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Which American actress does the best fake English accent?
My question is mostly directed to the English on this forum.
Who do you feel gave the most convincing performance as an English woman? Gwyneth Paltrow Drew Barrymore Renée Zellweger or another? Thank you!
I think the only one I've ever heard rave reviews from the Brits about is Paltrow. They seem to have liked her accent in Sliding Doors.
I've never heard Drew Barrymore do an English accent. Out of Renee Zellweger and Gwyneth Paltrow, I would definitely say Gwynnie does the best. Renee's is good, but I thought there was something slightly off about it, but Gwyneth's was spot on in my opinion. Having said that I probably wouldn't recognise that either of them wasn't English if I didn't know beforehand, but once you know you kind of listen more closely.
Kate Winslet in ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind''
cot-caught merged, CA-like ;)
Gwyneth Paltrow was on British TV on Saturday evening, playing the part of Emma in Jane Austen's story of the same title (adapted for TV). As I was out that evening I had it recorded and have now watched it. GP has to be given credit for her (seemingly) flawless English English RP accent - we've heard it all before in various other parts she has played in England based films.
I made a point of concentrating on her English accent and doing so made it easier to spot the slight Americanisms creeping into her speech - she reverted to slight rhoticisms every now and again and although slight, her other slight lapses into faint Americanisms showed that she was not native to her assumed accent. You have to give her due credit, though - it's very good but if I met her face to face as strangers and she spoke in the same accent I don't think it would take me long to realise that she wasn't English but from across the Pond. And that's from someone who doesn't speak with an English English accent himself, but one thing's for sure - I'm more acquainted with it than Gwyneth is! Still. I give her 9/10. Rene Zellwegger is also pretty convincing (but not entirely so) at the old English English patter. It must be very difficult to completely eradicate the American rhotisicm and other characteristics of their accent. I'd give 9/10 all in all, too.
Going the other direction, I find that British actors seem to be better at portraying American accents than the other way around. Bob Hoskins in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was excellent; I didn't even suspect that he wasn't American until someone told me.
I don't think that British (or anyone else for that matter) actors are generally good at American accents at all. I think that it's easier to go non-rhotic from rhotic than to force it the other way around. Simply because accents are so organic and difficult to mimic in entirety, I can always tell when someone isn't American. The pronunciation sounds generic and doesn't flow, with a few exceptions. Also, I can usually tell when an American actor fails at attempting a regional American accent.
Of course all accents are hard to mimic. I just think a lot of Americans trying to sound British just drop their r's and think they're done. RP and other varieties of British English tend to have more vowels than American accents, and it's always harder to produce more vowel distinctions rather than less.
I think we're just not as picky about accents. And don't pay as much attention.
Hugh Laurie does a very convincing American accent in House md.
But to answer the question, I think Gwyneth Paltrow does the best one, though Renee Zellweger does a pretty good one too.
Can someone explain to me exactly what is meant by rhotic and non-rhotic pronunciation?
Rhotic - what Irish, Scottish and American speak. Every written r is pronounced.
Nonrhotic - r is only pronounced when a vowel directly follows it.
In terms of mimicking accents,
you can't discuss this topic without "Meryl Streep"!!
Paltrow gets my vote. Renee doesn't sound natural doing an English accent. I find it surprising Bob 'oskins can do an American accent his London accent is pretty strong.
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