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This is an old BBC article, but I found it amusing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3032052.stm

Does anyone have any new entries for worst film accent? Let's hear them!

This is probably on the list, but Dick van Dyke had the worst Cockney EVER for "Mary Poppins."
But then he explained that Pat O'Leach was brought by Disney to be his Cockney coach... Pat O'Leach is Irish.

Dick Van Dyke is #2 on the list. His Cockney accent is, indeed, horrible.

Michael Fassbender's character, Burke, from Jonah Hex, was the worst Irish accent I'd ever seen in a movie. What's funny is his mother is Irish. My guess is he was going for a Connacht accent, but failed horribly. He would often sound more "plain American" than he would Irish.

Can't believe that Rooney didn't make the list for Breakfast at Tiffany's, and also Michael Caine in Weatherman ugh. But I don't think Connery should've made the list, he doesn't try to alter his accent unlike the others

Mickey Rourke as Whiplash

Steven Sagal as Torrez(Machete)

Jessica Alba as that US Customs Agent(Machete)

Most attempts at Scottish accents usually end up horrifically bad.

Christopher Lambert in the Highlander
Christopher Eccleston in GI Joe
Mel Gibson in Braveheart

I love ya. Always 'ave.

Boston accents are usually really overdone and exaggerated.

Originally posted by KingD19

Steven Sagal as Torrez(Machete)


Yep, that was probably the worst Mexican accent in film history.

Damon's Texas accent in True Grit.

Dunno what kind of accent it was supposed to be, but Ben Foster's in 3:10 to Yuma was awful.

I think American of some short.

Yeah, it was supposed to be a West Texas/Southwestern accent (AKA: the "Cowboy accent". And yeah, it was terrible. Ben Foster's from Back East, so that might explain why he sucked so badly at it. Still, the man's an actor, so he should have at least been able to pull off a decent one. Maybe he just had a bad dialect coach, who knows.

What about Al Pacino in Scarface?

Originally posted by The Dark Cloud
What about Al Pacino in Scarface?

That was actually a pretty good Cuban accent. He did a great job sounding like a first-language Spanish speaker. And I would know, since Spanish was my first language.

I remember Christopher Lambert came up one time for his scottish accent in Hightlander.

I think Sir Sean Connery does great accents.Richard Gere is horrible in "The First Knight" and so was Kevin Costner in the Robin movies he can't make any english accent

Definitely have to give a nod to Elijah Wood and Sean Astin for their awful English accents in the LOTR trilogy.

Or Gere's lucky charms accent in The Jackal.

As much as I love the Boondock Saints, Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery did an awful Irish accent. Same can be said for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's Irish accents in Far and Away.

In Tango & Cash, Brion James' attempt at an English Cockney accent comes out as Australian, it's very bad.

And I know this is about films an all but I've got to point out that Anthony LaPaglias' butchering of an Mancunian accent in Frasier is terrible, really makes painful viewing.

Originally posted by Impediment
Definitely have to give a nod to Elijah Wood and Sean Astin for their awful English accents in the LOTR trilogy.

I heard worst!

Charlie Hunman's horrific cockney accent in Green St....

Most Irish accents are just plain bad. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc.

Though as mentioned before, the Scots were pretty bad too.

Originally posted by -Pr-
Most Irish accents are just plain bad. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc.

Though as mentioned before, the Scots were pretty bad too.

I'd like to be put under the same coaching to see if I could do any better. It always makes me wonder: is it a very significant acting achievement or are they just not good at imitation? I may gain appreciation for what they do if I come off having a horrible accent.



Makes me think...would that change how most of you approach this thread if you got to go through the same coaching they do? It's about 1-2 hours of coaching, a day, for a month or two. That seems like a huge amount of coaching, to me. Some get only 2 weeks, but I can't think of any examples.

Originally posted by dadudemon
I'd like to be put under the same coaching to see if I could do any better. It always makes me wonder: is it a very significant acting achievement or are they just not good at imitation? I may gain appreciation for what they do if I come off having a horrible accent.



Makes me think...would that change how most of you approach this thread if you got to go through the same coaching they do? It's about 1-2 hours of coaching, a day, for a month or two. That seems like a huge amount of coaching, to me. Some get only 2 weeks, but I can't think of any examples.

I honestly don't know; I think it's just a perception that Hollywood has when it comes to Ireland, the whole "oirish top of the mornin" thing. Until they move on, we're going to tend to get badly represented.

Thankfully it's not all doom and gloom though, as if you want an example of a good one, look at Matthew Goode in Leap Year. He's not perfect, but he's good. He even gets some of the slang right.

And to be honest I think the coaches can be as much to blame as the actors (when you look at what i mentioned above about perceptions).

Kathleen Turner's horrible Russian accent in V.I. Warshawski.


Also, it's been years since I've seen Red Heat, but I remember Arnold's accent being atrocious.

Famke Janssen Russian in Golden Eye.

Any accent done by Leo.

Kevin Costner did the absolute worst Boston accent in Thirteen Days.

Originally posted by Robtard
Kevin Costner did the absolute worst Boston accent in Thirteen Days.

Good point. American actors usually screw up other regional American accents that aren't their own.

Non-Southerners never sound natural when using a Southern accent; they always end up sounding like that rooster Foghorn Leghorn from Looney Toons. Sometimes its hard to take them seriously.

Ben Affleck goes a bit overboard in 'The Town' with his accent, despite being raised in Massachusetts.

Well, as far as the over-the top Massachusetts accent goes, I work with a fella that has the worst accent I've ever heard. The actors couldn't get it thick enough (lol) in the movies to match this guy.

He says things like "dats Re TAH Ted" and "You gotta wom up ya foowd, fust". I have yet to see someone in a movie come close to this guy. However, stand-up comics can, at times, come close.

Originally posted by Robtard
Ben Affleck goes a bit overboard in 'The Town' with his accent, despite being raised in Massachusetts.

But was he really going overboard, or was he just returning to his roots? Because that is his natural accent. Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon both naturally have Southern accents, but their various roles require them to get rid of it. So then when they finally get a role that allows them to speak without coaching, people accusing them of "over doing" it.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
But was he really going overboard, or was he just returning to his roots? Because that is his natural accent. Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon both naturally have Southern accents, but their various roles require them to get rid of it. So then when they finally get a role that allows them to speak without coaching, people accusing them of "over doing" it.

It sounded somewhat forced, but then again, I'm no Boston accent specialist. A few others in the film sounded more natural to me though.

It's not his normal accent anymore either, when you hear him speech in interviews and whatnot, his Bostonian is only noticeable in certain words and it's usually very mild.

Originally posted by Robtard
It sounded somewhat forced, but then again, I'm no Boston accent specialist. A few others in the film sounded more natural to me though.

It's not his normal accent anymore either, when you hear him speech in interviews and whatnot, his Bostonian is only noticeable in certain words and it's usually very mild.

Then he lost his accent over the years, and was simply returning to his roots in that role. Since he presumably talked that way growing up, then it probably takes little effort for him to revert to it. I started learning English when I was 8-years-old, and I had a very strong Mexican accent for many years afterward. I still do to a degree, but today its a lot more mild and relaxed. But I can still fall right back into the accent at will. So, I would imagine its the same for Affleck and other actors who had to unlearn their regional characteristics in order to sound like a more "normal" American.

Originally posted by -Pr-
I honestly don't know; I think it's just a perception that Hollywood has when it comes to Ireland, the whole "oirish top of the mornin" thing. Until they move on, we're going to tend to get badly represented.



That's the problem with the US film makers/actors and their attitudes towards getting Scottish, English Irish accents right. They seem to think that there is a blanket accent for each country as opposed to extremely different accents even over relatively short distances. The difference between scouse and manc accents is astonishing yet they are 20 miles apart.

The difference between Cork and Dublin accents too.

Now...As for my own Dundee accent...The Dundee accent is generally considered the ugliest Scottish accent there is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ8DO90j9AY

Here's a perfect example of how bad it can be with one of our more famous residents...Kyle from The View.

Originally posted by jaden101
That's the problem with the US film makers/actors and their attitudes towards getting Scottish, English Irish accents right. They seem to think that there is a blanket accent for each country as opposed to extremely different accents even over relatively short distances. The difference between scouse and manc accents is astonishing yet they are 20 miles apart.

The difference between Cork and Dublin accents too.

Now...As for my own Dundee accent...The Dundee accent is generally considered the ugliest Scottish accent there is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ8DO90j9AY

Here's a perfect example of how bad it can be with one of our more famous residents...Kyle from The View.

aye. even dubliners have a hard time understanding the cork accent most of the time.

Keanu Reeves. Dracula. There is no comparison.

Gerard Butler in PS I Love You, which I watched recently hence the crappy film mention His efforts at an Irish accent were dire and his Scottish lilt crept through several times. I cringed. A lot. Also agree whole-heartedly with Heather Graham's cockney, so painful to watch.

Actually, just his accent in general is confusing. He's obviously Scottish and yet, at times, slips into some sort of American twang. Very strange. I still love him though *swoon*

MJJmoYp_2tw

Originally posted by The Nuul
Damon's Texas accent in True Grit.

As a Texan, I endorse this comment.

I think Ewan did a good American accent in The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Blue Streak was the worst movie that I had ever seen.

Ben Affleck in Shakespeare in Love. Haha. I love the guy, but he can't act to save his life.. or do accents apart from his own.

Speaking of Ewan MacGregor, he did a decent English accent in Moulin Rouge, but he lost it sometimes at more passionate lines. .

I guess I should throw in Kevin Costner's 100% complete lack of English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Originally posted by Syren
Actually, just his accent in general is confusing. He's obviously Scottish and yet, at times, slips into some sort of American twang. Very strange. I still love him though *swoon*


Guy also like to go 'two in the stink'.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/31/article-1262462-08E6D645000005DC-465_468x645.jpg

That's Jennifer Aniston, btw.

Originally posted by Impediment
I guess I should throw in Kevin Costner's 100% complete lack of English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Not quite as horrific as Russell Crowe's attempt though.

One accent I've never been able to get is Christian Bale's on set rant...One minute it's American...Next minute it's British...Next minute it's a mix of both...

Originally posted by Robtard
Guy also like to go 'two in the stink'.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/31/article-1262462-08E6D645000005DC-465_468x645.jpg

That's Jennifer Aniston, btw.

HAHA!

One of my favorite films funnily enough has one of the worst accents ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpEl5e-t6lY

Blood In, Blood Out (contains offensive language)

No, it is not Popeye, his accent is epic, but it's Miklo's accent which I consider to be the worst accent ever.

Originally posted by Impediment
I guess I should throw in Kevin Costner's 100% complete lack of English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Does "not even trying" count towards a bad accent? Russell Crowe in Gladiator counts too. And Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette.

lambert and connery in highlander.. they suck balls!!

.

Orlando Bloom's American accent in Elizabethtown was horrible. Martin Sheen's accent in The Departed was pretty bad, too.

.

.

I thought Ben Affleck's accent in The Town was quite awful. It seemed too unnatural and too forced, considering that he'd grown up in the general area.

I am a newbie here!! Help!!!

Hello there!

Originally posted by dadudemon
Well, as far as the over-the top Massachusetts accent goes, I work with a fella that has the worst accent I've ever heard. The actors couldn't get it thick enough (lol) in the movies to match this guy.

He says things like "dats Re TAH Ted" and "You gotta wom up ya foowd, fust". I have yet to see someone in a movie come close to this guy. However, stand-up comics can, at times, come close.

I say that Ben Affleck, in The Town is among the worst accents in film. His Boston accent is overdone and rather forced, imo.

At least Sean Connery's accent is pleasant and you can tell what he's saying, which is more than I can say for Ghost Rider's Sam Elliot. I had to rewind that scene three times and hush those in the room with me, before resorting, finally to subtitles in order to understand what he was saying.

Don Cheadle in the Ocean's series is by far the worst I've ever, EVER heard...

Connery's Russian accent in The Hunt for Red October is a lot worse, actually, than his Irish in The Untouchables.

Carrie Fisher slipping in/out of an english accent in A New Hope was rather humerous.

Was she a full-on cokehead at that point?

nice info...

Sean Connery as a spanish/egyptian in Highlander.
Tommy Wiseau in anything he's in...so I guess real life?
Dennis Quaid - The Big Easy

Originally posted by dadudemon
Michael Fassbender's character, Burke, from Jonah Hex, was the worst Irish accent I'd ever seen in a movie. What's funny is his mother is Irish. My guess is he was going for a Connacht accent, but failed horribly. He would often sound more "plain American" than he would Irish.
I can't believe what I am reading here. Michael Fassbender was born in Germany and raised in Co. Kerry, Ireland.

His accent in everyday life is IRISH.

Originally posted by Manofwords
Don Cheadle in the Ocean's series is by far the worst I've ever, EVER heard...

It was easy on the ears, but yes, hard to pinpoint one location. But then I always thought his character had grown up in a lot of places with different accents, and so sort of smushed them all together. That fits a lot with his character.

I love/hate actors who just don't care for what accent is called for - love Sean Connery for it, hate Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe for it. Some people can pull it off. Usually they're people who don't have a natural American accent.

I have to say that one of the best adopters of speech is, in my opinion, Christian Bale. He's done a Brooklyn New Yawk accent, Midwestern "normal" American.... which is what I speak, of course I can't think of anything else right now...

Originally posted by Impediment
Definitely have to give a nod to Elijah Wood and Sean Astin for their awful English accents in the LOTR trilogy.

No.

I though Sean Astin's English accent was perfect for his character. He was consistent through all three films. Unfortunately, Elijah Wood's accent made him seem wimpy, IMHO. I have a hard time watching him in anything else - I keep seeing the wimpy little Frodo...

While we are on the subject, I thought I would offer my worst Boston Accents on film. Here goes:

Vera Farmiga. The Departed . Oh my gawd. Could it be any worse? Wait. It can....

Kevin Costner. Thirteen Days. Not sure if he was trying to sound like a Kennedy or he was completely clueless.

Mel Gibson. Edge of Darkness. Talk about overkill.

Jack Nicholson. The Departed Jack is a great actor, but there wasn't anything much he could have done to make a believable accent.

Joe Pesci, With Honors. Every single movie that Joe Pesci has been in, there has been a similarity with the accent, and it has nothing to do with Boston, or anywhere in Massachusetts for that matter.

Robin Williams Good Will Hunting. Was he going for an Eastern Massachusetts accent or something from Maine? If you can figure that mess out, let me know.

Alec Baldwin. The Departed. Trying to sound like you're a Southie by dropping lots of F-bombs doesn't make it authentic.

Tom Hanks. Catch me if you can . I wouldn't be caught dead with whatever you thought that was..... you "fahdged" the accent and it's obviously the most horrible one ever.


Unbelievably(and conversely), one of the best Boston accents I have heard in a movie was Jeremy Renner's in The Town.

Originally posted by MovMispercept
Sean Connery as a spanish/egyptian in Highlander.
His accent is laughably out of place in pretty much any movie he's not playing a Scot

his "Russian" accent in Hunt for Red October was LOL



Hahaha

I've always thought Keanu Reeves' southern accent in The Devil's Advocate was kinda bad. But it's a good performance and a great movie, so I forgive it.

Watched A Dangerous Method. Kiera Knightley's "Russian" accent was in and out. Many times it just sounded like her normal British accent.

Sean Connery & Keanu Reeves = 2 & 1.