I could swear Elijah Wood isn't from England. (1 Viewer)

[Dan Brecher]

Going back to the subject of non-Brits doing (or attempting to do) English/Scotish/Welsh or Irish accents, two I regard most highly are Forest Whitaker in The Crying Game, and indeed, Gwyneth Platrow in Sliding Doors. Both were very natural.

Dan (UK)

 

[Nate Anderson]

I know that if I'm hanging around with someone with a british accent, of if I've even watched a couple british films back to back, I've had a tendency to pick it up a bit...

 

[Graeme Clark]

At least Kevin Costner, in RHoT, didn't insult us by trying.

He tried for what seems to be the first 20 minutes of the movie, and then gave up. The most painful was when they were walking along that stone wall and the kid was hiding up the tree.

 

[Rick Deschaine]

Keanu Reeves did not do a fine accent in Dracula.

Keanu has never done a fine accent except for his effort in Bill and Ted's excellent adventure.

Wait, that wasn't an accent!

Later

 

[Ben Motley]

I know that if I'm hanging around with someone with a british accent, of if I've even watched a couple british films back to back, I've had a tendency to pick it up a bit...

That's exactly what I was talking about in my first post Nate. I agree 100%. I visited England back in '91, and caught myself constantly unconciously mimicking those around me. I felt like a real dork . But think about when foreigners come here to America, and "lose" their accent. When this happens, it's often said, only half-jokingly, that these people have been fully "Americanized". It's just adapting to the ennuncitive traditions of the area. One is bound to take on at least portions of the local accent if one stays long enough. As for Elijah, he was in NZ for some time, so I can see how he'd pick it up naturally, but this certainly is different than Costner, for example, trying to speak with an adopted accent. It's simply adaption vs. adoption.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Didn't think my comments needed enhancement, but this one's for you, Mikael .

Oooops :b sorry, I guess I'm just slow ...
Wasn't sure it if was a joke or not, some people actually don't know these facts, and I can't help taking every chance to enlighten them

 

[Matt Stone]

Speaking of good accents...how about Christian Bale. I thought he was American for the longest time, until I heard him go into his british accent on some making-of feature of the American Psycho DVD. Nuts...one hell of an accent.

 

[Ivan Berisic]

Between his time in the U.S. & Australia over his childhood and early adulthood, Gibson has a sort of combination accent that has gotten more American since he started making primarily American films

Just watch Mad Max. His Australian accent was incredibly phoney.

 

[Guy Martin]

Ivan-

Actually Mel was dubbed over in the US prints of Mad Max because the distributors worried that his real Australian accent was so think as to be incomprehensible. I suspect that you saw that version which is why Mel's accent sounded off. Incidentally the same thing was done for the US release of Trainspotting (although the original language tracks are used on the US DVD).

- Guy

 

[Ivan Berisic]

No, I saw the original Australian version. I bought the R2 DVD which contains both the original Aussie soundtrack and the American soundtrack. Of course, I'll have to buy the R1 DVD because it contains a bunch of extras and a 5.1 mix. I fucked up.

 

[Chris Lynch]

I visited England back in '91, and caught myself constantly unconciously mimicking those around me. I felt like a real dork.

Ben, I noticed you are a Texan, and we do tend to have a pretty distinctive accent. I know that now that I live in the Austin area, my speech has become more neutral, more urban. But everytime I go back to west Texas to see my folks, the hick in me returns, and I start drawlin' and "y'all"in' all over again. It truly is adaptive behavior, because I get heckled if I use either accent in the wrong place. Survival!
BTW, not only did Gwyneth fool me for four years, but I am madly in love with her as well.
Also, Hugo Weaving's accent in the Matrix, not authentic, not natural, and absolutely perfect for the role, IMHO.