American actors, British accents
By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Off with their heads! The British had their knickers in a twist when it was announced that two Americans would be playing the legendary historical characters Mary and
Scarl-Jo and Nat-Po
Johansson and Portman were corsetted naturals as Mary and Anne Boleyn, thanks to practice: Natalie had success with a British accent as Padme in the last three Star Wars movies. And Scarlett had gone British previously in The Prestige.
Rating: 3½ scones apiece (on a scale of 1 to 4) (Alex Bailey / Associated Press)
Frances McDormand
The Oscar-winner puts a stiff upper lip forward in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, a new romantic comedy set in London in 1939. McDormand is no slouch at accents, dont you know remember her perfect Minnesota inflection in her award-winning turn as Police Chief Marge Gunderson in Fargo? In “Miss Pettigrew,” she scores with her elegant British tones as a nanny who becomes a young Americans social secretary.
Rating: 3 scones (Kerry Brown / Associated Press)
Meryl Streep
The queen of accents demonstrated her versatility with a British accent in 1981s The French Lieutenants Woman, for which she received her first best actress Oscar nomination, playing a woman from the 19th century as well as a contemporary actress.
Rating: 4 scones (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)
