Many great actors put on a particular voice for certain roles, butit’s always exciting when they sneak their real-life accents into their characters.Several actors' real-life voices are unexpected and surprising, mainly because they spend so long portraying a character that audiences forget that there is a real person behind the fictional persona. For example, Andrew Lincoln is so well-known asRick Grimes inThe Walking Deadthat many are shocked to discover that he is actually British.
There are multiple occasions when an actor who has a unique and notable character voice injects their own accent into a performance, either inTVormovies.This is especially noticeable for those who play a character from a different part of the worldthan their actor comes from. However, some of these examples show actors taking on a dialect from another area of their respective countries, which is very close to their true voices but isn’t exact. Whether it is amazing or terrible, often on purpose, it’s always fun to hear a character replicate their actor’s real-life accent.
7Luke Youngblood’s English Accent
Community - Season 5, Episode 5 “Geothermal Escapism”
Luke Youngblood is a fantastic British actor who has, surprisingly, made an even bigger name for himself in the US. Youngblood is best remembered for portraying Jordan Lee intheHarry Pottermoviesas a teenager, but in his adult years, he is also known for his role asMagnitude inCommunity.Magnitude is a completely ridiculous character who appears at random pointsand makes every episode he stars in that much better.
This is especially because of his iconic catchphrase, “Pop, pop!” which is nothing short of hilarious at times. Hopefully, it’ll be heard again in the upcoming movie. Magnitude is American, but there is one moment in which Youngblood uses his own voice.
Community
Cast
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
In the season 5 episode “Geothermal Escapism,” Greendale’s student body takes part in a school-wide game where the floor is lava. When chaos ensues, andas Shirley’s Island starts to collapse, a frightened Magnitude takes cover and loudly admits, “I’m actually British!”This moment is brilliantly funny because Youngblood purposely makes his voice sound even more stereotypical than usual for comedic effect, but it’s also clear that his accent is native.
6Nicola Coughlan’s Irish Accent
Bridgerton - Season 2, Episode 1 “Capital R Rake”
Nicola Coughlan has famously altered her accent for a TV show in the past. Coughlan notably portrays Clare Devlin in the hit sitcomDerry Girls, which is a separate part of Ireland in which she is from. The actress originates from Galway, which is a part of the Republic, whereas Derry is in Northern Ireland, which is a separate territory.
In recent years,Coughlan has been best known for playing Penelope Featherington, one ofthe best characters inBridgerton. Penelope is a multi-talented woman, and her skills aren’t limited to her writing abilities.Bridgertonreveals that Penelope is Lady Whistledownrather early on in the show, which establishes the character’s sneaky side perfectly.
Bridgerton
Bridgerton, released on August 22, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
Penelope’s efforts to keep her identity under wraps is a prominent part of her character arc, and in the season 2 episode “Capital R Rake,” she demonstrates just how important this is to her. While visiting Whistledown’s printers, Penelope puts on an Irish accent and pretends to be her own maid.Coughlan uses more of a Dublin accent than her own,but it is only a few hours away from Galway, so they sound somewhat similar.
5David Tennant’s Scottish Accent
Doctor Who - Season 2, Episode 2 “Tooth And Claw”
David Tennant is an obvious example of an actor who uses a completely different accent from his own for a character.Both the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors use a typical London-esque accent, but Tennant is actually from Paisley in Scotland. However, early on in his first tenure as the legendary Time Lord, the actor has the opportunity to show off his talents with dialects and accents.
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In the season 2 episode “Tooth and Claw,” the Doctor and Rose land in 19th century Scotland and cross paths with Queen Victoria, one of manyreal-life historical figures inDoctor Who. A good chunk of this episode sees the Doctor take on the persona of Dr. James McCrimmon from Balamory, another well-known location in Scotland.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who: Released on July 04, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
In these scenes,Tennant adopts a Scottish accent similar to his own, although it’s not exactly his usual voice.However, “Tooth and Claw” is only Tennant’s third episode, and this gives him the opportunity to flaunt the personality of the newly regenerated Doctor. Not only is the Doctor adaptable to the situation he finds himself in, but he also has a sense of humor, as he quickly slips into an interpretation of a Highlands-style Scottish accent.
4Hugh Laurie’s English Accent
House - Season 1, Episode 6 “The Socratic Method”
Hugh Laurie is a massive name in the UK and a beloved comedian, especially when he works alongside his long-time friend Stephen Fry. That’s why Gregory House fromHouseis such an interesting character of his, andLaurie is surprisingly good at the American accent.
The sarcastic and often apathetic clinician is quick to mock others when he feels it necessary, which is generally unappreciated bythe other doctors inHouse’s team. However, in the season 1 episode “The Socratic Method,” Laurie mimics himself in character. When the titular character attempts to call a patient’s other physicians, he doesn’t get very far because it is so late at night.
House throws on an over-the-top English accent and plays dumb,pretending that he has mixed up the time zones as an excuse, although this doesn’t work either. This is a brief but hilarious moment, but it isn’t Laurie’s true voice from his daily life. However, it is a parody of Laurie’s best sketches from over the years, as well as one of his most popular characters: Prince George from one ofthe best British sitcoms ever,Blackadder.
3Daniel Dae Kim’s American Accent
Lost - Season 2, Episode 4 “Everybody Hates Hugo”
Lostis one ofthe most important TV shows of the 21st century, and a core contributor to this is the show’s dream sequences, which add further intrigue and depth to an already mysterious story. It’s often confusing what is exactly real and what isn’t, which throws viewers off. In the season 2 episode, “Everybody Hates Hugo,” Hurley has a dream where he starts gorging on the absurd amount of food in the Swan’s pantry.
However,Hurley is interrupted by Jin, who not only speaks perfect English but also swaps his South Korean accent for an American one.Jin actor Daniel Dae Kim originates from South Korea, but he has lived in the United States since the age of 1 and has an American accent.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
Jin is famously introduced as one ofLost’s main charactersin the pilot with no grasp of the English language. Even though he slowly picks it up, it’s a massive shock to see him speak it flawlessly in Hurley’s dream. While it’s a shame that Jin’s American voice doesn’t return after this dream sequence, it still highlights how strange and sometimes unsettling these types of scenes are.
2Dominic West’s English Accent
The Wire - Season 2, Episode 9 “Stray Rounds”
Dominic West’s Jimmy McNulty provides many ofthe best quotes inThe Wire,many of whichprove that he considers his work chasing after criminals as a game of some sort. While he typically does a solid job of cleaning up the streets of Baltimore, his attitude is occasionally misinterpreted as unprofessional.
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One key moment that shows this is in the season 2 episode “Stray Rounds,” whenMcNulty prepares for an undercover operation to infiltrate a brotheland discusses the best plan of action with his wise colleague, veteran Detective Lester Freamon. McNulty decides to take on the identity of James Cromwell, a British man visiting the establishment. In this scene, West uses a terrible and almost satirical accent that somewhat resembles English, although this is done on purpose.
The Wire
The Wire, debuting in 2002, is a series that explores the complex world of Baltimore’s narcotics scene, presenting perspectives from both law enforcement and their targets. It delves into how the war on drugs has evolved into a self-perpetuating institution, blurring moral boundaries between right and wrong.
McNulty’s attempt to sound like a typical English person is stupidly comical, butthere are certain words that West pronounces with his own voice.These tiny inflections are subtle and are easy to miss, but they are there. However, this makes sense, considering that West is from the UK and is playing an American who then pretends to be English.
IZombie - Season 4, Episode 6 “My Really Fair Lady”
Rose McIver’s success iniZombieputs her on the radar in Hollywood, and her role as the show’s protagonist, Liv Moore, is a staple of her career. The actress stars as Liv, who is turned into a zombie and feeds on the brains of corpses to help solve their murders, in every season ofiZombie,andshe uses a strong American accent throughout.However, McIver is actually from New Zealand, not that it’s obvious in her portrayal of Liv.
It’s relatively common for actors from Britain, Australia, or New Zealand to struggle with the American accent, but McIver nails it.
It’s relatively common for actors from Britain, Australia, or New Zealand to struggle with the American accent, but McIver nails it. In the season 4 episode “My Really Fair Lady,” Liv investigates the death of a theater actress and inherits several traits of the woman, including her passion for performing.
iZombie
After being turned into a zombie, medical resident Liv must periodically feast on human brains to keep the appearance of being human and takes a job at a morgue to sate her hunger. When she discovers that eating a corpse’s brain gives her temporary access to their skills, traits, and memories, Liv decides to use her talent to help solve murders.
While she tries to rescue a group of people stuck in a shipping container, Liv confronts a security guard and slips into a character with a New Zealand accent. This is actually McIver’s real accent, who is a native of Auckland, and not an interpretation of a dialect from another part of the country. The accent is decent, butwhat’s even more impressive is that McIver makes her voice sound artificial.
