Celebrity learning English accent ???

[j4mes_bond25]

I'm desperately intrigued to know as how long the following people took in learning new accent, particularly those who learnt broad British English accent.

Who did they take their lessons from & how long it took them to learn their new English accent ???

>> Mike Myers (American to English)
>> Renee Zellweger (American to English)
>> Gordon Brown (Scottish to English)
>> Pierce Brosnan (Irish to English)
>> Colin Ferrell (Irish to American)

I particularly like Mike Myers' British accent (as in Austin Powers movie).

Similarly, I'd equally be interested in knowing about other famous people (or even from non-famous or people around), learning new accent, be it be learning a particular "regional" or "national" accent.

Any response would be greatly appreciated.

[rancher247]

Hugh Laurie (English to American)
I'd check out imdb.com. It has lists of trivia about actors or you could ask on the discussion boards.

[Tdol]

Myers' parents are British, which probably accounts for his ability- he would have grown up with the sounds around him.

[Ouisch]

As Tdol said, Mike Meyers' parents are British, which probably accounts for his ability to lapse into both the English and Scottish accent when necessary. I remember seeing an interview he did years ago, where he was recounting a time when he was a child and some of his relatives from England were visiting. They'd all been outside playing, and it started raining. They went back into the house, and his British cousin said (in a very pronounced British accent): "Oh, mummy, I've gotten me head wet." And all the Canadian-born relatives started smothering him with attention because of his "cute" accent. Mike said, "Hey, I'm wet, too!" but no one paid attention.

By the way, American English speakers note that Mike Meyers still has a very distinct Canadian accent when he speaks.

[Tdol]

'I've gotten' from a BrE speaker?? I did enjoy his Scottish in 'I married an axe murderess'

[blueabell2go]

I think Mike Myers Scottish accent was spot on in "I Married...". Unlike Mel Gibson's in Braveheart. The worst Scottish accent I have ever heard was Richard Chamberlain, playing the part of a Scottish tracker in Canada or Northern USA. Can't remember the name of the TV drama series.

If you are referring to Gordon Brown the Chancellor, I don't think he has an English accent. It's just an educated Scottish accent.

I'm sure I read that Pierce Brosnan came to live in England from Ireland at about age 12, probably young enough to acquire a new accent without forgetting the old one.

Renee Zellweger's and Gwyneth Paltrow's English accents sound very authentic to me.

[Ouisch]

Originally Posted by Tdol

'I've gotten' from a BrE speaker?? I did enjoy his Scottish in 'I married an axe murderess'

Paraphrasing from memory of an old interview. How would a proper BrE speaker phrase such a statement?