Top 10 Actors With The Best Fake Accents

Whether he’s acting, rapping, or making a difference for refugee children, there isn’t much this talented performer hasn’t done. Of course, most of us know him from his roles in TV shows like “Girls” and his incredible performance in “The Night Of”, a miniseries which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. Others among us will remember him from films like “Nightcrawler” and “Venom”. Thanks to these roles, many of us didn’t believe our hears the first time we heard Ahmed (who was born in Wembley, London) speak in his native English accent.

Ever since this actress’s breakthrough role in 2013’s“The Wolf of Wall Street”, we’ve had a bad case of Robbie fever. Couple that with roles like Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad” and her Oscar-nominated turn as Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya”, and we can see why she’s become one of the world’s highest-paid actresses. However, fans of her films might be surprised to learn that Robbie was actually born in Dalby, in Queensland, Australia, and that most of her earlier work was in Australian independent films and the soap opera“Neighbours”.

This teen heartthrob has turned more than a few heads since his breakthrough role in 2017 as Archie in the drama series “Riverdale”. That same year, he also starred in “A Dog’s Purpose”, and followed up in 2018 with “The Hate U Give”, and in 2019 “The Last Summer”. In a very short period, he’s collected Teen Choice, People’s Choice, and Saturn Award nominations like they’re going out of style. Many viewers were shocked when they first saw him on television interviews and discovered that, despite his solid American accent, he’s actually a Kiwi, born in Auckland, New Zealand.

This accomplished actress had starred in numerous successful films and television series in the UK long before American audiences caught wind of her. We’re talking about roles like her award-winning performance for “The Libertine” and her classic Jane Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice”. But for some reason, it was only when she appeared as the cool Amy Elliott Dunne in 2014’s “Gone Girl” that North American audiences really sat up and took notice. Her American accent was so flawless in the film that viewers were surprised to hear her real London accent in interviews soon afterwards.

It’s hard to imagine this ruggedly handsome actor as anyone but Rick Grimes, the lead character in the critically-acclaimed show “The Walking Dead”. This small-town Southern sheriff audiences around the world, and his portrayal was honoured several times with Saturn Awards. Many TWD fans were therefore surprised to learn that the Southern hero at the centre of the horror television series was actually played by an actor born in London, England. Roles in which his native accent can be heard include the British sitcom “Teachers” and 2003’s “Love Actually”.

Younger audiences may know Toni Collette best for her recent work in the horror film “Hereditary”. For others, her name brings to mind her award-winning portrayal of Sheryl in “Little Miss Sunshine”, or the role of Tara in TV’s “United States of Tara”, which won her an Emmy and Golden Globe. However, her breakthrough role was actually in the 1994 Australian comedy drama “Muriel’s Wedding”, for which she achieved critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination. In that film, you can hear the actual accent of the Sydney-born, Australian native.

Some know him best as Spider-Man, others from his more serious dramatic roles, such as Desmond Doss in “Hacksaw Ridge” and Sebastião Rodrigues in Scorsese’s “Silence”. Either way, there’s no doubt that Garfield is a talented actor. And adding to his impressiveness is just how impeccable his American accent is. Although born in the US, Garfield’s family moved to England when he was 3 years old, and he was raised in Surrey. You can go back in his filmography to older award-winning performances, like that of John Crowley in the television film “Boy A”, to hear his actual English accent.

He can write, he can rap, he can sing, and boy, can he act! Of course, we knew the man was a talented actor from the moment we saw him playing Stringer Bell in “The Wire”. Seeing him in flicks like “American Gangster” and “Prometheus” simply cemented our conviction that Elba was brilliant. But realizing that the flawless American accents he’d used were actually a cover for his London accent? Now that was definitive proof of his talent! We’ve since really enjoyed hearing his natural voice, especially as showcased in shows like BBC One’s “Luther”.

Many of us felt completely and utterly tricked the first time we heard Bale’s actual accent, the product of a childhood spent in Wales, and in Surrey and Dorset in England. But could you blame us? “American Psycho”, “American Hustle”... Even the man’s movies scream American! Not to mention that this incredible actor has played the iconic American superhero Batman, American cowboys (like the one in “3:10 to Yuma”), and many real-life Americans, including Vice President Dick Cheney in 2018’s “Vice”. We still have a hard time believing that his accent in “The Prestige” is more-or-less his natural one!

Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honourable mentions:

Henry Cavill

Katherine Langford

Isla Fisher

Damian Lewis

Ruth Negga

Playing a character for 8 years on a TV show has a way of changing the way people perceive you. At least that was Laurie’s experience playing Dr. Gregory House on “House”, in a role that won him numerous accolades and awards and the distinction of being the most watched leading man on TV at the time. However, Laurie had previously enjoyed quite a prolific career in the UK, especially as part of a comedic duo with Stephen Fry. Despite his prolific acting work in his native British accent, his American accent on “House” is the way many still remember him.