Any one think its sad that good Britich actors end up having to do American accent at some point?

Question

In a movie plot why can't someone with a British accent:- have american family, be FBI agent, be a crook/villan etc. Surely the character (unless he/she is paying a famous American or someone with a specifice accent).Examples, Catherine Zeta Jones, Rachel Weiss - there's loads but I can't think of them.

I forgot to mention its just as bad for an American to do a British Accent. Renee Zellwegger is example as Bridget Jones she was awful. However James Marsters as Spike and Alexis Densof as Wesley Wyndham Pryce in Buffy/Angel was spot on. I couldn't believe they were not British.

Dear Ruby - no offence luv but most English speaking people would not know the difference between an Egyptian and and an Arabian one.

Answer 1

It's whatever the market dictates. Also, there are many American actors doing British or other accents in movies as well.
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Answer 2

Why would it be sad? They are working. Do you know how hard it is to get an acting job....especially on a hit TV show? Those people choose to audition for the part and if they do an amazing audition and are what the casting director is looking for, then they get to audition for the producers, then the executive producers and the the network and advertisers. Assuming they meet everyone's approval for what they are looking for then they get cast. Not an easy task. If they beat the thousands of people for the job then they deserve it and hats off to them!

Normally when a character is written for a TV show or movie they have specifics for the character in mind (ie,cultural background, life experiences, age, ethnicity, etc). The writer creates the idea of a character and then the task begins to find the actor who can make that idea come to life. A good actor can do that, no matter where they are originally from or what accent they have naturally. Olivia D'Abo, who played Kevin Arnold's sister on the Wonder Years for 4 years was born and raised in England. When she auditioned for the Mid-west american subburburban character she never once spoke with her natural accent. Not even for normal conversation during her screen test. She was cast and then while filming, in between takes she was talking to the director with her native accent and he was shocked because he had no idea she was a Brit. Talk about doing a splendid job at becoming the character!

As for Hugh Laurie, he is a tremendous actor who I think does a fantastic job as an "American". He's won awards for it. To tell you the truth, I didn't know that he was an Englishman until I saw him in an interview. It blew me away!

Good actors can transform themselves into anything, and most welcome the challenge! That's what acting is all about.

Answer 3

Why they can't just be the brilliant actor that they are and use their mother tongue is what's sad!
Hugh Laurie is a good example. He is a very good actor and has the part of an American 'spot on'. However now that I know that he's a British actor, I can see the difference in the theatrical training!

In my opinion The British are far superior in their acting ability than we Americans are. It must come from the atmosphere in The UK because the theater was perfected there long before it came over here and that is a higher standard to live up to.
The child actors that I've seen are just incredible!
I've always felt that talent lives in the stones and walls there and is passed down generation to generation to those that are worthy enough to possess it.

Answer 4

It works both ways - think of Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones or Mike Myers in Shrek. I think it's purely down to market demands. Essentially, who is the best actor for the part. Accent's are important but not the only consideration. Does the actor carry enough gravitas to make the part their own, even with what some might say is a slightly off-centre accent.

And lets face it - with so much mobility these days there are tons of people with what might be considered a mid-atlantic or quasi European accent.

Answer 5

I believe it has to do with how the story is written. Lots of actors do various accents regardless of their native language. Some stories may be more flexible than others, but most would say it is best when the accent matches the characters plot and history as the story was written. (Ever watch and American film that has been translated to a foreign language? The accents are often lost, and it takes quite a bit from the film.)

Answer 6

No reason for it other than believablity. Would you rather have people just assuming that the forgein actor (we might as well include the all of them no matter where they are from) is really an American or would you rather have them use their native dialects and phrases; which would have to be explained to the audience?

Examples:
In America, the boot is something you wear, not part of your car.
In America, a biscuit is a dinner roll, not a cookie.
In America crisp is an adjective, not a bit of fried potato.

Then again, think about how many American actors have had to use forgein accents. Dick Van Dyke in "Mary Poppins" for example.

Answer 7

I agree with you. I think it is so silly. Surely when the script writers have someone in mind for a part they could adjust their script for the british actor or actress. I think it is just the Mericans who want to always be number one. I love Hugh Laurie. I watched all the Black Adder episoed - or at least as much as we saw it in SA, and to hear him in House is ridiculous. Not his fault. Imagine how wonderful the program would have been had he been able to keep his accent. Why then could the blonde doctor keep his accent but poor Laurie had to change his. Imagine Pierce Brosnan chaning his accent to the idiotic American slang. I understand one reader's views on the difference in the meaning of words in American and English words, but surely the script writers who all think they are the most clever in the world could work around that!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do you think was James Bond ALWAYS a British actor? There are many American actors who could do a role similar to J Bond well, but they ARE not James Bond - James Bond is English and that is that. So the scriptwriters were celever in keeping the actors to the British - so why can the Amercians not do that. I feel very strongly about that. Look at Leonardo in the new Diamond film - I just laugh when I hear his accent - in SA we have equally wonderful actors who do not get the chance to act in America, purely for financial reasons. Give them the chance ......... well - we can be as good as the Americans. So why could they not choose a SA or at least make leonardo's accent something else............

Answer 8

Part of an actor's job description is portraying people from all walks of life-therefore the ability to do various accents is impressive,in my opinion. As for House-I don't see why Hugh Laurie couldn't have used his regular accent-it wouldn't really change anything about the character. But I think he does a great job! I think many actors will take on these roles in an attempt to stretch themselves.

Answer 9

No, not really sad.
Casting calls usually say what accent and other traits they're looking for in a character. A lot of actors will take what they can get. It's good for the actor to do different accents for more parts.

Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Claire Daines, Leo DiCaprio have faked English accents for movies.

None of this ever applied to Arnold Schwartzenegger though. He was always "Aahnold"

Answer 10

Yes!! I hate that.. we all know there British, we've heard them speak, so if it doesn't interfere with the storyline, then why not just make them British. The most irritating is when they can't do the American accent, one example that really bugs me is that fat guy from The Full Monty in that stupid Still Standing show... his accent is BAD!! What's worse is when they have "Australians" in movies, and they get an American to do the part. Why can't they just get an Aussie?? Instead of making a poor American actor sound ridiculous!!

Answer 11

Good actors should do any accent that's called for : funniest thing about H. Laurie doing House was when the show picked up an award , and he accepted it in his usual voice and his colleague said " I didn't know we were putting on funny accents to accept the award" ( this joke works on 2 levels)

Also , righteous indignation that they didn't give "Bridget Jones " to a Brit actor , has to have given out to the fact that R.Z. was very good in the role, ditto "Miss Potter", but "Spike" in "Buffy" had one of the worst mockney accents ever heard ( yes I said "mockney" : mock cockney)

So, no , not sad, but a good question to get everyone going ............................ you little provocateur you...


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