There are a lot of actors who can flawlessly shift accents at a moment’s notice, whether that’s the EnglishBenedict Cumberbatchtransforming into native New Yorker Steven Strange or the AmericanAdam Driverembodying the ItalianMaurizio Gucci.
RELATED:Lady Gaga Spoke With Her House of Gucci Accent for Almost a Year
That being said, accents are no easy thing to master, and many actors spend months with dialect coaches before they’re able to step into the vocal cords of somebody else. However, sometimes things just don’t go to plan. For one reason or another, the accent never quite clicks, and the end result is a little bit uncomfortable for everyone.
Quentin Tarantino — ‘Django Unchained’
Quentin Tarantinois a man who practically has a spotless filmography. One of the finest working directors today, Tarantino has mastermindedPulp Fiction,Kill Bill, andOnce Upon A Time In Hollywood, to name just a few.
Fans of the acclaimed director will undoubtedly be aware that he takes a small role in most of his films, be that the narrator inThe Hateful Eightor the more sizeable role of Mr. Brown inReservoir Dogs. However, his most memorable role came when he attempted an Australian accent inDjango Unchained. The part is brief, but Tarantino’s accent shifts between Australian and New Zealand-ish in his few minutes of screentime.
Jeremy Irons — ‘The House Of Gucci’
Ridley Scott’sThe House of Gucciopened to solid reviews and a good box office haul, but that doesn’t mean the film is without its faults.
Though the biopic boasts stellar performances fromLady GagaandAdam Driver, who handle the Italian accent with relevant ease, the same cannot be said, however, for Academy Award winnerJeremy Irons. Irons' accent slips from line to line, with certain words flawlessly Italian and others skewing a little British. That said, the character’s mustache is so exceptional that the questionable accent is barely even noticeable.
Charlie Hunnam — ‘Green Street’
It’s crucial to start this entry by saying thatCharlie Hunnamhas since massively improved his Cockney accent inGuy Ritchie’sThe Gentleman, but his first attempt inGreen Streetleaves a lot to be desired.
RELATED:Best Adam Driver Performances Ranked From Worst to Best
For a film that’s rather authentically Cockney, it was a strange decision to cast a Geordie in the role and one that never really pays off. Thankfully, there’s enough football hooliganism and savage violence to ensureGreen Streetis still a ferociously entertaining movie; it’s just a shame they didn’t cast somebody from London in the role of Pete, somebody from London.
Russel Crowe — ‘Robin Hood’
Ridley Scott’sRobin Hoodis not a particularly memorable film. Released in 2010 to average reviews and a mediocre box office return, the legendary director’s take on Robin Longstride and his band of marauders didn’t really capture the imagination of fans.
Russel Crowe’sperformance, in particular, came under scrutiny, with many fans struggling to pinpoint exactly where his Robin Hood supposedly originated from. Crowe actually stormed out of an interview during the film’s press tour when an interviewer pressed him on precisely which English dialect he was aiming for.
Keanu Reeves — ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’
Before he wasJohn Wickor Neo or any of his other memorable characters inany of his other movies,Keanu Reevesas Jonathan Harker inBram Stoker’s Dracula, directed byFrancis Ford Coppola.
Cast alongside a whole host of English talent, includingGary Oldman,Anthony Hopkins, andRichard E. Grant, it’s probably no surprise that Reeves' English accent stands out for the wrong reasons. A little high-pitched and dainty, it’s certainly not the best performance of Reeves' career, but given the countless excellent performances he’s given us over the years, we can forgive him this one.
Harrison Ford — ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’
Harrison Fordis iconic. Whether he’s wielding a fedora and a whip in any of theIndiana Jonesfilms or sitting beside Chewbecaa and piloting the Millenium Falcon in agalaxy far, far away,he always finds a way to make his performances memorable.
RELATED:Why Rocket Raccoon Is Bradley Cooper’s Best Performance
But in the case ofK-19: The Widowmaker, it is Ford’s Russian accent that springs to mind when people think back to the action film. Notoriously a tricky accent to master, Ford gives it his all but unfortunately, the accent never quite lands. Thankfully though, one lousy accent wasn’t enough to derail the career of Ford or the film’s directorKathryn Bigelow.
Anne Hathaway — ‘One Day’
Anne Hathawayis no stranger to an English accent, and for the most part, she is effortlessly good at them. Based on these past successes, it was a real surprise that she couldn’t quite master the Yorkshire accent required for the role of Emma Morley inOne Day, directed byLone Scherfig.
Fans of the immensely popular novel were left disappointed with the casting, as Hathaway’s Emma doesn’t feel anywhere near as authentic as the rest of the characters in the film. In Hathaway’s defense, not many people outside of the UK know what a Yorkshire accent sounds like, so all things considered, it was a “chuffin” good effort.
Mike Myers — ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’
Admittedly this entry does feel a little like a cop-out because, as with everything else in anAustin Powersfilm, Goldmember’s terrible Dutch accent is a parody of things that have come before.
The joy of watching two-time Academy Award winner Michael Caine act oppositeMike Myersdoing a terrible Dutch accent is hilarious, and, if anything, an accurate Dutch accent would have stripped away a lot of the humor. With that in mind, it’s doubtful that Mike Myers underwent any type of accent lessons or gave the matter a second thought, which of course, only serves to makeJay Roach’sfilm funnier.
Dick Van Dyke — ‘Mary Poppins’
Mary Poppinsis a timeless classic. The 1964 American musical byRobert Stevensonhas stood the test of time, remembered fondly by all who’ve seen it.
RELATED:Best Anime Shows of 2021 Ranked
If you asked people for one criticism, though, I’m sure they’d all raise the same concern —Dick Van Dyke’saccent. Van Dyke, cast alongside the iconicJulie Andrews, never seems entirely comfortable in his Cockney accent. To cut Van Dyke some slack, he wasn’t only required to speak in the unfamiliar dialect but sing in it too. Of course, with a film as beloved asMary Poppins, a single lousy accent isn’t enough to stop children and adults alike from tuning in whenever it pops up on TV.
