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Original poster

Best accents in TV and film!

55 replies

JuniorMint · 30/07/2015 14:04

After reading the "terrible accents in TV and film" thread, it got me thinking about the best ones!

I'll start with Idris Elba as Stringer Bell in The Wire. Didn't even realise he was British when I first watched it.

OP posts:
LeonardoAcropolis · 30/07/2015 15:58

Jennifer Ehle's American, but her own accent is well-spoken English. Many moons ago at work I spoke to her on the phone regarding her car insurance. She was luffly.

helenahandbag · 30/07/2015 16:01

One accent I've never been able to work out is Kim Cattrall's. I know she's from Liverpool but her real accent is just so affected, maybe because she's lived in the States for so long? Whatever caused it, it's weird.

SenecaFalls · 30/07/2015 16:05

Jennifer Ehle grew up in North Carolina. Her default accent is American. I think she sometimes uses an English accent when in the UK (like Gillian Anderson).

LurkingHusband · 30/07/2015 16:06

Oh, another - Gillian Anderson ....

LeonardoAcropolis · 30/07/2015 16:19

She sounds Anglo-American in that clip. But I am rather tone deaf Grin

Anyway, she's a great actress.

Purpleball · 30/07/2015 16:21

Omg Helena I never twigged....Owen was in trainspotting and he's not American!

Cocolepew · 30/07/2015 16:25

Australian actors all serm to be pretty good at American accents.
Nobody beats Meryl though.

SenecaFalls · 30/07/2015 16:41

Jennifer does pronounce her mother's name in that clip in the British manner, which would make sense as that is how her mother would pronounce it.

LeonardoAcropolis · 30/07/2015 17:00

I heard some short vowels too, which made me think Anglo- American. Wikipedia states she grew up, and studied, in both countries, so no wonder she can do both accents perfectly.

CheerfulYank · 30/07/2015 17:10

Yes that's true about Americans...we just assume the actors are American and just have a different accent than our own.

Emma Watson is not very good and Gerard Butler is terrible. James McAvoy messed up on the "er" sounds in Penelope, I remember. The rest of yall's people are very good.

iklboo · 30/07/2015 17:20

Oh gracious yes. Gerard Butler's American accent is awful. Gary Oldman is great. A lot of people think he's American.

MNHQ
KatherineMumsnet · 31/07/2015 15:31

Hi all,

With the OP's kind permission, we are going to ping this one over to Films in a mo.

BagelwithButter · 02/08/2015 01:29

Felix in Orphan Black and Tatiana Maslany as Sarah in Orphan Black.

Felix's accent is flawless, I couldn't believe he was Canadaian and not English! And Tatiana Maslany's accent and acting (in all her characters) is amazing

anyoldnameforathread · 02/08/2015 01:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Strokethefurrywall · 02/08/2015 02:01

Philip Winchester in strike back - sullivan Stapleton too.

PW an American with exceptional British accent (was raised in UK though so bi-dialectal) and SS an Aussie playing a American.

And Kevin McKidd is hands down bloody brilliant with his accent.

dilbert19912 · 02/08/2015 02:31

Charlie hunnam - jax in sons of anarchy, he's British.
saying that, he lives in America and has done for a good while...

MoonriseKingdom · 02/08/2015 06:14

Not to everyone's taste but I really enjoyed Martin Freeman's accent in the TV version of Fargo.

Have to agree with Bagel about the fantastic acting in Orphan Black. I love it when one of the characters is pretending to be one of the other characters - she just seems to convey how that character would try and act. Felix isn't English!! Shock Grin

BathshebaDarkstone · 02/08/2015 06:21

Nobody's mentioned that John Barrowman is actually Glaswegian! Grin

WixingMords · 02/08/2015 06:27

I think Elaine Cassidy (Harper's Island, The Paradise Fingersmitjh and Felicia's Journey) accent is impressive in her roles. She's Irish ( ok so of the roles I mentioned above the character is Irish!!)

MoonriseKingdom · 02/08/2015 06:28

Sally Hawkins in 'Blue Jasmine' was fantastic. She is best known in this country for 'Made in Dagenham' and was also in a superb Mike Leigh film. I reckon most Americans would not have known she was British. I thought she deserved Best Supporting Actress but I guess she was probably very pleased to be nominated.

Cate Blanchett was also excellent in that film with a very posh American accent.

SanityClause · 02/08/2015 06:55

Nobody beats Meryl though.

What! Meryl Streep's Australian accent was awful!

ALittleFaith · 04/08/2015 08:05

Orphan black is outstanding. Felix isn't gay either! I watched an interview with him, he looks radically different.

I really enjoyed My mad fat diary. Watched a video afterwards and couldn't believe she's Scottish! She had a brilliant Lincolnshire accent.

ThisNameIsBetterThanMyRealOne · 04/08/2015 08:10

Brad Pitt in snatch is amazing.

BagelwithButter · 04/08/2015 11:13

I know ALittle Felix is amazing, isn't he? Really talented like everyone in that show, and yet it's so underrated... at least Tatiana Maslany got an Emmy Nomination this time around

Angelto5 · 04/08/2015 11:21

Kevin Kline's French accent in French kissSmile

& Italian in a fish called wanda now I remember Grin