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Is there oddly high % of leading men from the UK these day Or has it always been this way
Posted on 9/25/26 at 10:09 am
Posted on 9/25/26 at 10:09 am
To be brief, the wife and I have been doing a “Damn, I didn’t know he was British” thing with a bunch of the “it” guys in Hollywood these days. It’s shocked me a bit. Not just leading role guys but up and coming guys you’re starting to see in really good movies left and right
Has this always been a thing? Damn, there seems like a really disproportionate number ok ridiculous handsome and talented actors from the UK. But maybe im dumb and this isn’t anything new. If that’s true then what explains it? A much higher focus on theater nationally?
If I wasnt a lazy bastard I’d compile our ongoing list
Has this always been a thing? Damn, there seems like a really disproportionate number ok ridiculous handsome and talented actors from the UK. But maybe im dumb and this isn’t anything new. If that’s true then what explains it? A much higher focus on theater nationally?
If I wasnt a lazy bastard I’d compile our ongoing list
Posted on 9/25/26 at 10:22 am to Chorizo chang
Well, your classic RSC/RCT-type guys have been prominent in Hollywood since the early talkies, notably Larry (Olivier).
The Big 5 (Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Larry, Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness) all appeared in Hollywood/British (or joint American/British films) from very early on and consistently. However, these were almost always extensions of their stage personas and not only British, but "very" British.
I think what you're talking about is Brits taking American roles. That seemed to have started, heavily, in the 1990s/2000s. I don't recall it being much of a deal before then, although I'm sure it happened.
Military films/shows - Saving Private Ryan, Blackhawk Down, Band of Brothers had scads of Brits playing American soldiers. You also had Minnie Driver playing mostly American roles - and early in her career. Kate Winslet plays a lot of Americans. Obviously, Hugh Laurie, Henry Cavill and DDL are all relatively famous for having great American accents.
Of course, the U.S. always has Renée Zellweger going the other way.
The Big 5 (Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Larry, Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness) all appeared in Hollywood/British (or joint American/British films) from very early on and consistently. However, these were almost always extensions of their stage personas and not only British, but "very" British.
I think what you're talking about is Brits taking American roles. That seemed to have started, heavily, in the 1990s/2000s. I don't recall it being much of a deal before then, although I'm sure it happened.
Military films/shows - Saving Private Ryan, Blackhawk Down, Band of Brothers had scads of Brits playing American soldiers. You also had Minnie Driver playing mostly American roles - and early in her career. Kate Winslet plays a lot of Americans. Obviously, Hugh Laurie, Henry Cavill and DDL are all relatively famous for having great American accents.
Of course, the U.S. always has Renée Zellweger going the other way.
Posted on 9/25/26 at 10:25 am to Chorizo chang
I have a theory that Brits have a sterile or generic American accent and that helps them fit into roles more easily. It's a subtle linguistic blank slate that allows the viewer to imprint the character into the actor more easily.
We aren't used to hearing someone manufacture an American accent so it sounds like an open book to us.
You pick up on the fact that Matt Damon is a Boston guy, or Leo is a Hollywood brat or Josh Lucas is a southern baw. But Michael Fassbender... he just becomes an unknown character when he speaks.
Meanwhile, they have the opposite problem when they do British work. They play some cop from Cornwall and the audience says, "he's clearly from Lincolnshire!"
Posted on 9/25/26 at 12:55 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
think what you're talking about is Brits taking American roles. That seemed to have started, heavily, in the 1990s/2000s. I don't recall it being much of a deal before then, although I'm sure it happened
That’s fair, to a degree. But it also seems like the UK guys do get a disproportionate amount of highly sought after parts
Off the top of my head (probably forgetting a ton)
Tom Holland
Robert Pattinson
Henry Cavill
Idris Elba
Leo Woodall
Tom Hardy
Theo James
Damson Idris
Daniel Day Lewis
Christian Bale
Gary Oldman
Benedict Cumberbatch
Daniel Craig
Tom Hiddleston
Ewan McGregor
Orlando Bloom
Nicholas Hoult
Jack O’Connell
Jacob Elordi
Jack Lowden
Kit Harrington
Cillian Murphy
Taron Egerton
Jude Law
Andrew Garfield
Jason Statham
Charlie Hunnam
And that’s just rattling off names as quick as I could type them, and im sure forgetting a bunch. If you’re putting together an all-star squad I don’t know how the U.S. comes even close to that lineup. But maybe im tripping
ps: I tried to stick to all the relevant guys off the top of my head. Im sure thats debatable for guys like Bloom etc. But it seems most of these guys are getting the lions share of the heavily sought after roles
This post was edited on 9/25/26 at 1:28 pm
Posted on 9/25/26 at 1:23 pm to Chorizo chang
quote:
But it also seems like the UK guys do get a disproportionate amount of highly sought after parts
...and you're not even touching the ANZACS, either
Posted on 9/26/26 at 9:12 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
Well, your classic RSC/RCT-type guys have been prominent in Hollywood since the early talkies, notably Larry (Olivier).
The Big 5 (Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Larry, Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness) all appeared in Hollywood/British (or joint American/British films) from very early on and consistently. However, these were almost always extensions of their stage personas and not only British, but "very" British.
I think what you're talking about is Brits taking American roles. That seemed to have started, heavily, in the 1990s/2000s. I don't recall it being much of a deal before then, although I'm sure it happened.
Military films/shows - Saving Private Ryan, Blackhawk Down, Band of Brothers had scads of Brits playing American soldiers. You also had Minnie Driver playing mostly American roles - and early in her career. Kate Winslet plays a lot of Americans. Obviously, Hugh Laurie, Henry Cavill and DDL are all relatively famous for having great American accents.
Of course, the U.S. always has Renée Zellweger going the other way.
A lot of fans of The Wire did not know (at the time) that Dominic West, who played McNulty, and Idris Elba, who played Stringer Bell, were British.
Posted on 9/26/26 at 11:38 am to Chorizo chang
Elordi is Australian
Posted on 9/26/26 at 11:42 am to Chorizo chang
Seems there are a lot from down under as well.
Posted on 9/26/26 at 12:13 pm to Chorizo chang
The socialist government of the United Kingdom puts a lot of money into the arts, and young people get a chance to be trained early. And the result is more better trained actors
Posted on 9/26/26 at 1:07 pm to OWLFAN86
There is also a lot of studio support infrastructure in the UK and the UK requires a % of everyone to be from the UK. So your pool of actors is somewhat standardized.
I remember the actress Velasquez in Aliens was hired primarily because she was in London, she was American, and counted towards the UK numbers due to a technicality
I remember the actress Velasquez in Aliens was hired primarily because she was in London, she was American, and counted towards the UK numbers due to a technicality
Posted on 9/26/26 at 7:45 pm to Stinger_1066
A lot of fans of The Wire did not know (at the time) that Dominic West, who played McNulty, and Idris Elba, who played Stringer Bell, were British.
Good point. I watched McNulty in a magnificent non musical version of Les Mis about a month ago. Such an amazing story when everyone isn’t singing their dialogue every 15 minutes. But that’s just me
Good point. I watched McNulty in a magnificent non musical version of Les Mis about a month ago. Such an amazing story when everyone isn’t singing their dialogue every 15 minutes. But that’s just me
Posted on 9/26/26 at 7:57 pm to OWLFAN86
quote:
The socialist government of the United Kingdom puts a lot of money into the arts, and young people get a chance to be trained early. And the result is more better trained actors
This dawned on me as well. The road to Hollywood is likely paved with theater work, and cooler to younger kids in drama at school. As opposed to being a decent looking guy/girl here and just going to work with some acting coach
Posted on 9/28/26 at 8:36 am to Chorizo chang
quote:
Andrew Garfield
had literally no idea he was English
the crossover has to have something to do with the indo-european mouth shape we have to speak English. and since our accents are generally flatter than all of the anglosphere it lends itself to being mimicked much easier by native English speakers
This post was edited on 9/28/26 at 8:37 am
Posted on 9/28/26 at 9:03 am to Chorizo chang
British stage/drama is better quality in general vs US. US better commercially of course and the US produces some excellent actor/ actresses, but if you have ever had the opportunity to see productions on Broadway vs the West End, it’s fairly obvious that they appear to have better training and it shouldn’t be surprising, Shakespeare died in 1616, Jamestown founded in 1607, so they have a much longer/richer history than the US.
I also agree with the point made earlier about “Queen’s English” actions (British/Australian) may have an easier transition to American English while maintaining excellent diction.
I also agree with the point made earlier about “Queen’s English” actions (British/Australian) may have an easier transition to American English while maintaining excellent diction.
Posted on 9/28/26 at 9:20 am to Ace Midnight
More American films are made in Britain. Hence more British actors.
Their actors start on the stage. They know how to act. You don't see many pretty boys who were just given contracts.
Their actors start on the stage. They know how to act. You don't see many pretty boys who were just given contracts.
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