For fantasy film fans a question...

[boombox]

I've just watched 'The Princess' on Disney+, starring Joey King as the titular heroine. She is a native of California, yet uses a credible British accent all the way through the film, battling actual Brit Dominic Cooper. (Have you also noticed that all the best villains are played by English actors?) There has, of course, been a long tradition of using British accents, often regional, in fantasy productions. Who can forget Californian Sean Astin's decent stab at an English West Country accent in 'Lord Of The Rings', Elijah Wood's passable Home Counties accent in the same, the "Scottish dwarves" and "Irish hobbits" in 'Rings Of Power' etc . Johnny Depp does a great job impersonating Keith Richards in the Pirates films, and many people thought Peter Dinklage actually was British in 'Game Of Thrones'. It doesn't always work, of course: for example, Mike McShane's ever changing regional accents in 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' and Costner's awful attempt at British in the same film, which led to Cary Elwes' epic line in 'Robin Hood (Men In Tights)', "Unlike other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent."

So, my question: it got me pondering if there were any fantasy films out there where American actors and actresses actually get to use their native accents. Any ideas?

(BTW, as for the film, if you take it for what it is, it's a pretty enjoyable, and much better than the 'Kissing Booth' films which launched her career. Silly, with implausible fight scenes a little like 'The Raid', but I'd watch her again in something similar: I can't help thinking she could have done a creditable performance as Enola Holmes or star in 'Bridgerton' or 'Little Women'.)

[Brucebubs]

The all-time worst attempt at a Brit accent by an American actor goes to ... Dick Van Dyke as a Cockney chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by boombox

'Robin Hood (Men In Tights)', )

Very funny movie.

I recently watched "You Kill Me" a comedy starring Ben Kingsley as a hitman in Buffalo N.Y. He was so completely convincing that it was jarring to watch the inevitable "making of" featurette and hear this guy from Buffalo (in costume) using a British accent to answer the interviewer's questions.

[boombox]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

The all-time worst attempt at a Brit accent by an American actor goes to ... Dick Van Dyke as a Cockney chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.

Of course, that is the classic! Worst of all, he became the model example for many Americans who really thought all British people talked like that. We have had our fair share of indigenous clunkers too - nothing has done a greater disservice to the Welsh that 'Gavin & Stacey' and that stupid question that absolutely no-one uses: "What's occurring?" At least "Whose coat is that jacket?" and "That's tidy!" (meaning good) are things South Walians would say. And worst of all, G&S was written by a Welsh actress and writer! But to return to DVD, at least he was supposed to be playing an Englishmen, whereas in fantasy, there is no real reason for people to change their accents.