Which actors/actresses fooled you into thinking they were American?

Adamantium · 20-03-2014 09:11AM #1

Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama) in Battlestar Galactica.

This above one really surprised me, I had no idea. Was fully convinced he was a dyed in the wool American.

Christian Bale as well.

Hugh Jackman

Lena Headey (after Terminator TSCC)

Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

galwayrush · 20-03-2014 09:21AM

The cast of Fair City.

grenache · 20-03-2014 09:23AM

Gary Oldman was one that used to get me. Was surprised to hear he was actually a brother of that auld one in Eastenders. Proper 'cor blimey guvnor' is Gary.

Damien Lewis of Band of Brothers / Homeland fame.

Kevin McKidd from Greys Anatomy.

GerB40 · 20-03-2014 09:26AM

Stringer Bell, Jimmy McNulty and Bunny Colvin from the wire. All British... Who'd have thunk it?? Tommy Carcetti is Irish too.

20-03-2014 09:26AM

Idris Elba from The Wire does a fantastic job as Stringer Bell. Sounds very legit.

A few characters from the walking dead such as Rick Grimes, The Governor and Maggie are all portrayed by English actors. They hav that Southern Drawl down perfectly IMO.

Oh, and Jedward.

El Weirdo · 20-03-2014 09:29AM

Adamantium wrote: »

Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

This Life?

Teachers?

No?

jimgoose · 20-03-2014 09:31AM

John "Martin Crane" Mahoney of Frasier. I had just assumed, reasonably, that he was like a cross between Lawrence Olivier and George Patton, but it turns out he's from Lancashire. Ayup chook, Betty's 'ot-pot!

scrubber72 · 20-03-2014 09:33AM

Tom cruise. Saw him in far and away and someone told me he was actually a yank. Feck off.

Merkin · 20-03-2014 09:36AM

Stringer Bell in The Wire, the big ball of menacing loveliness that he is.

Who is English for those who don't know.

Ihatecuddles · 20-03-2014 09:37AM

Can you say where they're from if you're posting? I don't want to be googling all morning

guttenberg · 20-03-2014 09:39AM

GerB40 wrote: »

Stringer Bell, Jimmy McNulty and Bunny Colvin from the wire. All British... Who'd have thunk it?? Tommy Carcetti is Irish too.

Fixed, according to Wiki he's played by Richard Wisdom who is from Washington DC. Dominic West(McNulty) was a shock as well when I first heard him talk normally. O/T I was even more shocked when I found out Peter Dickson, the X Factor voiceover fella is actually from Belfast!

Ken. · 20-03-2014 09:43AM

House
/thread.

sebcity · 20-03-2014 09:45AM

In the opposite way - Don Cheadle made me believe he was English in the Ocean's films

.red. · 20-03-2014 09:49AM

GerB40 wrote: »

.Tommy Carcetti is Irish too.

I was shocked at first to hear he was irish . He played the part so well that i couldnt help but think he was an american with a dodgy dub accent as john boy in love hate, even tho i knew he was irish. Great actor.

The Backwards Man · 20-03-2014 10:36AM

John Wayne was from Ballina.

Irish Stones · 20-03-2014 10:40AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

John Wayne was from Ballina.

Are you sure? I knew he was born in Iowa.

GerB40 · 20-03-2014 11:05AM

guttenberg wrote: »

Fixed, according to Wiki he's played by Richard Wisdom who is from Washington DC. Dominic West(McNulty) was a shock as well when I first heard him talk normally. O/T I was even more shocked when I found out Peter Dickson, the X Factor voiceover fella is actually from Belfast!

I'm pretty sure Bunny was on a chat show recently sounding as English as lashings of ginger ale.. I think he was promoting Brooklyn Nine Nine (which I hear isn't too bad).
Anyway it could be another cop from the wire, so many fúckin names its hard to keep up... If I'm wrong, so be it.

anncoates · 20-03-2014 11:10AM

I thought that rather attractive one from Wolf of Wall Street was actually American until somebody told me she was a an Australian.

Colonel Panic · 20-03-2014 11:11AM

guttenberg wrote: »

Fixed, according to Wiki he's played by Richard Wisdom who is from Washington DC. Dominic West(McNulty) was a shock as well when I first heard him talk normally. O/T I was even more shocked when I found out Peter Dickson, the X Factor voiceover fella is actually from Belfast!

The best bit was when he faked a British accent as a man from Baltimore.

GerB40 · 20-03-2014 11:15AM

GerB40 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Bunny was on a chat show recently sounding as English as lashings of ginger ale.. I think he was promoting Brooklyn Nine Nine (which I hear isn't too bad).
Anyway it could be another cop from the wire, so many fúckin names its hard to keep up... If I'm wrong, so be it.

Correction. Turns out he's an American after all. Every day's a school day and all that. Makes me wonder who the fúck I was thinkin about..

sbsquarepants · 20-03-2014 11:16AM

I'd have to agree to Stringer Bell + McNulty, from the wire and Maggie from walking dead. Also vampire Bill from true blood, was shocked to hear they were all English.
I wonder do americans hear the accents and think wtf is that supposed to be?

sbsquarepants · 20-03-2014 11:18AM

Colonel Panic wrote: »

The best bit was when he faked a British accent as a man from Baltimore.

That whole storyline is hilarious - the scene where they raid the brothel is excellent!

IvyTheTerrible · 20-03-2014 11:21AM

Simon Baker from The Mentalist. Completely forgot that I used to watch him in Hartbreak High! (He's Australian).

GerB40 · 20-03-2014 11:22AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I'd have to agree to Stringer Bell + McNulty, from the wire and Maggie from walking dead. Also vampire Bill from true blood, was shocked to hear they were all English.
I wonder do americans hear the accents and think wtf is that supposed to be?

Apparently the only true Baltimore accent on the wire is snoop. That male/female pre pubescent 30 year old... The rest are supposedly just generic gangsta accents. BTW I heard this from someone who grew up close to the shíttiest part of Baltimore so I'd believe it..

Ann Landers · 20-03-2014 11:33AM

Dunno about American, but I was full sure Romola Garai was Irish when I saw her in "Inside I'm Dancing". It was the first thing I had seen her in, and I googled her afterwards to find out who this Irish actress was...

SeanW · 20-03-2014 11:40AM

Hugh Laurie, from "House M.D."

Ann Landers · 20-03-2014 11:40AM

grenache wrote: »

Gary Oldman was one that used to get me. Was surprised to hear he was actually a brother of that auld one in Eastenders.

Didn't surprise me. He has that gritty, bit of rough, sexy, charismatic, ridey vibe about him. Sorry, what were talking about?

SmokeyEyes · 20-03-2014 11:44AM

I always forget Cate Blanchett isn't american!

Ann Landers · 20-03-2014 11:52AM

anncoates wrote: »

I thought that rather attractive one from Wolf of Wall Street was actually American until somebody told me she was a an Australian.

I read an interesting interview with her. Before landing in the States, she spent ages working with a voice coach perfecting her american accent. Her reasoning being that you only get one moment to impress in an audition so you should make sure you can get as much right as is within your control. If she had the accent down, that'd be one thing at least there'd be no reservations about. Yes, being attractive probably helped, but I'd say attractive actresses are common enough in audition rooms. Anyway, I was quite impressed with her attitude and work ethic.

GerB40 · 20-03-2014 11:55AM

SmokeyEyes wrote: »

I always forget Cate Blanchett isn't american!

She's phenomenal with accents. Before the release of Veronica Guerin, when she was speaking to the press about other projects she was working on her slight Dublin accent. For example, tings, dat, dem, dose, pronouncing car like bar rather than caw (like in the U.K.) or caaa (like in Australia)..

Khannie · 20-03-2014 11:57AM

Andrew Lincoln AKA Rick from The Walking Dead.

Forgot he was in "Teachers" all those years back (never really watched that show). Heard him in an interview and was blown away. (He's English)

Which actors/actresses fooled you into thinking they were American?

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