Top 10 Best American Accents by International Stars

#10: Alexander Skarsgård

This Swedish actor enjoyed some of the biggest successes in his career playing American characters. He rose to prominence playing a U.S. Marine, Brad Colbert, in Generation Kill. However, he almost didnt get the role because the shows executive producer, David Simon, wasnt sure about his American accent. Skarsgård persisted, auditioning multiple times, until he booked the role, and collaborated with a dialect coach afterward. We saw more of his American accent in The Diary of a Teenage Girl, and by that point, he had mastered it. Years later, he won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance as Perry Wright, also an American, in Big Little Lies. For anyone unaware of his background, he might as well be from the States.

#9: Florence Pugh

One of the best young artists in the entertainment industry right now, this Oscar-nominee is a woman of many faces and voices. Florence Pugh hails from the United Kingdom and started her career there. However, she soared to major success as an American woman, Dani, in Midsommar. Having made such a brilliant breakthrough in Hollywood, she took up more American roles, such as Amy in Little Women and Jean Tatlock in Oppenheimer. Over time, she became a Tinseltown darling. However, as her fan base grew, new supporters were surprised to hear her British accent in interviews, finally realizing that she had come from across the pond.

#8: Daniel Kaluuya

Jordan Peeles golden boy is originally from England. He began his acting journey on the British stage and screen, building a solid filmography until he was tapped by Peele for his horror classic, Get Out. Upon the release of the film, his character Chris Washington became the face of American race relations, earning the actor worldwide renown. Most viewers who were introduced to him through this work probably didnt even imagine that he could be a non-American. So, when people found out he had a thick British accent in real life, they were even more amazed by his talent.

#7: Saoirse Ronan

Although born in New York City, the Lady Bird actress is Irish and has the most beautiful Dublin accent. Both of her parents are Dubliners, and she grew up in a village called Ardattin in County Carlow, Ireland. However, you probably wouldnt be able to guess that because of how wonderfully she has perfected her American accent. Quintessential American characters she has played, such as Christine in Lady Bird and Jo March in Little Women, are proof of this. Not only is her real accent completely suppressed, but the accent she is putting on is genuinely believable.

#6: Andrew Garfield

This superstar has an American father with Polish roots and an English mother. Born in L.A., Andrew grew up in both the City of Angels and London but naturally gravitated to a British accent. However, he admitted that it was easy for him to sound American because of his upbringing. He always heard his father, whose parents once lived in the U.K., speaking with a distinct mix of both British and American accents. So, talking in an American tone came naturally to him as well. Even when he sings in Tick, Tick... Boom!, it is devoid of Britishness. No wonder hes so convincing as American superhero Spider-Man, just like Tom Holland, another British actor who plays the same character believably.

#5: Cary Grant

This legends accent has a fandom of its own. An icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Cary Grant was known for his unique mid-Atlantic accent. It was neither American nor British, but a hybrid. The ambiguity of his accent made some people think he was actually Australian! In reality, Grant was born in Bristol, England, and had a West Country accent, but dropped it as he worked extensively in the U.S. as a theater actor. Over time, his characteristic tone on the silver screen was cultivated by blending his British accent, which had subtle hints of Cockney, with American. However, behind the scenes, he reportedly sounded English.

#4: Toni Collette

This Australian queen is an acting genius in every sense of the word. From very early on in her career, Toni Collette earned high praise for nailing her American accent down to a T. From Beth in Dinner with Friends to Lynn in The Sixth Sense and Annie in Hereditary, she never fails to pass as a true-blue American. The credit, here, is entirely her own because the actress prefers not to work with dialect coaches. Instead, she simply sees her characters for who they are and breathes life into them, giving viewers a total transformation every time. If you had no idea Toni was Australian, dont blame yourselves. Even Stephen Colbert didnt, until a few years ago. Luckily, she didnt seem to mind.

#3: Charlize Theron

She came, she saw, she conquered. After growing up in South Africa with Afrikaans as her first language, Charlize Theron pursued a modeling career in Europe before landing in the U.S. Once she had made up her mind to enter showbiz, she worked tirelessly until she was discovered by an agent, who put her in an acting class. One thing led to another, and Theron is now one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood. However, back when she had just come to the States, she had a bit of trouble with her English. Over time, she learned the language from American TV shows and now has a natural American accent on and off-screen. You can hear her original accent in early interviews.

#2: Hugh Laurie

You know him best as House, an arrogant but genius American doctor with a knack for the rarest diagnoses. The Briton who plays him in the eponymous show, Hugh Laurie, couldnt be more different. He is known to be a pleasant gentleman with a typical British sense of humor. However, when he auditioned for the role, his American accent was so on point that even executive producer Bryan Singer was convinced he had American blood running in his veins. Interestingly, Laurie once admitted to having difficulty pronouncing medical jargon in his stateside accent. To be honest, though, virtually no one could tell. His American accent in Stuart Little was just as impressive.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Lucy Lawless

The New Zealander Was Mistaken for an American from Her Xena: Warrior Princess Accent

Robert Pattinson

The Twilight Heartthrob Is English but Is a Master of Various American Accents

Rosamund Pike

The English Actresss Performance as an American Housewife in Gone Girl Feels Too Real

Millie Bobby Brown

Her Accent in Stranger Things Had Everyone Thinking the British Actress Was American

Christian Bale

The Dark Knight Star Acts Extensively in an American Accent

#1: Margot Robbie

This incredible actress is Australias pride, as she was born there, and Americas joy, because her contribution to Hollywood is immense. She has made a brilliant reputation for herself playing classic American characters. This includes Barbie in Greta Gerwigs hit film of the same name, Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, and Tonya Harding in I, Tonya. Her Brooklyn accent in The Wolf of Wall Street and Appalachian accent in Z for Zachariah are excellent, too. So, it is no surprise that her being American is a common misconception. We cannot wait to see how many more American accents she has in store for us next.

Which American character played by a non-American actor is your favorite? Tell us in the comments down below!