A question for my British friends:
Do you not have any American actors? I mean, what's with the horrible accents? Also, are we guilty of this as well(I am certain that we must be)? And if so, will you please give me examples? I am thoroughly enjoying a show called Jekyl, but the terrible American accents are killing me. I assume we have committed the same sins. Perhaps we can start an exchange program for actors?
6 comments:
Mm, sorry about that. If it's any consolation, actors mostly aren't too hot at British regional accents either.
Regional accents are always London (Cockney), Birmingham (Brummigan), Liverpool (Scouse), North Eastern (Geordie) or rural (Mummerset). All exaggerated and inaccurate, with no recognition of any other area of the country.
But surely we're guilty of this as well? I mean, I already know that American actors can be shit at a Southern accent, and Brad Pitt was GODAWFUL as an Irishman (see also Kevin Bloody Costner in Robin Hood- honestly, couldn't somebody, a good friend, the director, SOMEBODY, have stopped that?), but do we regularly put Americans in parts that are obviously meant for a Brit?
Also, on the flipside, there are several Brits in The Wire that do a bang up job with a Baltimore accent (Easier for me to say, I suppose, since I am not from Baltimore). There seems to be this James Cagney thing that actors refer to over there and you never, ever hear anybody talk like that anymore in real life.
And while we're on the subject, have you seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UgpfSp2t6k
I understand that! Seeing how much American TV there is available over here I'm surprised we're so bad at it.
I can't help you much with examples as I haven't got a TV but as Z suggests above, I wish American actors would learn a decent RP first before attempting any of our regional acccents - which are much more diverse than American ones and difficult for English people to get, let alone foreigners.
I have to disagree on the diversity, Loob. You would have to come here to hear it in person, but when my parents (Chicago South Side born and raised) visited me in Georgia, they had a very difficult time understanding my neighbor, who was a rich kid from Athens, where most people would argue, there isn't a particular accent.
And I can hear the difference between Southern accents, now that I have lived there. North Mississippi folks sound a lot like those on Doc Martin. I don't know what that is, exactly, but "inn 'it?" and "berfday" are strikingly similar. I wish I could go back to school and study this, because I find it all fascinating.
Yes you're probably right - I'm talking about something I don't know anything about... again!
While we're on the subject, why do villains in American films always have British accents?
That's hilarious because the b.h. said the same thing about British villains. He said you guys were probably doing the accents poorly on purpose to get back at us for it, in which case I guess we deserve it.
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