An increasing number of Australian and British actors are adopting the American accent for starring roles in the U.S.
A few example’s are – Aussie actors: Josef Brown, star of “Dirty Dancing,” a theater version of the hit movie, currently playing in Chicago; Simon Baker on “The Mentalist”; and Travis Fimmel on A&E’s upcoming FBI drama “The Beast,” also based in Chicago.
British actors: Hugh Laurie on “House”; Anna Friel on “Pushing Daisies”; on television; and Robert Pattinson in the big screen’s ” Twilight.”
“One of the reasons for the recent influx has to do with the collapse of the British film industry,” says Marc Hirschfeld, executive vice president of casting at NBC Universal Television.
“The fact that there isn’t as much work in the U.K. as there has been in the past has opened things up a bit for them and with the expansion of original programming on cable, there’s a greater need for actors with lead experience.”
…”To find the depth of experience that we usually require in those leads, the U.K. and Australia are great places to go”, he told the Chicago Tribune.
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