13 British Actors with Surprisingly Flawless American Accents

1. Hugh Laurie

For a long time, many fans didn't even know that Hugh Laurie was British. His portrayal of Gregory House on the hit show House was so convincing that he made audiences forget his real roots. He perfected that signature sarcastic tone for eight whole seasons. Even though he’s fantastic at it, he admitted that Hugh Laurie's English accent didn't just disappear overnight. “It’s as if you’re playing left-handed. Or like everyone else is playing with a tennis racket and you have a salmon,” he famously said. He definitely tops the list of British actors who can do American accents and make it look easy!

2. Emma Watson

We all fell in love with Emma’s natural accent in the Harry Potter movies. Honestly, how amazing is she? If you watched her in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you know she can put on a killer American accent. She sounds like a typical American woman, which is quite a departure from Hermione! Watson also appeared in The Bling Ring, playing a character based on a real-life American teen. To prepare, Emma said, “I watched a lot of Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Hills, and I tried to understand the psychology of this kind of person as much as possible. The accent was hard as it was a particular kind of dialect.” She did an incredible job!

3. Charlie Hunnam

I didn’t know Charlie was British until I sat down and watched interviews of him on YouTube! His portrayal of Jax Teller in FX’s Sons of Anarchy is iconic, and his American accent is spot-on. He hasn’t ever had his native accent slip up while acting. However, if you watch the SOA bloopers, you’ll hear his charming British accent surfacing every time he flubs a line!

4. Ed Westwick

To play the legendary Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl, Ed had to trade his British roots for a New York drawl. Ed Westwick's accent was so believable that many viewers had no idea he was from the UK. If you've ever been curious about Chuck Bass's English accent, just search for his real-life interviews. It's a shocking transformation! Did he have you fooled, too?

5. Sam Claflin

Have you seen The Hunger Games: Catching Fire yet? If so, you were probably impressed by Sam Claflin who plays Finnick Odair. What you might not have known is that this handsome guy is actually British! Sam Claflin's British accent is quite a contrast to his performance in the arena. He definitely had us all fooled with his great American accent. If you feel the need to listen to his native voice, just search for his interviews with the Hunger Games cast! Kudos, Sam!

6. Kate Winslet

Can this woman be any more perfect? She’s practiced her American diction in many different films, from period pieces to modern dramas. I think she’s at her most convincing in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s effortless for her! I love her and all her movies, no matter what accent she puts on!

7. Damien Lewis

Lewis won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Nicholas Brody in the Homeland series. You can tell that he works very hard on his accent. “When I work on set I wake up in the morning with an American accent. I don’t come out of my American accent until someone shouts, ‘wrap,’” he’s said. If you haven’t already watched Homeland, then you're missing out on an incredible performance. Check out his accent skills first-hand!

8. Christian Bale

The fact that Christian Bale was actually English came as a shocker to many. After re-watching The Dark Knight several times in a row, I had no idea that his American accent wasn't native to him. He really has a limitless amount of talent to perfectly embody a character even if there is an accent barrier. However, he did have lots of practice as he spent most of his life living in different countries including the United States.

9. Andrew Garfield

You can definitely pull off a natural American accent when even your co-stars are shocked to hear you speak. That is exactly what happened with Andrew Garfield's American accent! However, he didn't just pull it out of thin air; he was actually born in California before moving to the UK, and his father has had an American accent all his life!

10. Nicholas Hoult

From Warm Bodies to the X-Men franchise, Nicholas Hoult's American accent has seen plenty of practice, and all of his work paid off because everything is completely believable. The actor himself actually enjoys completely transforming for a role: "I've done a few gigs with an American accent now. I kind of enjoy acting with an American accent. It feels more like acting when I can hear an American accent coming out of my head."

11. Idris Elba

Idris Elba may actually be the king of mastering accents. Idris Elba's accent work is impeccable, whether he's imitating a specific regional drawl or mastering the variety of African American vernacular seen in The Wire. He does an impeccable job with almost any accent he comes into contact with.

12. Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill's American accent is just as charming as his own. If you have watched his performance in Man of Steel, you know how hard it really is to tell that behind the fake American accent, there is a British man! He really makes it seem easy and effortless to transition from one accent to another, even when playing such an iconic American hero.

13. Josh Bowman

Josh Bowman could easily pass for a true American if he had to. Over the years, we have seen him portray American characters over and over again, so it has been really hard to register that he has a British accent in real life! He's definitely earned his place on this list of talented chameleons.

That sums up my list! All these British actors are so awesomely talented. While I only named 13 in this list, I know there are a lot more British actors who can rock an American accent. From this list, who do you think does the best one? Let us know your favorites in the comments!