European actors trying to hide their accent

[Jim H]

oh right, yeah I probably jumped the gun a bit there. not sure why, but I assumed UK had way more regional variations in accent than states but that's probably not true at all. there are a lot though...

I'd say the UK probably does have stronger regional variation, at least per square mile (maybe not the fairest comparison).  It has a longer history of isolated speakers from varied cultures and language backgrounds.  I mean, the language itself developed there, with varied pockets holding on to varied traits. 

Not to say there isn't variety in American accents, of course.

Liam Neeson came up before - for him, I can tell not just from sound, but from the parsing of words that he's of European origins.  You know what I mean?  Some Irish and English, especially older ones, just speak at a different rate and with differently spaced pauses than Americans do.  At least, it seems that way to me.

Not a European, but I think Hugh Jackman does an excellent American accent.  His own accent does occasionally poke through in some roles though.

Oh yeah, and about Vampire Bill...  He sounds strange, but he probably should.  Anyone who grew up in the south in the 1840s and 50s, and lived to today, would likely have a truly strange accent.  I'd agree Sookie's brother probably does the best job with his accent in the show though.  Anna Paquin does an OK job.  It's not a great southern accent, but it's not a terrible one either. 

[Oscar]

OK, I'm from south of the Mason-Dixon and what absolutely slays me is the use of "Ya'll" by someone who's never been south of Yonkers. It is never used as singular. It is the contraction of "You" and "All", I.E. "all of you", making it PLURAL. It's as natural as saying my own name to me but I guarantee I have never used it to address an individual (see any Benny Hill sketch involving the South).

[bionica]

my favorite is when the monty python crew speak exaggerated american

this post didn't include a lot of europeans: but for aussies nicole kidman and heath ledger do well

and speaking of bad accents: angelina jolie's accent in tombraider was distractingly bad, but it wasn't her accent i was looking at

[Oscar]

Agree with the Python crew. Same as on Benny Hill, usually they ended up doing weird growling "RRR" sounds making them sound more Scottish than American. Or like reformed pirates.

[AndyC]

my favorite is when the monty python crew speak exaggerated american

And even Terry Gilliam does it. That's hilarious.

Agree with the Python crew. Same as on Benny Hill, usually they ended up doing weird growling "RRR" sounds making them sound more Scottish than American. Or like reformed pirates.

I think when you have no need, no desire, or perhaps no ability to affect a convincing accent, it's always easiest to just emphasize the most obvious differences to your own accent. Same reason certain regional accents get imitated more than others, depending on what unique elements you can generalize and exaggerate the hell out of. So you end up with Americans being either from Brooklyn or someplace in the South. Works both ways too, with Cockney being the default English accent to immitate, Glaswegian for Scotsmen, and an Irish accent that sounds like it's based on Irish-American cops in old movies.

[Allhallowsday]

MICHAEL CAINE adopts an unconvincing New England accent for THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999). 

[Flick James]

MICHAEL CAINE adopts an unconvincing New England accent for THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999). 

That's because Michael Caine can never hide his cockey origins no matter what he does. Even in roles where he tries to be a "proper" Englishman, he still sounds cockney. I do like Michael Caine though. He's responsible for plenty of good roles. I think he should never attempt to play an American, however.

[peter johnson]

Colin Farrell is brilliant in his accents, no matter who he's playing - check out "Jesse James" and "Phone Booth" -

Emma Thompson can do convincing Americanrerer - and yes, that is how we sound to them.  If you ever visit, take videotape, or pixelpoo, or whatever the scheiss on the cellphones is called now, and get someone to shoot ye and them & listen - We Amerrrincannerrrs really DO sound much more R-ish by contrast -
peterrr johson/denny rrrcrrrraine

[BixDugan]

Larry Buchanan's Loch Ness Horror has some extreme Scottish accents, I don't know enough to say if they're authentic or crap, but they are FUNNY.

[claws]

Slaughter High (1986) was filmed in the UK but the audience was made believe it took place in America. Caroline Munro is in this trying to hide her British accent. Even though she hardly ever slips but her "American" just sounds odd. There is another actress in the movie and she doesn't even hide her English origins at all.
Besides that the entire cast looks way too old to pass as High School students