They could, but something would be just a bit off, as when John Simm tries it on Intruders.
It's time for an American Doctor
- Thread starter JRoss
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They could, but something would be just a bit off, as when John Simm tries it on Intruders.
There are plenty of American actors available for American movies and TV shows yet British actors with false accents get roles in them. So I'm not really sure what the point of your snarky remark was.
That's fair enough but IMHO few American actors can master any form of accent from these islands.
It's not just the accent, though of course that matters a bit. It's also about the cultural upbringing and the style of acting and the varied acting experience one gets with a typical British Actor.
Plus, Doctor Who is certainly not budgeted to pay as much as American Actors typically get paid.
I just think that such an iconic of British popular culture should, y'know, be British, especially given that British culture exists in the context of a worldwide hegemony of American culture.
Though, yes, I really wish that American heroes like Superman or Batman were played by American actors, too.
Though, yes, I really wish that American heroes like Superman or Batman were played by American actors, too.
In the same role? Probably never. But we don't have many roles that require that kind of thing...
True but there are exceptions, take Rene Zellwegger as Bridget Jones.
And what about those actors who are technically American but spent a lot of their youth (and adult years) living in the UK? Take Gillian Anderson. It can get a bit confused at times these days.
Jamie Bamber is the closest example I can come up with.
Emma Samms took over as Fallon in Dynasty way back when, didn't even ditch her accent much.
James Marsters as the Doctor, and given that he's already been on Torchwood, he's passed the previous character criteria as well. Speaking of Buffy alumni, Alexis Denisof can do a fair English accent too.
Gillian Anderson divided her childhood between the US and UK and is apparently fully bidialectical i.e. can speak in either a flawless American or flawless RP-English accent without effort (for what it's worth, her Belfast accent in The Mighty Celt is passable but not perfect, IMHO; better than many English actors or indeed actors from the south of Ireland can manage, in fairness).
I thought Marsters' and Denisof's accents were pretty good in BTVS. But then again, I find Peter Dinklage's accent pretty convincing in GOT, which puts me in a minority...
I thought Marsters' and Denisof's accents were pretty good in BTVS. But then again, I find Peter Dinklage's accent pretty convincing in GOT, which puts me in a minority...
And while John Barrowman does a perfect American accent, he still pronounces words the British way which really makes things seem weird, like the infamous scene in Torchwood where he pronounces estrogen "eastrogen."
Oh, I know it's easily explained. Still a funny scene though.
Reminds me of something I saw where the writers of American Dad were talking about the character Patrick Stewart voices on the show, the Director of the CIA, who's even drawn to resemble Stewart. Someone brought up the frequently asked question how does a British person become Director of the CIA. To which they answered "this is the same British guy everyone accepted as a French character for seven years, and now you're having trouble with him being Director of the CIA?"
Henry Kissinger, who served as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, was born in Germany and spoke with a German accent.
Dr. Funkenstein
Lieutenant Commander
So Brits should be banned from all American productions, too?