Keala Settle accent?

Worked with Keala in the early 2010s, and her accent couldn’t have been more American. She spoke in so much slang that I had a hard time following and literally had to google some of it.

Followed her career as she worked on Greatest Show and other projects. Just saw an interview from Urinetown and in disbelief that she now speaks with a full British accent. Has this already been discussed? It feels very Hilaria Baldwin to me.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGGxu3BpPlp/?igsh=bHBsMXQ4ZXh5cXI1

Picking up aspects of an accent or saying certain words differently is understandable when making an international move.

Sometimes people even do a level of "code switching" when ordering in stores or restaurants. Also understandable.

But the sheer severity of her cockney accent (and as mentioned above the octave-drop) is what's jarring and, obviously, deliberate.

I don't really care, to be clear, but I wish a single journalist had the chutzpah to ask her what's up.

That is quite...odd. Especially that last clip saying "to be fair" like someone born and raised in the UK

Bwaygurl2 said: "She did an interview with Mickey Joe on YouTube. I think she said she consciously chose to use her parents' accent and why that was important to her."

kinda interesting since her mom was born in NZ and her Dad is British. She grew up in Hawaii so neither the southern twang or British is her native accent.

BwayinVan said: "Bwaygurl2 said: "She did an interview with Mickey Joe on YouTube. I think she said she consciously chose to use her parents' accent and why that was important to her."

kinda interesting since her mom was born in NZ and her Dad is British. She grew up in Hawaii so neither the southern twang or British is her native accent.

"

She had a kiwi accent for the Greatest Showman press tour in 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNtTrRyPYas

Ensemble1704909160 said: "BwayinVan said: "Bwaygurl2 said: "She did an interview with Mickey Joe on YouTube. I think she said she consciously chose to use her parents' accent and why that was important to her."

kinda interesting since her mom was born in NZ and her Dad is British. She grew up in Hawaii so neither the southern twang or British is her native accent.

"

She had a kiwi accent for the Greatest Showman press tour in 2019:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNtTrRyPYas"

That interview was with a New Zealand outlet, though. This interview she did for ITV(a British outlet) she uses her standard American accent.

“I’m a person of the globe” is…a response. Reminds me of accent-changing Real Housewife Dorit Kemsley who is a self-diagnosed ‘child of the world’.

A little strange to start using a new accent after about 40 years in, but at least it’s entertaining.

Globefan said: "Keala had a stroke and had to relearn how to speak."

A stroke does not cause one of develop a multitude of accents even if you did have to re-learn to talk. Nor did she have to do that considering she performed at the Oscars the week after it happened...

Updated On: 2/17/25 at 10:14 PM

Jordan, I was sure that was going to be the Pedro Pascal SNL sketch where he wakes up from a stroke with a mush-mouthed effeminate accent for no reason.

While doing deep dive on her to figure out why she would speak in the accent she does I found out she’s Mormon? Which, does not track to me. Is she still a practicing Mormon?

Keala as an all-American:

And at the 3:15 minute mark, Keala the all-English Brit: