‘Best English Accent in Movies Award’ Goes To…

When you hear an actor take on an accent that’s different from their own, it’s a fascinating opportunity to tune into the subtleties that make each accent unique. This exercise sharpens our ears to the distinct sounds, rhythms, and intonations that define various forms of speech. But in Hollywood, who truly masters the art of best English accent acting? According to our expert language teachers, here are the top five performances that stand out for their exceptional accent work, deserving the title of Best English Accents in Movies and TV.

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1.  Matthew MacFadyen’s American Accent as Tom in Succession

Succession is a critically acclaimed drama series that dives deep into the power struggles within a wealthy media family. Matthew MacFadyen plays Tom Wambsgans, a character who is both ambitious and insecure, navigating the ruthless world of the Roy family. MacFadyen, originally from England, adopts an American accent for the role, delivering it with precision amid the show’s famously rapid-fire dialogue.

For many American viewers, MacFadyen is a relative unknown, and his flawless accent work can easily lead them to believe he’s one of their own. The American accent, particularly in this context, is marked by its rhoticity (the pronunciation of the “r” sound) and the flattening of vowels, which differs significantly from MacFadyen’s natural British intonation. His ability to seamlessly switch between accents while maintaining the pace and complexity of the dialogue is a testament to his best accent acting skills.

2.  Kate Winslet’s Australian Accent in The Dressmaker

The Dressmakers, via Pinterest.

Kate Winslet’s introduction to global audiences came with her iconic role in Titanic. Many viewers were surprised to discover she was British, not American, which demonstrated her early talent for mastering accents. However, her performance in The Dressmaker takes this skill to the next level. The Dressmaker, a darkly comic drama set in a rural Australian town, showcases Winslet as Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage, a fashion designer who returns to her hometown with a mission of revenge and redemption. Winslet, who hails from England, tackles the Australian accent with remarkable accuracy in this film.

While Winslet had already demonstrated her capability with the Australian accent in the 1999 film Holy Smoke, her performance in The Dressmaker highlights how she has honed this skill over time. The Australian accent is distinct in its broad vowels and the upward inflection at the end of sentences, which Winslet captures perfectly, showing her growth as an actress. This role is certainly one of the best accents in movies for those who appreciate a well-executed Australian accent.

3. Renée Zellweger’s British Accent in Bridget Jones’s Diary

For the longest time, many of us assumed that Renée Zellweger was British, and it wasn’t until she delivered her Oscar acceptance speech, where she spoke about her Texas roots, that we realized she wasn’t British after all.

Bridget Jones’s Diary is a romantic comedy that follows the life of Bridget, a single woman in London navigating her 30s with all the trials and tribulations that come with it. Zellweger’s portrayal of Bridget, with her spot-on British accent, left audiences convinced she was a native. The film’s success is partly due to her convincing performance, where her accent played a crucial role in embodying the character’s quintessentially British quirks. Zellweger’s performance is often cited as one of the best accents in movies, particularly for how it fooled audiences.

4. Hugh Laurie’s American Accent in House

Hugh Laurie is best known in the U.S. for his role as Dr. Gregory House in the hit TV series House. Laurie, who is British, adopts a gruff, commanding American accent throughout the series, playing a sarcastic yet brilliant diagnostician. Laurie’s convincing American accent left many viewers, especially early on, assuming he was American. The seamless nature of his accent work earned him significant praise, especially given how distinct it is from his natural British tone. Laurie’s performance stands as one of the best examples of an actor completely immersing themselves in a different accent over a long-running television series.

5.Daniel Craig’s Southern American Accent in Knives Out

Knives Out is a modern murder mystery with a twist, filled with sharp wit and a tangled web of family secrets. Daniel Craig, best known for his role as the cool, suave James Bond, took audiences by surprise with his portrayal of detective Benoit Blanc—a character with a far more colourful and folksy demeanour than the famous spy. Set against the backdrop of a wealthy, dysfunctional family, the film sees Blanc unravelling the mystery of a patriarch’s suspicious death.

What really made Craig’s performance stand out was his unexpected mastery of a Southern American accent. Drawing from the genteel, molasses-slow drawl of states like Kentucky or Tennessee, Craig delivers lines with phrases like, “I do declare,” and stretches his vowels to give his words that lazy, rolling sound. His accent is a blend of classic Southern charm, marked by a rounded “r” and a slight nasal twang that make lines like “It makes no damn sense, compels me, though,” particularly memorable. This accent, far removed from his natural British tones, added layers of eccentricity to his character and helped define Benoit Blanc as one of the most unique detectives in modern cinema.

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If you’re inspired by these incredible performances and want to learn how to speak English like a local, look no further. At Listen & Learn, we work with native teachers who incorporate media, entertainment, and real-life language resources to help you communicate effectively and authentically. Whether you’re looking for  online English courses or in-person English lessons in Quebec (or other cities!), simply contact us, and we’ll match you with a native-speaking teacher for a completely personalized course tailored to your needs.