Foreign Actors On Spooks

[JHyde]

Personally, I thought her American accent was just as bad as Genevieve O'Reilly's. And she was actually from the US!

From memory, I think I also took the opportunity to list some Australian actors who do more than adequate American accents. Rose Byrne, Rachel Griffiths, Simon Baker, Toni Collette, Ryan Kwanten......plus most of the really big actors from out here. Ironically, I think if there's anything you learn as an Australian actor and you're serious about getting work, you need to learn how to do accents, especially American accents. And you need to do them well.

Of course, if they work in the US, they need to join SAG. (There's actually a real Australian community out in LA - some bigger actors have open houses for smaller actors/writers/directors who come out to make their way, because it's just such a long way to go. Heath Ledger was especially well known for his open door policy.) The same way I think they need to join the union in the UK to get their equity card. I don't think we have a similar set up for American or British actors who come out here and do local films (and they've been quite a few examples of that recently). I'll ask my friends in the biz what the rule is, but I'm pretty sure it's a free for all. Living on a barren rock in the arse end of nowhere (as Malcolm Tucker so eloquently put it), I suppose we're excited about anyone with a name coming out to join the local scene.

Congrats on your first thread A Cousin!