There have been many cases of actors trying to imitate foreign accents in films from David Suchet’s Poirot to Renée Zellweger‘s Bridget Jones. It is an essential skill for an actor but at the same time very difficult to acquire. Nowadays as most films and TV series are produced in English it becomes crucial for them to be able to change the way they normally speak.
Radio Times conducted a massive poll among its readers in order to find out which British actor has the best American accent on TV. Similarly, Los Angeles Times made its own list of U.S. actors attempting the King’s English.
So let’s have a look at the top names in both lists.
RT list:
1. Hugh Laurie (House)
It might be a bit unusual to watch House M.D. especially if you have previously seen Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster. However, the actor deserves to be at the top of this list: it has been said before that Bryan Singer (producer) did not know Laurie was English when he first heard him.
2. Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies)
Although the show was cancelled after running for two seasons, it was nominated for 57 various awards and won seven Emmys. Starting her acting career at the age of 13, Friel has become a popular actress both on UK and US television.
3. Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman)
The series tells a story of Jaime Sommers, a bartender survived after a car accident. She had her legs and arm replaced by cybernetic implants which provided her with special powers and speed. Speaking to Access Hollywood, Ryan said that she kind of absorbed American accent and it’s not too difficult, and the longer she spends working on the series the easier it becomes.
4. Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers)
It is said that Lewis was chosen for the series after Steven Spielberg had seen him playing Laertes in Jonathan Kent’s Hamlet. His latest role as framed officer Charlie Crews was in Life (police drama aired on NBC).
5. Minnie Driver (The Riches)
The Riches ran for two seasons and 20 episodes only. However, the show’s popularity reached almost 5.9 million viewers a week. In addition to that, Driver was nominated for Emmy (Best Actress in a Dramatic Series).
LA Times list:
- Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson
The Other Boleyn Girl, released in 2008, was not just a historical drama; two principal characters, Anne and Mary Boleyn were played by American actresses. Although film critics were a bit skeptical about the fact that major roles are played by non-British actors, the film grossed over $75million (with $35million spent on it).
2. Frances McDormand, Amy Adams
These two actresses were included to the list following the release of “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” in 2008. The film based on novel by Winifred Watson written in 1938. The story takes place in London just before World War II which means that McDormand and Adams had to work hard to create an authentic atmosphere of the 1930s.
- Johnny Depp
Unlike other actors in this list Depp played British characters several times during his career. He was nominated for Best Actor in 77th Academy Awards for portraying J. M. Barrie, a creator of Peter Pan. His latest English character was Sweeney Todd in Tim Burton’s 2007 film.
4. Renee Zellweger
When Zellweger was nominated for Academy Award (Best Actress) for Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), many newspapers reported that the actress put a lot of effort into preparation: she spent three weeks working undercover for a publishing firm in London.
5. Gwyneth Paltrow
Released in 1998, Shakespeare in Love won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Actress. Paltrow’s character, Viola wanted to act on stage and had to disguise herself as a man.
By Zair Kashek
Tagged in Hugh Laurie