I think I’m the only person I know who isn’t brought to her knees by a foreign accent. It’s cool, sure, but it doesn’t make me more attracted to someone.
However, what really impresses me is finding out that one of my favorite television actors is actually not the American he or she plays on TV. When I hear interviews with stars like Hugh Laurie, Rachel Griffiths, or Ed Westwick, and I realize that the roles that have become so quintessentially them also involve the added challenge of adding an American accent … that’s when I fall in love.
I asked the CliqueClack team to weigh in on their favorite non-American actor in an American role.
We’re limiting the poll to actors in current or upcoming shows, not ones that have already ended. (As Ivey points out in response to two of my nominations, “Who cares about The Wire anyways? [Ducks, runs for cover, and pulls blanket over his head to avoid the out-lash that is obviously coming …”])
But, as always, give us your two cents in the comments!
Rachel: I had this random idea for a poll: Who’s your favorite foreign-born actor who plays an American on TV? With responses like Hugh Laurie, Dominic West, Kevin McKidd, Idris Elba … anyone else come to mind? Or another way of asking it could be: “whose American accent is most convincing?”
Janey: What about the True Blood, real-life duo of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer?
Rachel: I almost forgot Rachel Griffiths and Matthew Rhys from Brothers and Sisters.
Janey: One more! Yvonne Strahovski from Chuck — I had no idea she was Australian until I saw her interviewed for some entertainment fluff show.
Chuck: I don’t know if he’s anyone’s favorite, but I was pretty surprised to hear Ed Westwick’s real voice after seeing him for about two seasons as Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl.
Bob: Isn’t Anna Torv Australian or British?
Ivey: Bob, She’s an Aussie. But my vote is Chuck‘s YS, or Gossip Girl‘s EW.
Jen: John Noble of Fringe is also Australian.
Ivey: Jen’s got a good point, but it’s a lot better now than it was in Season 1.
Chuck: I originally thought she was Swedish!
An: Alex O’Loughlin on Hawaii 5-0; Simon Baker on The Mentalist.
Ivey: AOL now, after his laughable attempt at Moonlight, maybe.
Brittany: My current fangirl crush, Jason Clarke (from The Chicago Code) is Australian.
Keith: Add Jamie Bamber to the list. He’ll be in the new RDM show [17th Precinct] and was in BSG.
Clacked by Rachel Blum-Jose 
on Apr 21, 2011 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
How can you miss Jason Stackhouse from True Blood. I was blown away when I saw him in an interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0D4ryvihNE&feature=related
versus his character:
Wow … I totally didn’t know he wasn’t American :)
*POST AUTHOR*
Me neither … thanks for sharing that!
What surprises me the most is that Hugh Laurie is winning in the “who surprised you the most” poll. I thought he was already well-known in the States as a British actor. We’ve been fans of his since his stint on Blackadder and were very impressed with his American accent when he premiered in “House,” but weren’t surprised that he had such talent.
*POST AUTHOR*
I see what you’re saying. I think the question really meant “who surprised you the most as not being American, the first time you heard his/her real accent.” But that would have been too verbose for the poll title. Ha!!
No I got what you meant, I just assumed, apparently wrongly, that most fans of television already knew Hugh Laurie was British before House aired and therefore would not have been surprised that he wasn’t an American. I just thought many had already seen his earlier work in “Blackadder” and “A Bit of Fry and Laurie” so they would already know that.
Now if you were talking about being surprised at how convincing the accent was, I could agree. Although I’d probably have to side with Gordon’s comment about Anna Torv. Not only is she putting on an accent foreign to her, but she’s done it with a number of personalities. The actress was panned as being too wooden at the beginning of the series, but I think she’s answered those concerns by showing an acting ability well beyond what was first assumed of her.
*POST AUTHOR*
Yeah, I agree about Anna Torv just going off of what you guys are saying. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve got to pick Fringe up again as I’ve only seen the first season. I agree that she seemed a little stiff in that, but I am excited to see what she’s done since then. :)
Oh that’s right, you’ve only seen the first season! Are you in for a treat once you decide to dive into the second and beyond! If “Fringe” were a ride at Disneyworld, the first season is the queue and subsequent seasons are the real ride! It’s time you got yourself locked into a car and hold on tight, the fun for you hasn’t even begun yet.
It took me at least a season or two before I actually saw an episode of House… I honestly just assumed his character was a British douchebag, not an American one.
When I finally heard House’s voice, I just thought, “Oh… that’s weird.”
That’s funny! I’ve watched the show since day one and the moment I heard Hugh Laurie speak I just assumed he was putting on an American accent to mess with the people around him. I had no idea at that point he was supposed to be playing an American and it took me a few minutes to realize this was how the character was supposed to sound. Even after all these years I still have trouble with an American accent coming out of Laurie’s mouth; it just seems odd.
When I watched House seasons ago and was talking about how impressed I was with HL’s accent, people would always stop me and go, “He’s not American?” As long as the show has been on, I’m surprised that I can still find someone who has no clue.
Same here. I wonder if it has anything to do with many people being exposed to him playing the dad in the “Stuart Little” series of films? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, but I believe he played an American in that as well.
I’m just used to seeing him early and often on my local PBS affiliate, I guess I assumed more people did, too. I assumed incorrectly.
Jamie Bamber has done a great job on Law & Order| UK
My favorite would have to be Anna Torv … she’s managed to balance 3 (now maybe 4) unique personalities on Fringe … all with their own unique ticks and affectations …
Rachel Griffiths was the biggest surprise for me. I was just randomly listening to the series finale commentary of Six Feet Under and she started talking and I went… “What the hell?” She is great, I love her.
*POST AUTHOR*
Me too! I remember seeing her in a movie too about some weird sister relationship…[hold on while I Google the title] Oh yeah, Hilary and Jackie. It was about two musicians (Emily Watson played Jackie). I think she had a British accent in that. She’s very talented.
It’s kind of why I want Brothers and Sisters canceled, so she can go on to better shows… and shows I might watch. :)
What about Toni Colette on The United States Of Tara? She’s Australian, but has an American accent on the show. Not only does she speak flawlessly with that accent, but she also does several different dialects depending on which alternate personality her dissociative identity disorder has her morph into. She is brilliant to watch.
Oh, cool. I’ve only seen her in movies. I like her a LOT. Didn’t know she was Australian!
Go Kevin Mckidd :))))))) Bonnie US accent from a brilliant Scottish actor ;) Sooo good that many people dinnae ken’s he’s a Scot!!
Definitely Kevin McKidd. If I haven’t already known he was scottish, I wouldn’t have believed it seeing him using his american accent on Grey’s. And every day, I read new posts on Twitter of people who just found out. :D
I was also going to add about Jason Stackhouse. I used to watch the actor in home and away.
if you like both toni collette and rachel griffiths you should see the movie Muriel’s Wedding.
I know you USians consider Britain and England to be the same country but they are not. FYI “Britain” encompasses England, Scotland and Wales (The UK also includes Northern Ireland and many Islands and Principalities), so your subheading saying “British (and Scottish, and Australian”) should either read “British and Australian” or “English, Scottish and Australian”