Patrick Stewart's American accent

[Triskelion]

What? I'm just saying!

I was just watching an episode, now I can't remember which one - The Loss? - when Picard and Guinan are on the holodeck playing Dirk Gently - what was that detective's name - brain cells leaping off like rats off a burning ship - and Guinan was "Gloria. From Cleveland". But just listening to Stewart's "She's not here, Johnny", or whatever the line was, clearly I cannot be trusted to recall it correctly at this point - I can't say exactly what was wrong with his diction, it seemed very practiced and skillfully-delivered; but it was just wrong. Like he was a Jack Russell terrier with peanut butter on the roof of his mouth.

I would like to have seen Stewart play Picard as a guy from New Jersey.

"Geez Q, whaddya keep ridin' me foah? Whassamatta whit cha?"

I love watching Europeans try to speak American. Like first, put on a plaid suit and a polka dot tie. No doubt it must be just as amusing when Americans strap on an English accent (usually onto every other word).

 

[Deckerd]

I started a thread about this in TV and Media. Not about Patrick Stewart but about English people playing Americans.

 

[BlueWolf]

No doubt it must be just as amusing when Americans strap on an English accent (usually onto every other word).

Very amusing. Quite often, it is a lot worse.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Stewart is doing the accent poorly because he is supposed to. He is imitating what he thinks the character would sound like. His character Picard is not an actor, he's a starship captain. So the accent isn't supposed to sound realistic. Its stylized like an old movie....

......am i making sense?

 

[Forbin]

I recently saw a Tara King episode of The Avengers where Linda Thorsen affected an American accent. I was quite impressed, she was very convincing!

 

[Broccoli]

Don't forget Hugh Laurie, who even convinced Bryan Singer that he was an American actor.

 

[JustKate]

Stewart is doing the accent poorly because he is supposed to. He is imitating what he thinks the character would sound like. His character Picard is not an actor, he's a starship captain. So the accent isn't supposed to sound realistic. Its stylized like an old movie....

......am i making sense?

That's what I always thought it was, too. I mean, he's playing Picard, who is a Starfleet captain, not an actor, and why would Picard be able to do a really credible job on an American accent?

And I think it's supposed to be an exaggerated accent anyway - the hard-boiled genre isn't known for subtlety in such matters.

 

[BlueWolf]

Don't forget Hugh Laurie, who even convinced Bryan Singer that he was an American actor.

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

For that matter, Picard's accent never bothered me or hindered my enjoyment of TNG either.

 

[JustKate]

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

Really? I think it's great, and I'm an American. I'd never know he was British if I...well, if I didn't know he was British.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Don't forget Hugh Laurie, who even convinced Bryan Singer that he was an American actor.

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

<snip>.

There are two gods in this world. The first is William Shatner. The second is Hugh Laurie.

I love how Laurie does his american accent.

It's funny, i read an article where he stated that he hates how he sounds doing House. He thinks he sounds terribly monotone.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

A few British actors can do convincing American accents, but most can't. Same seems to be true with Americans doing English or other accents. Brits doing Americans tend to have a rather flat pronunciation - they're not only not from "around here" they don't sound like they're from around anywhere.

The guy who plays Jack Harkness on Doctor Who is a good example of a flat and unconvincing American accent. He's either not American or got himself a really bad teacher to "overcome" a strong regional accent.

 

[Deckerd]

Captain Jack? How very dare you!

He was raised in North America somewhere but his parents are west lowland Scots, possibly Weegies.

You just posted that to provoke people, didn't you? Someone will post the 'now you are gay' thread bomb any minute now.

 

[Cyke101]

A few British actors can do convincing American accents, but most can't. Same seems to be true with Americans doing English or other accents. Brits doing Americans tend to have a rather flat pronunciation - they're not only not from "around here" they don't sound like they're from around anywhere.

The guy who plays Jack Harkness on Doctor Who is a good example of a flat and unconvincing American accent. He's either not American or got himself a really bad teacher to "overcome" a strong regional accent.

Captain Jack grew up in Joliet, Illinois, one of the towns close to my own hometown. I can assure you that his Midwest accent is very real

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I recently saw a Tara King episode of The Avengers where Linda Thorsen affected an American accent. I was quite impressed, she was very convincing!

Especially since she's Canadian IRL.

 

[BlueWolf]

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

Really? I think it's great, and I'm an American. I'd never know he was British if I...well, if I didn't know he was British.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I love it too. I'm British, so I know other projects he's done prior to House, that's all.

There are two gods in this world. The first is William Shatner. The second is Hugh Laurie.

I love how Laurie does his american accent.

It's funny, i read an article where he stated that he hates how he sounds doing House. He thinks he sounds terribly monotone.

Haha. Well sometimes I think he does too, but I like it. His acting is very good, and even if his accent occasionally becomes monotone, I think it's still to great effect (and apart of his character's personality).

 

[Broccoli]

Don't forget Hugh Laurie, who even convinced Bryan Singer that he was an American actor.

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

<snip>.

There are two gods in this world. The first is William Shatner. The second is Hugh Laurie.

I love how Laurie does his american accent.

It's funny, i read an article where he stated that he hates how he sounds doing House. He thinks he sounds terribly monotone.

That's because he does sound monotone. However, that monotone voice works for the character.

 

[Canuck69]

I happen to really like his accent in House, actually; whether or not it is accurate might be another matter to other people, though.

<snip>.

There are two gods in this world. The first is William Shatner. The second is Hugh Laurie.

I love how Laurie does his american accent.

It's funny, i read an article where he stated that he hates how he sounds doing House. He thinks he sounds terribly monotone.

That's because he does sound monotone. However, that monotone voice works for the character.

I agree with this totally. It would sound off if he used alot of expression in his voice all the time while talking with this character. He is portrayed to be a mean cold-hearted person most of the time. I can't picture a person like that sounding too expressive when talking all the time. He plays that role very well even with what he thinks may be weaknesses.

As far as Stewart's accent in that episode, I think he does it just fine. IMO he is not supposed to sound perfect there. It certainly does not take away from the scene when he does it they way he does.

 

[Trek Survivor]

Americans doing British accents always makes me laugh!!

 

[Deckerd]

Americans doing British accents always makes me laugh!!

Some of them are legend

 

[Forbin]

Americans doing British accents always makes me laugh!!

Spike's accent (on Buffy) got worse and worse after Tony Head left the show and stopped coaching Marsters.