Non-American actors playing American roles

[bcla]

One more. The Icelandic actress Heida Reed (birth name Heiða Rún Sigurðardóttir). She definitely tries, but it sometimes breaks down.

 

[Mysterian]

Well - in the Marvel Cinematic Universe there's a ton of this, but in many ways it's optional because characters aren't necessarily from Earth. Look at the characters of Thor, and it's all sorts of different backgrounds. Anthony Hopkins sounds English (and yeah I know he's Welsh), Rene Russo is trying to achieve some hybrid. Chris Hemsworth is trying to sound English. Idris Elba sounds like Idris Elba. In later movies they brought in actors from New Zealand and they sound like they're from New Zealand.

Yeah, in Thor Ragnarok, there's Taika Waititi and Rachel House from New Zealand (also another Whale Rider actress), and they didn't change a thing. Karl Urban's a Kiwi but I can't recall what his accent was like. He's typically good with juggling accents.

Cate Blanchet's Australian yet in so many roles and interviews sounds more English.

 

[HiStitch626]

Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone has a great American accent.

 

[bcla]

Yeah, in Thor Ragnarok, there's Taika Waititi and Rachel House from New Zealand (also another Whale Ride actress), and they didn't change a thing. Karl Urban's a Kiwi but I can't recall what his accent was like. He's typically good with juggling accents.

Cate Blanchet's Australian yet in so many roles and interviews sounds more English.

I think Karl Urban just did Karl Urban. It was intentional where he was supposedly the working class guy promoted to an important position.

He was interesting in The Boys. Not quite English, but close enough. Anthony Starr is from New Zealand too.

 

[mommabo]

Paul Blackthorne, who played Captain Lance in Arrow, is British. I had no idea.
David Tennant played American in Gracedale (which was a US remake of Broadchurch)
Benedict Cumberbatch as the very American Dr. Stephen Strange. Benny feels like he's trying a little too hard, too.
And of course, there's House.

Thank you!! I totally agree about Benedict Cumberbatch. He is just slightly off, but it’s enough for my American ear to hear it and it makes me bonkers. He is an otherwise decent actors, but he tries too hard on the accent and overshoots by just enough to make me crazy.
Matthew Rhys from the Americans (ironically playing a Russian spy pretending to be American) does an excellent job.
Alan Cumming who played Eli Gold on The Good Wife is another one who does an excellent job. He has a heavy Irish accent, but you’d never know it on the show.