bad at trying to do a west country accent.

[fiction-factory]

Hugh Grant always seems to play Hugh Grant.
I dislike most attempts by Americans to play English characters and ending up sounding nothing like anyone I have ever met. Americans are a bit better at Irish and Scottish accents- I remember when Robin Williams seemed to slip between the two on occasions in Mrs Doubtfire

[murraymints]

[murraymints]

[murraymints]

language warning for above ^^

[Samuraisan]

I can't think of his name this early in the morning, but that English actor who played House, had a brilliant American accent. I didn't realise he was English until he was on some chat show.