A lot of preparation can go into an actor preparing for a role. Some of the most dedicated actors willemploy method acting, living as their character for months leading up to filming, to ensure authenticity in their performance. Another important element to nail down is the accent.
Let’s face it, British actors portray American characters all the time with near-perfect accents. American actors, on the other hand? Hit or miss. Some American actors lean too hard into the British stereotype that everyone is posh and drinking tea from porcelain cups with their pinkies out. However, there are a handful of talented actors who get it right. Here are 15 American actors who flawlessly play British characters.
15Alan Tudyk — Death at a Funeral (2007)
Alan Tudykwas born and raised in Texas, though he doesn’t have a Southern twang in his day-to-day speech. He has graced the screen in several popular films and television shows likeA Knight’s TaleandFirefly. However, most may now be aware of his impressiveresumé of voice acting. He has voiced a number of characters in Disney films, from Heihei the Rooster inMoanato the evil parrot Iago in the live-actionAladdin.
His Best British Accent
Tudyk starred in the 2007 black comedyDeath at a Funeral. The film is about the chaos ensuing the funeral of someone in a family. Tudyk’s character, Simon, is the fiancé of one of the family members. Simon is one of the most chaotic members of the family, which says a lot. Most of the other actors in the film were English, and Tudyk blended right in with his convincing accent.
14Maggie Gyllenhaal — The Honorable Woman (2014)
Maggie Gyllenhaalis a talented actress born in New York and raised in California. Her parents are filmmakers and her younger brother Jake is a fellow actor, so it’s no surprise she started acting in her teenage years. Her familial connections helped her land many of her early roles, adding to the ongoingconversation regarding “nepo babies.” However, her filmography speaks for itself. Her surname may have opened doors, but her acting prowess kept them open.
Her Best British Accent
The Honorable Womanis a British spy thriller miniseries that aired in 2014. Nessa Stein is a businesswoman, who is now the head of her family’s company. However, her business partner dies and though it’s believed to be a suicide, other clues hint at something darker lurking underneath the services. Gyllenhaal’s accent never falters, even in emotional scenes when Nessa is screaming at others. Her time studying acting in London (according to theHuffington Post) may have come in handy.
13Robert Downey Jr. — Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Robert Downey Jr.is one of the most well-recognized actors, most notably for his portrayal of Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey Jr. is another New York-based actor, having grown up in the Lower East Side. When he’s not suiting up with the Avengers, he takes up roles in several dramas and comedies.
In 2009, Downey Jr. starred as the titular character in Guy Ritchie’sSherlock Holmes. Many are familiar with the famous detective, and one distinctive part of his character is his strong London accent from the late-1800s. The actor proved anyone doubtful of his ability to pull off the character wrong. Performing next to an actual Londoner, Jude Law in the role of his sidekick Watson, Downey Jr.’s accent was pretty spot on.
Related:Robert Downey Jr.’s Best Performances That Aren’t Iron Man
12Elijah Wood — Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
Elijah Woodgave plenty of impressive performances as a young child actor after his brief cameo inBack to the Future Part II. However, his biggest break came with his casting as Frodo Baggins in theLord of the Rings. This Iowa-born actor gained millions of fans in this lead role. The success of the trilogy allowed him to take on niche and riskier roles in the years since.
Technically, theLord of the Ringsworld doesn’t take place in Britain or the U.K., at all. The author of the books, J.R.R. Tolkien, named hisfantastical world Middle-earth. However, Tolkien grew up in Birmingham, and the world has many similarities to medieval Europe/England. Wood and his fellow co-stars adopted British accents for the films and, as the lead, he had to nail it. That, he did. Though most viewers were likely too engrossed in the plot to dissect his accent, if it were bad it’d surely pull viewers out of the story.
11Claire Danes — The Essex Serpent (2022)
Claire Danesbroke into the industry as a teenager with a small role inLaw and Orderbefore getting cast in the American adaptation of the British novelLittle Women (1994). The Manhattan-born actress also starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1996 adaptation of Shakespeare’sRomeo + Juliet, though both stars spoke in American accents.
Danes is no stranger to adopting an English accent for her roles. She played fallen star Yvaine inStardust, a fantasy adventure film, and as Maria inStage Beauty, a period piece set in 17th-Century London. However, her best portrayal of a British character has to be inThe Essex Serpent. In it, Danes portrays a Londoner solving a mystery in Essex.
10Meryl Streep — The Iron Lady (2011)
There isn’t much this prolific actress cannot do. Often regarded as one of the greatest actresses of all time,Meryl Streepconstantly steps into roles that are unique and challenging. Comedies, romances, dramas, plays, and more. Born in New Jersey, Streep has been nominated for an Academy Award 21 times and shows no signs of slowing down.
Streep has been cast as British characters in several projects.An underrated performanceis in the 2011 biopicThe Iron Lady, with Streep as British politican Margaret Thatcher. The former U.K. Prime Minister was from Lincolnshire and had a particular way of speaking that went beyond her accent. Streep perfectly encapsulated not only the dialect but also Thatcher’s cadence and mannerisms. It’s this attention to fine detail that makes Streep such a household name.
Related:How Meryl Streep Has Remained Relevant for So Long
9Jena Malone — Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Fans ofThe Hunger Gamesfilms will recognize actressJena Malone’s face. Her character Johanna Mason was introduced in the second film of the franchise,Catching Fire. She played a fiery former victor who was upset about being forced back into the arena. Malone is from Nevada, and earlier in her career she impressively put on a Southern accent inBastard Out of Carolinaat just 11 years old.
Malone has found a sweet spot with book-to-screen adaptations. She starred alongside Keira Knightley inPride & Prejudice, based on the popularJane Austen novel. Malone played one of the Bennet sisters, Lydia and fit right in despite being the only American cast in the family. Malone captured the youngest Bennet sister’s youthful and effusive personality.
8Michael McKean — This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
New York breeds plenty of creative souls, andMichael McKeanis no exception. This multi-talented creative dabbles in screenwriting and music in addition to acting. He had a longstanding role in the sitcomLaverne & Shirleyas Lenny, the neighbor to the two titular characters. Currently, he voices Grandpa Lou inRugrats. Comedic roles tend to be what he’s most known for, but he has a few drama credits to his name.
This Is Spinal Tapmight just be McKean’s best role, period. This mockumentary follows a fictional English heavy metal band throughout their tour in the U.S. to promote their lead album. McKean plays David St. Hubbins, the band’s lead singer. All the actors in the band were American and did a fantastic job, but McKean in particular shone. He improvised most of the film and didn’t break once, perfecting the inflection and rhythm of his speech to fool Brits themselves as to his true nationality.
7Gwyneth Paltrow — Sliding Doors (1998)
ActressGwyneth Paltrowmay get loads of attention now due to her viral, and at times controversial, lifestyle brand, but that shouldn’t detract from her impressive acting career. Rom-coms. Period dramas. Children’s adventures. Thrillers. Paltrow has made sure typecasting was not in her future. Paltrow was born and raised in California and lived in Spain for a brief stint as a teenager, making her fluent in Spanish.
Paltrow has depicted British characters numerous times throughout her career. Whether it’s playing the title character inEmmaor Viola inShakespeare in Love, it seemed that British period pieces and Paltrow were a match made in heaven.Sliding Doorsis a less popular movie, though it was still quite successful. The actress plays a London woman who goes through two versions of her life depending on whether she catches or misses her train. While not perfect, most agree she’s a reliable American actress to cast as a Brit.
Related:Is Gwyneth Paltrow Underrated?
6Lindsay Lohan — The Parent Trap (1998)
When topics ofchild and teen actorscrop up,Lindsay Lohanis never left out. The Bronx native dazzled audiences with her acting talents that’d be praised by any actor, let alone a child. Many of her films are considered to be teen movie classics, likeFreaky FridayandMean Girls. From the mid-to-late 2000s onward, her films haven’t received much critical success, but she continues to stay active.
The Parent Trapis Lohan’s film debut, and she started off her career with a bang. She plays twins Hallie and Annie, who were separated at birth due to their parents' divorce. Hallie grew up in California and Annie in London. To be frank, Lohan’s English accent falls into the same pitfall as many American actors. It’s very regal sounding and a bit of a caricature. However, for a 12-year-old switching between two accents, she handled it amazingly.
