[oldsalt]

What amazes me is the talent that British actors have with American accents,Hugh Laurie on "House" is as British as they come but you wouldn't know it listening to "Dr. House"

The same goes for the guy who played Dick Winters on "Band of Brothers",and half the cast of American soldiers too.

The funny thing is that I can't think of an American actor who can do a convincing British accent...go figure.

[driftless2]

"convincing accent"

Very true. I've noticed the same thing myself. Chalk it up to better training on the part of the Brits. Or absorbing a lot more American tv than Americans absorb Brit tv.

[thecodont]

The funny thing is that I can't think of an American actor who can do a convincing British accent...go figure.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Nannie McPhee Returns" did fairly well.

[dr_lew]

The funny thing is that I can't think of an American actor who can do a convincing British accent...go figure.

American english is dominated by the schwa, as in "Whudduhyuh gunnuh do?" It's leveled out, dulled, compared to British english, and hence easier to fall into.

... just a theory.

[PallMal]

Heck, I'm originally from England, and when I was a kid growing up there, I was able to emulate an American accent very easily (probably from watching all the American TV shows), and I don't think I'm a talented actor.

However, just as you stated, you hardly hear an American emulate a British accent correctly. Usually the poor attempt of the British accent has the improper soft "a" sound being used in words like "pants" (trousers) (it's pronounced the same way in most of the UK as it is in America -- you don't say "pahnts" in the UK).

[Excellence]

And Dr. Chase is now on Chicago Fire with a perfect “American” accent.