What did y'all think of it? The first time I saw this, I cringed and couldn't stand it. But then it didn't seem quite as bad my second time around. How authentic did she sound to you?
shareActually, a lot of the time, she sounded as if she had a faint South African accent, but it didn't strike me as being a major issue.
shareNot authentic really, she sounded like an American that was trying to be english
shareI'm English and her accent is fine, if a little slowly delivered.
Only those with no valid argument pick holes in people's spelling and grammar.
I think she did fine. Some irony: she beat out Keira Knightley for the role and sometimes, I thought Keira was in the movie! On the other hand, Keira and countryman Daniel Craig played Americans in the movie "The Jacket." Daniel did okay passing for an American but Keira had trouble getting it right. She frequently sounded like she had a cold or a very scratchy throat. I've seen several episodes of House and Hugh does a great job getting away with an American accent.
shareI'm English and her accent is fine, if a little slowly delivered.
Another great point.
I'm sure if most people first experience with Portman was this movie they wouldn't have thought otherwise regarding her accent.
It goes the exact same way with British actors who are somewhat known but not necessarily A-list stars. Easy to be fooled when you have no reference to judge by.
Think this is the biggest overlooked aspect of doing an accent, especially an American imitating a Brit (Girls over here do it all the time, it's become an obnoxious fad in the last few years). Anyway, the cadence of British accents is generally a bit quicker than most American accents (barring a Brooklyn and other varying NY accents).
shareShe was raised in the US, giving her a predominantly American upbringing.
When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth.share
I'm English and I thought she sounded authentic. I thought it was as good as Paltrow or Jolie both of whom I prefer to hear speaking with an English accent rather than their own regular one!
Hugo Weaving also did a good job with two different English accents in the film.
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I find it curious and ironic that the people who have found fault with Portman's British accent are not themselves British, while the Brits who have commented here say that they thought her accent was very good!
As for the poster who criticised the American accents of Australian actors, what about Nicole Kidman, Guy Pearce, Mel Gibson, Kate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Russell Crowe, Rachel Griffiths and Yvonne Strahovski, to name just a few...?
As a Brit (South East England) I thought she did a stellar job but I do think that concentrating on an accent is an extra that can hold an actor/ actress back, and that it halted her emoting skills, most definitely in the underground scene
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