Rachel Griffith's accent slips out every once in a while. The guy who plays Kevin though, and I had absolutely no idea he was British.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/14/05
I had NO IDEA Anna Friel wasn't American. I just had to look up interviews on YT to hear her real voice. Weird.
Matthew Rhys (the guy who plays Kevin Walker) is indeed Welsh. And actually from time to time, I hear a little something something coming out, but that's AFTER I learned where he is from, before that, I could have sworn he was American.
Kate Winslet is another great gal at accents. I love her American accent.
If you've ever seen the Annette Benning and Jeremy Irons movie "Being Julia", the actor, Shaun Evans, who plays Tom, the American, is actually Scottish.
And if I hadn't watched the "making of" feature on the DVD, I would never have known. His accent was that good.
Gwyneth Paltrow does about as much of a convincing British accent as Madonna. Her "British" accent is terrible.
Bob Hoskins in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'.
Gwyneth Paltrow does about as much of a convincing British accent as Madonna. Her "British" accent is terrible.
Most things GP does are pretty unconvincing. I mean, Proof anyone?
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/04
Someone has already mentioned all four, but they really did all fool me!
Hugh Laurie
Alan Tudyk
Toni Colette
James Marsters
Actually, I tell you who has fooled me; David Tennant. I knew he was Scottish, but it still comes as a surprise to hear him speak in a Scottish accent whenever he's being himself.
Also, I was convinced for ages that John Barrowman was putting on a bad American accent; turns out it's at least semi-natural. Which surprised me. O_O
Oh, I forgot...
Emily Blunt did a pretty great American accent in "Dan in Real Life". There was one phrase somewhere that was a little off (something minor, like "thank you" or something), but other than that it was great.
Hugh Laurie and Anna Friel have obviously been mentioned.
What really gets me with Hugh, though, was that in one episode that I watched recently, he does a perfect Portuguese accent THROUGH his American accent. I don't even know how that's possible.
Heath in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Maggie in SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER
Vivien in GWTW and STREETCAR
Turning the traffic around, Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones does the best British accent I've heard by an American. Infact she gives the best all-round performance of a Brit by an American that I've seen.
And Liza Minelli could make Dick Van Dyke and Patti Lupone blush by doing a good East London accent for the "Elsie" lines in Cabaret during her current UK tour.
What really gets me with Hugh, though, was that in one episode that I watched recently, he does a perfect Portuguese accent THROUGH his American accent. I don't even know how that's possible.
That always shocks me. I don't speak German, but I have read articles that explain how Meryl Streep's German in SOPHIE'S CHOICE (the scenes in the concentration camp) was spoken with a Polish accent! I think that's kind of fascinating.
Gavin Creel did a wonderful Cockney accent that fooled even most Brits during his stint in Mary Poppins.
Not an actor, but when I first heard the Spice Girls, I didn't know they were British. And no, I did not figure that out from seeing "Spice World." LOL!
Johnny Depp
I honestly thought he was British for the longest time...
Not that I'm obsessed with Hugh Laurie or House or anything, but my favourite accent moment of his was when he, an English actor, was playing an American character putting on a fake English accent. Brilliant! He's got some MAD accent skills going on, yo. :3
When I saw Guys & Dolls in London, I totally forgot I was in Britain until intermission.
Wow. I had no idea Matthew Rhys was Welsh.
Rachel Griffiths and Toni Colette have been mentioned previously and I agree.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/14/03
I agree with Hugh Laurie! Absolutely!!!! I didn't know much about him when House began airing, but I recall someone telling me he was actually British. I remember thinking they were full of crap, there was NO way his accent was that good.
Then I saw him on Inside the Actors Studio and I was flabbergasted. lol
If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...
I had no idea Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) was English until I saw a behind the scenes video. His American accent is great.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/04
I guess "Larry the Cable Guy" aka Dan Whitney could be included in this list since a lot of folks think his Larry character is a real guy.
I totally agree on David Tennant! I had no idea he was Scottish till I saw him on The Graham Norton Show.
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