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Does it annoy people in the US that so many actors in films/TV are British or Aussie?

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Charles Brandon

Charles Brandon

Member
It's getting seriously weird

High points:

  • McNulty and Stringer Bell both being English (I had no idea for ages)
  • Batman, Superman and Spider-Man all being English at one point
  • Hugh Laurie pitching up in House, playing massively against type (posh Englishman) and getting away with it.
  • Damian Lewis playing all manner of quintessential Americans
  • not acting but suddenly all the talk show hosts seem to be English

What's going on?
 
K

kirblar

Member
Jazzy Geoff said:
It's getting seriously weird

High points:

  • McNulty and Stringer Bell both being English (I had no idea for ages)
  • Batman, Superman and Spider-Man all being English at one point
  • Hugh Laurie pitching up in House, playing massively against type (posh Englishman) and getting away with it.
  • Damian Lewis playing all manner of quintessential Americans
  • not acting but suddenly all the talk show hosts seem to be English

What's going on?
Click to expand...
Being a big fish in a smaller pond make it easier to stand out, I think.
 
Charles Brandon

Charles Brandon

Member
Sir_Crocodile said:
Is it really that many?
Click to expand...

It seems like it is from my perspective (being English)

Used to be that seeing a familiar face on a US TV show would be worthy of comment, now there are shows that are dominated by English cast members like Homeland and The Affair. I suppose it's a little disorientating because you know they're "acting" if you know what I mean. I mean obviously you know, but when you know what someone really sounds like, it makes it harder to believe the character.
 
T

TheLetdown

Member
The only one that does annoy me is Maggie from Walking Dead.

Her Georgia girl accent went from mediocre to standout-bad. It kills scenes dead.
 
V

valkillmore

Member
I want to see more Canadians portrayed in media. Not more Canadians, just more portrayals of Canadians. That's always a hoot.

I'm always impressed with a European who has a mastery of western accents. Hugh Laurie comes to mind. And Emily Blunt.
 
i_am_ben

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
I believe there was a thread a while back where it was discussed that black British actors were taking a lot of the good African American roles.
 
W

Wuiji

Member
Jazzy Geoff said:
It's getting seriously weird

High points:

  • McNulty and Stringer Bell both being English (I had no idea for ages)
  • Batman, Superman and Spider-Man all being English at one point
  • Hugh Laurie pitching up in House, playing massively against type (posh Englishman) and getting away with it.
  • Damian Lewis playing all manner of quintessential Americans
  • not acting but suddenly all the talk show hosts seem to be English

What's going on?
Click to expand...

It always confuses me how people had no idea that this guy was British. They even took the piss out of his shit American accent by making him do an even shitter English accent in the show itself!
 
G

gutter_trash

Banned
if they can change their accent well, I'm okay with it. Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was the ultimate best British actor playing an American role

Doctor House however is annoying to no end
 
S

SlipperyFishes

Banned
Patrick Stewart - TNG
Andrew Lincoln - TWD
Kinder Sutherland - 24/DS
Pretty much most of Game of Thrones' cast

Great shows have great actors.
 
E

Eidan

Member
I've seen movies based on real-life Asians and blacks that are rewritten to be white. A Brit portraying an American will never phase me.
 
Spuck-uk

Spuck-uk

Banned
Jazzy Geoff said:
It's getting seriously weird

High points:

  • McNulty and Stringer Bell both being English (I had no idea for ages)
  • Batman, Superman and Spider-Man all being English at one point
  • Hugh Laurie pitching up in House, playing massively against type (posh Englishman) and getting away with it.
  • Damian Lewis playing all manner of quintessential Americans
  • not acting but suddenly all the talk show hosts seem to be English

What's going on?
Click to expand...

The UK has a much stronger theatre tradition, and a much less strong movie industry. This means we end up with a LOT of fantastic actors, who aren't in a mindset of TV being below them (although that seems to be changing slightly wrt US actors).
 
Spuck-uk

Spuck-uk

Banned
gutter_trash said:
if they can change their accent well, I'm okay with it. Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was the ultimate best British actor playing an American role

Doctor House however is annoying to no end
Click to expand...

The fact that the director didn't know he was British until after he cast him is hilarious.
 
linko9

linko9

Member
Nah, it's great whether playing an English or American role; love Laurie, Elba, etc. as Americans, extremely impressive. Now McNutty in the Wire.... was obvious from the second he opened his mouth he was putting on an accent, but still did a great job.

edit: Yeah, should be said; Brits seem in general much better at doing American accents than American actors trying to even do other American regional accents. Southern accents by non-southern actors is one of the worst things about Hollywood; they're almost always terrible.
 
T

Triggerhappytel

Member
Jazzy Geoff said:
It seems like it is from my perspective (being English)

Used to be that seeing a familiar face on a US TV show would be worthy of comment, now there are shows that are dominated by English cast members like Homeland and The Affair. I suppose it's a little disorientating because you know they're "acting" if you know what I mean. I mean obviously you know, but when you know what someone really sounds like, it makes it harder to believe the character.
Click to expand...

I understand even less if you're English why this would bother you.
 
S

SomedayTheFire

Member
Lincoln_2012_Teaser_Poster.jpg


always found this funny.
 
H

Harry Stewart

Member
The reasons for it make sense, they're generally better trained and are probably cheaper. There's no reason for Ewan McGregor, with his wonky ass accent, to have played an American as often as he has unless the domestic talent pool is filled with a bunch of unprofessional douches with overzealous agents asking for too much money.

But I appreciate a show like Mr. Robot having an all American main cast playing Americans (and the two Scandinavians play to type). I think subconsciously it lends more authenticity.
 
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