If one has ever learned that their beloved actors playing all-American characters are not actually American, they would know the mixed feelings this revelation brings. The credit for this brilliant deception often goes to the actors for nailing the mannerisms and mastering the American accent. While a lot of work goes into the preparation, the final outcome can often seem effortless, so much so that one is unable to recognize the actors’ true nationalities.
1. Millie Bobby Brown
After watching Millie Bobby Brown rise to popularity with the role of Eleven in the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, set in 1980s Indiana, not many would have been able to tell that she is not American at all. Only if one happens to catch her in interviews or the movie Enola Holmes would they learn of her British roots. Another time that Brown dropped her British voice to sound American was in a 2015 episode of Modern Family. She was about 11 then! If that is not a clear indicator of the actor’s exceptional skill in mastering the American accent at a young age, then what is?
2. Margot Robbie
One could say this Birds of Prey lead fooled everyone for the longest time. Born and raised in Australia, Margot Robbie is another celebrity who effortlessly pulled off an American accent. She did, however, kickstart her career with roles in Australian soap operas and shows, including Neighbours. The Barbie actor then mastered the American mannerisms and accent, as is clear in her breakthrough roles as Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street and Harley Quinn in several DC films. Her range is also remarkable, as her Lapagila did not sound like her Quinn.
3. Christian Bale
After looking at his work in endless movies created, produced, and set in the States, it is hard to make sense that Christian Bale is not American. But the actor was born in Wales and, for the most part, grew up in England. That said, Bale did not let his English roots come in the way of his work. Whether it was his Patrick Bateman in American Psycho or Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, Bale became a household name, thanks to his ability to transform himself and his voice!
4. Daniel Day-Lewis
Not just American accents, Daniel Day-Lewis can work wonders when it comes to speed and voice modulation. As a methodical actor, Day-Lewis has taken on many personas, including playing a man with cerebral palsy, a New York gang boss, and an American oil baron, with as much ease as someone who grew up in the States. He even took on the role of Abraham Lincoln for the 2008 biographical film based on the 16th President of the country. For this role, it was crucial that he get the American accent right, and so he did! The American accent suits him so well that it is easy to believe that his original British accent is the one he is faking when off-set.
5. Simon Baker
The identity of the series villain, Red John, may have been under wraps for most seasons of The Mentalist. Still, it was Simon Baker—the actor behind the protagonist Patrick Jane—who managed to successfully deceive the viewers. That’s because, in real life, Baker sounds nothing like Jane, who is an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation on the show. In reality, Baker hails from Australia and only adopted the Boston accent for the show.
6. Damian Lewis
Born and raised in London, this actor got his break in the States when Steven Spielberg cast him as an Army officer, Richard Winters, in the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers. This was also the first stint in which he had to use an American accent. Thankfully, he got it right. Following this role, Lewis continued to explore several dialects across small screens and in high-profile series such as Homeland and Billions. He also managed to play the role of Steve McQueen quite convincingly in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Makes one thing if the actor is indeed American and his British accent is the adopted one, doesn’t it?
7. Henry Cavill
The star who embodied the role of Superman on several occasions is actually British. In an interview with Virgin Radio, Cavill admitted that it now takes an effort to flaunt his English accent because he tends to get used to the American one. Cavill, who was awarded the title of the most handsome man in 2022, has also mastered speaking in an exaggerated or affected American accent, which is considered dated and transatlantic. He used this speech style to portray the role of a CIA agent, Napoleon Solo, in the film The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
8. Alicia Vikander
Known for her versatile roles, this Academy Award winner can also get the American accent right. In Ex Machina, Alicia Vikander, who plays the role of Ava in the film, worked extensively with a dialect coach to master the accent. That’s not it. The actor also nailed the British accent for a few roles. As for her roots, Vikander hails from Sweden.
