American accents

[connundro]

Why are British actors forced,these days to play thier characters with american accents in Hollywood films?dont remember Peter Finch having to do that,or Richard Burton,Lawrence Harvey,John Mills,all the rest ,why does everything have to be American?

[spaced]

it really annoys me when Jason Stratham does these cool filsm and ruins it with his pants american accent (The One etc etc)

[NJOK]

Because the characters they're playing are American? And if, they're not, they don't.

Like Tim Roth in Pulp Fiction or Ewan McGregor in A Life Less Ordinary.

I think you're being paranoid. It depends on the part. And it works both ways.

Gwyneth Paltrow did an English accent in Emma and Sliding Doors. Johnny Deep tries did one in Pirates of The Carribbean. Brad Pitt tried Irish in Snatch. Angelina Jolie was English in Tomb Raider.

[spaced]

but when their accents are rubish, why dont the screen someone else??

[juddlinski]

I imagine dropping a star from a film because they're accent was rubbish would have serious financial implications. Anyway, you don't actually specify any actor in particulare? Who are you on about? I generally think Brits do fine American accents in da movies.

[B00]

The won't drop the actors, as they the one's that draw audiences to go see the film in the 1st place.

[gary baldy]

Its only English people who have a problem with this. Yanks are so ignorant they think everyone speaks in an American accent anyway and wouldnt notice.
I'm sure there are many American movie goers who dont realise that many English actors are English and just think they speak a bit funny.
Its only because we know Albert Finney is from Salford that we think its a bit weird we only see him speaking with an odd accent in Erin Brocovich or that Hugh Laurie is a bit posh and doesnt really talk like he does in House.
British actors in the past, if they ever made it in Hollywood films, usually played a particular role and the accent was less of an issue. Accents of both British and Americans often had a mid Atlantic feel to them in the past aswell.
I'm thinking of people like Cary Grant and James Mason who had an indistinguisable accent.

Besides i dont remember Vivien Leigh having an English accent in Gone With The Wind so this is nothing new.

[connundro]

I just dont think it adds anything really in terms of authenticity,because no-one is interested in the accent anyway,in fact it,s irritating listining to Clive Owen forcing himself to speak with an american accent when nobody cares if he does or doesn,t ;and by the way there is no "paranoia" here it just bugs me.