Accent expert and actor Amy Walker breaks down American accents in movies including ‘The Blindside,’ ‘The Departed,’ ‘Ladybird,’ ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ‘The Social Network,’ ‘Winter’s Bone,’ ‘The Town,’ ‘The Notebook,’ ‘The Beguiled,’ ‘Fargo,’ ‘Inside Man,’ ‘Bridesmaids,’ ‘X-Men,’ ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,’ ‘Election,’ ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Titanic,’ ‘Rear Window’ and ‘The Philadelphia Story.’
- Hi, I'm Amy Walker.Hey, youse guys, I'm Amy Walker.That's right, I'm Amy Walker.Oh gee, ah geez, that's right, Amy Walker.Ah geez, I'm Amy Walker, okay.[beeps][Amy claps]I'm Amy Walker, actress,singer, and writer,most known for authentic accents.And today from my home cave to yours,we are looking at Americanaccents in movies.- Do you wanna be a cop?- That's the Verrazano Bridge.- Only exciting thing about--- Who said I was getting rid of it?- Give me a minute, Burt.[hand smacks]- We're in the middleof a practice, Leanne.- You can thank me later.- This is The Blind Side,directed by John Lee Hancockin 2009, and we'relooking at Sandra Bullockdoing a Memphis, Tennessee accent.- This team's your family, Michael.You have to protect them.- I like the way she says "Michael,"and it's a little bit nasal."You can thank me later."You know that kind of atighter Tennessee accentthat's not real drawly down in here.Some of the things that makea Tennessee accent differentfrom, like a Texas accent,the jaw is a lot more tight.So the sounds are gonnabe a little bit flatter,a little bit wider, likeup in here, in the "what."She really grasps, Ithink, the placement of it.- And I will be by there after a while.I gotta call you back.Bye.- When she says "after awhile," there's that W-H,but then she says, "Igotta call you back," -ack,and then the tongue dropsdown a little furtherthan it would if itwas staying up in here."I gotta call you back."And then when she just went "back,"it dropped into more of a standard.- My name is on it.Deliver what I ordered, all right?Thank you.- When you say "what," the mouth isgonna be tighter up in the back,and then it's gonna justflip down a little bit there.What, auht, and it's gonnascoop back a little bit.And then you get to that H your Ws.You can just do wh-, wh-, instead of waa.Other dialects where you'llget more of a "what,"more of a schwa sound, uh, but the "what,"that's nice and a little bit more north.It also gives that emphasisthat she's choosing to use,to put her foot down there.When you're playingsomeone real who existed,then you gotta listen, notjust for the general accent,but what are those -ismsthat that person hasthat are unique to that person.- Families are always rising and fallingin America, am I right?- Who said that?- Hawthorne.[imitates fart]- What's the matter, smart ass?You don't know any [beeps] Shakespeare?- This is The Departed, directedby Martin Scorsese in 2006.So we're gonna look atthree actors from this film,Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen,and Leonardo DiCaprio.Mark Wahlberg is the only onewho's actually from Massachusetts.- I know what you are, okay?I know what you are, andI know what you're not.- Obviously, Mark Wahlbergis all over the Boston."I know what you are."That's that ah, totally relaxed.So it's not arrr, it's not aaaah.It's "I know what you are,and I know what you're not.""Are" and "not," strangely,are very similar.Like if it's in New York,"not" and "are" are gonnafeel really different.But for Boston, they're really similar.Or do you wanna appear to be a cop?- When Martin Sheen says"cop," it's nearly there,but when you get that ah for a Boston,it's like your tongueis a dead fish, aw, aw.It weighs like a brick.So it's not awh, that beingmore into like Brooklyn.- A lot of guys wanna appear to be cops.A gun, badge, pretend they're on TV.- And then it's just gone.He's got kind of the rhythm,but it's not, like, that open.It's a little bit tight.I think he's from Ohio or something.- I'm all set without yourown personal job application.- [Dignam] What the[beeps] did you say to me?- And Leo is so in the emotionand sometimes when we get in the emotion,the accent goes out the window.They're kind of painting itin that it's okay for himto just, like, sometimeshave one and sometimes not.- The only exciting thing about 2002is that it's a palindrome.- This is Lady Bird, directedby Greta Gerwig in 2017,starring Saoirse Ronan,who's an Irish actress.- Oh, so now you're madbecause I wanna to listen- No, it's just you'rebeing ridiculous, because you- to music.- This is set in Sacramento,Northern California.So when she says "because Iwanted to listen to music,""I wanted to," that"wanted," I call it a hard N.It's not "wanted."It's not "wanted" with a D.It's just "wanted."Some of the distinctions of a Sacramentoor Northern California accent,people tend to soften theconsonants a little bit,like when she says "East Coast."Those T's are very East Coast.But if you put those consonants in,people might feel like you'repissed off or something.So it tends to be prettyrelaxed in the mouth.Not a lot of diphthong.Really, what we'd call probablya pretty standard accent.The thing about emotional scenes isthat it can be reallyhard to maintain somethingthat doesn't feel like you,because you're in your most primal state.- I'm not going to a [beeps] universitythat's famous for its[beeps] agricultural school!- The way she says "school,"in this American accent,it goes out, you know, "school."She'd be used to "school."So it'd be like err.There's so much that'sdifferent in Ireland.I mean the melody, you know, and the T's,and the way it's so soft.It's like water.But to take all that andopen it up a little bitat the corners of themouth and let it just sitin the mouth would be more challenging.Singing is really a wholedifferent territory.It can be easier sometimesto sing in an accentbecause you hold the vowels more.For whatever reason, a lotof people can at least singin an American accent.♪ Everybody says don't,everybody says don't ♪♪ Everybody says don't walk on the grass ♪- She nails it.She totally nails it.- Who?Who is this?The hunting buddy, I know that.- This is Brokeback Mountain,directed by Ang Lee in 2005.And we'll be looking at AnneHathaway's Southern accent.She's originally from New York.- It might be some pretend placewhere bluebirds sing, andthere's a whiskey spring.- The way that her mouth iskind of puckered down here.That's gonna work real well.So you can see it real well in this scenecause it's nice and close.What's going on here, andthen when she says "close,"or "coal," or something,when she's got an L-word,you can see that W happen.- You've been going up toWyoming all these years.Why can't your buddy comedown here to Texas and fish?- It's kind of a fishing melody.Why can't you do this?[hums]It's got a bit of weight to it.That kinda melody is quintessential Texas.- You know you're worse than Bobbywhen it comes to losing stuff.- "You know you're worse than Bobby"when it comes to losing stuff."That uh is a little more forward.It's up in here.You know if someone hasthe same melodic patternevery single time, andif they have a lexiconof all the differentmelodies they might have,you know there's more flexibility there.It feels more natural.Her posture's great, her armature.Her face is nice andrelaxed, which is important.For this kind of accent,you're gonna feel itright down in here.Be lifting up a little bitin the back of the tongueto get some of that twang happening.But it's not real tight.It's nice and loose, and it'sjust letting the sound rollout your mouth and settleright down in here.- I thought you were gonna call.- "I thought you were gonna call."That L isn't so much of an Las it is an L with your lips,which is similar to somethingthey do in the U.K. with L.In the South, you've got placeswhere you stick an Linstead of a W, like South,or where you put in a W instead of an L.- I was Kappa Phi myself.- Even though we ain'tquite sorority sisters,we just may have to dancewith ourselves, Lureen.- Anna Faris has this wholedifferent thing going on,and it is also Texas.That's all part and parcel,and something you can choose as well.Anne Hathaway's character,especially later on,she's getting real settling down in there.There's something about the nicetiesand the undertones there, thatreminds me a little bit of--you know, in England, where you cansort of smile through your insults.- People have the ability to inviteor not invite their friends to join.- This is The Social Network,directed by David Fincher in 2010.We're looking at Andrew Garfield,who was born in Californiabut grew up in England.He's doing an American accent here.- In a world where socialstructure was everything.- Now when he says"structure," "structure,"he's got a bit of glottal catch.In an English accent, you'dsay "structure," yeah?And it's got that up bitwhere you stop the sound,in your throat.In a standard American,you're gonna say "structure"or "structure," but you're notgonna go "structure", struk.So it's the same thing ifI was gonna go into Britishfrom American and I didthe shapes correctly,but I said "structure."- That was the thing.- "That was," "was."That's another commonthing that Australiansand English people oftensay "was" instead of "was."So usually in a standard American,it's gonna be a schwa, eh.Different to British schwa, which is uh.It's a bit more forward, yeah?Back here, uh, was, that was the thing.And "was" is not usuallyan important word.- So I wondered why he was coming to meand not his roommates.- There are so many ways to say T.Here he's saying, "coming to me,"which is often done in England.So the person he's playing doeshave quite a T that he does.So you can say "coming to me,"instead of tuh, where thetongue is like, behind,it's a bit higher, andit's behind your teeth.If I didn't know that hehad an English accent,I would pick it up becauseof those few tells.Especially the glottal catch,because that's somethingthat's really hardto teach an American.- Never ask for what oughta be offered.- This is Winter's Bone,directed in 2010 by Debra Granik.We're looking at Jennifer Lawrencein her breakout role, doingthis Ozark, Missouri accent.- Evening.- The way she says "evening,"and it starts with uh, E, E.It's got that little bit of a twist to it.What I've seen about this region is thatthere's a lot of stillness in the face,and it's not a real drawly accent.- He's huntin' for Dad.- "Huntin' for Dad."Like it can't be properN, "huntin' for Dad."That's where that G isthere, you just don't say it.- How 'bout some deer stew?That sound good?- "How 'bout some deer stew?"So we've still got thatlittle bit of a twist.That's one of the thingscharacteristic of a lotof Southern accents.- All right, both of youneed to get over hereand watch how I make it.- "How I make it."In a standard American accent,I would be a diphthong,and here we've got Ah.A diphthong is when you'vegot two, so di- for two,sounds, two vowels, that wepronounce together as one.So my name is Amy.Aa-EE, it's not Ahmy or Eemy, it's Amy.For Southern accents,there are a lot of thingsthat wouldn't be a diphthongin a standard accentthat become diphthongs, andthen you've got other thingsthat would normally be a diphthong,like I, that become just Ah.- He what now?- One of the fun things aboutdifferent Southern accentsis the different tonalities,different melodies."He what now?"That's a kind of a question,that tone, "what now?"It's got weight.- You tell me what you want me to do.I'll be whoever you want me to be.- This is The Town, directedby Ben Affleck in 2010,and it's a bank heist movie.- We smoked it to the filter, right?- "We smoked it to the filter, right?"She's kind of backing offon the voice a little bit,so sometimes it's a little hard to hear.A lot of the sounds are there.You can feel like theheaviness right here,the relaxation in thetongue, that kind of a droop,kind of resigned to life.- You gotta chase therabbit if you want the tail.My mom taught me that.- "Mom."She says "my mom," andyou might want "my mom,""my mom," "my mom," just a little bit morelike it's falling out.- You don't gotta thank me,but you're not walking away.- "You don't gotta thank me."That gaw, that's great."But you're not walking away."So when he says "but you'renot," that R, you don't need.One trick is to slow it way down,'cause it's like muscle memory.- You made it.- One thing that's notalways talked about,but it's one of my favoritethings about a Boston accent,the T at the end of some words, sometimes.It's super random, butit's one of those thingsthat you just know thatthey've got it if they do this."You made it."- You made it.- "You made it."And it's like this little tiny flick.Similar to, like an IrishT, "you made it," "it."It's got that little tongue flick,but it's like, "you made it."So somebody native toMassachusetts like Ben Affleck,Mark Wahlberg, you might hear it.But then not necessarily fromJeremy Renner or Blake Lively.- I get up in the morning,breakfast, math tutor,Latin tutor, lunch, tennis lesson,dance lesson, sometimes both.- This is The Notebook, directedby Nick Cassavetes in 2004.We're gonna look at Rachel McAdams,who's a Canadian actress,doing a Southern accent.- My days are all planned out.- "Out," oh, that's so cute."It's all planned out."That's a little bit Canada.It's not quite as South.So, "all planned out."A lot of this, maybe it was really cold,and so she just got tight in here.That can be hard, but it's gotta be "out."- No, not everything,but the important things.- If you're gonna drop the G in an I-N-G,it's not an N, it's not everythin,you've gotta go everythin'.It's like it's there,thinkin', wishin', washin',those kind of things, insteadof thinkin, wishin, washin.That just feels likethere never was a G there to begin with.There's a G there!You just don't say it.- Allie.- Allie?- Nice to meet you, Mr. Callahan.- She got the melody there, of "Allie,"that "Allie," you know, real soft.And that [hums].That's real common.- Why wait until the summer ends, huh?Why don't you just do it right now?[car door slamming]It's over, okay?It's over!- Well, now we have a coupleof different Southern accents,we've got one that says"summah" and "ovah"and we have one that says "over".Most the time, she'sdoin' a rhotic Southern.Rhotic, it just means you havethe R at the end of a word,like "far" instead of"fah" or "faa," "fwa"[laughs] Right?If you've got an R that'llcap it, then that's rhotic.Non-rhotic?For a Southern accent, wouldbe like "summah," "cah,"that kinda thing.- I saw your picture in the paper.- You've got a challenge here,because you've got "picture,"which doesn't have a kuh in it,so you can just "pitchah,"or are we doing "picture?"For the non-rhotic you'dsay, "picture in the paper.""I saw your picture in the paper."So now I don't knowwhether we're doing rhotic or non-rhotic?- Mama look, the governor's coming.- He better, let me see.- So the difference between "look,"where the tongue is going ouh and luh,where it drops down in here,"the governor's comin',"and then she's gone non-rhotic here.Her momma does a non-rhotic accent.So, you know, maybe shedoes that around her momma.If you don't get inside the feelingof this feeling natural for you,it'll always feel like a littlebit of you're an imposter.- How did he get here?This is The Beguiled, directedby Sofia Coppola in 2017,and we'll be looking at Nicole Kidman.Nicole's doing a non-rhoticSouthern accent in this,and she's originally from Australia.- His stitches, uh...they're holding nicely.- "The stitches are--they're holding nicely."We got that kinda, youknow, kinda gentle sound.That's a melody I wouldn'tsay in a standard.- The leg will mortify by the morning.- Now we're in adifferent Southern accent.[laughs]"Mornin'," that's rhotic.So now we've got the R's coming in there.Instead of "mohnin'," we've got "mornin'."- The leg is badlybroken, I can't repair it.I'm not a surgeon.- So now we're into adifferent Southern accentwhere R is happening.When she says, "I'm not a surgeon,"that would be "suhgeon" if she's doing theother Southern accent she was doing.And then she says "mornin'"instead of "mohnin'."If you're doing aparticular Southern accent,you just have to be careful about the R's.- Go to the smokehouse, get the saw, now!Hurry!- When she says "now," and it's up here,instead of "now," down up in here."Hurry" is a littlebit more maybe British?"Hurry" than "hurry."- Quickly, he's losing blood!- "Blood."Sounds a little bit Irish."Losing blood!"Colin Farrell's Irish in this scene,so maybe she's picking it up a little bit.Or maybe it just randomlysounded a little--a little bit Irish, there.Overall, I think she does a better jobof this accent in Cold Mountain.I don't know what quite happened here.- Thanks a bunch!So what's the deal, now?Gary says triple homicide?- This is Fahr-go, because it's not Fargo,directed by Joel and Ethan Coen in 1996.We're gonna be lookingat Frances McDormandand William H.
Macydoing Minnesota accents.- Ah geez, so--Aw geez!- "Aw geez!"You see kinda the corners of her mouthcoming down a little bit, "aw geez."- I guess that's a defensive wound!- "I guess that's a defensive wound!""Wound."Bring it down a little bit in the edgesof your mouth to createthat nice, round O.- There's a high-speed pursuit, ends here,and then this execution type deal.- "And then this execution type deal.""High-speed pursuit."So, you've got a lotta jawhappening in here, keeping it--it's cold up there in Minnesota.Some lilting little sounds in there,and then the round O.Where it's colder, you'll haveusually flatter sounds, more tight.When you're gettin' hot,you got a lot of places whereyou're gonna open your mouth.- Ya, how you doin'?- "Ya, how you doin'?"The "ya," that's some of the Scandinavianinfluence in there.You can hear, you'vegot Norwegian, Swedish.- Oh, you betcha, ya.- "You betcha."It's a local colloquialism, and I thinkthat's what's funny about this movie.It's so dark, but when youput it with the sweetnessof this very innocent-sounding accent,it's just a wonderful juxtaposition.- My name is Dalton Russell.Pay strict attention to what I say,because I choose my words carefullyand I never repeat myself.- This is Inside Man,directed by Spike Lee in 2006,and Clive Owen is doingan American accent.He's an English actor.- I've told you my name, that's the who.- This is really interesting,because I don't think he'sdoing a New York accent,but he's got this TH-D thing happening,that does occur in New York.The difference here, if wego D for Dalton or don't.Thdalton, thdon't.So that "thd," that's the D."I've told you my name"instead of "my name."Tighter on the vowels there, we get it.Even more in the pocket.- Because I can.- "Because I can," "can," "can."But for a lot of it, he's sitting there,it's just kinda fluctuatingbetween the resonanceup here for a little bit more Britishand then sometimes alittle bit with the "the."- That's the who.- "That's the who."Tha, tha instead of "that's the who."For a lot of English actors,and just foreigners in general,it's hard to get a grasp onwhat is the American accent.So, a lot of times they'llgo a little bit Southern,get a little bit of twangor a little harder of an R.English grammar is viewed as more correctthan American grammar,which is true in England.But here, it's different.- Remember that trip we took to Miami?With the boys?We just sat and drank wineand ate peanut brittleand I shared things with youthat I've never shared with anyone.- This is Bridesmaids,directed by Paul Feig in 2011.We're gonna look at Rose Byrne's accent.She's originally from Sydney, Australia.- I still need my drunken Saturday nightsat Rockin' Sushi, okay?![whoops]- There's a lot that'sworking really well here.Even some of that "okayyyyy."There's a couple timesit can be challengingfor people who come froma non-rhotic accent.If there's a lot of R's in a row,then often the tendencyis to skip one or two.- "Remembah that--""Remembah" instead of "remember,"right there in the beginning.That can be a tricky one,to just go "remember."- Raise your glasses tothe couple of the decade!- "The couple ooof--"If you're gonna elongatethat, totally go for it,but it's gonna stay a schwa."Ooof" instead of "ohv."We'd say, "the couple ohv."It's a really subtle nuance.- Put a quarter in the swear jar!- "Quater," which would be quarter.In Aussie, you'd say "a quota."When you've got multiple R's in a row,sometimes it can justbe hard to go "quarr.""Quarr" is is kind of a challenging thingto get your mouth around.- Put your hands on the heater.I'm not gonna hurt you, kid.- This is from X-Men.Hugh Jackman, who's an Australianactor, plays Wolverine,and he does a pretty standardAmerican accent for it.- Suddenly, my life doesn't look that bad.- Hey, if you prefer the road--- No, no!- I remember watching it and thinking,[gasps] "What?!"He's Australian?"At first, I didn'tnotice his accent at all,I was just right into the character.He says "prefer," which justhas that little bit of twist.Often when you have multiple R's in a row,people will hit one andthen skip another one."Prefer" is just a lot of R."Prefer."To an American, it mightjust seem really easyto just hold that R.You know, it's a musclememory thing as well.So, if you're used to going, "prefer,"and then instead of opening it upyou actually bite it again, "prefer,"you've got a vowel that we don't havein American, which is euh.So, for that, the tongueis a little bit forwardand it's like euh.It's like you're holdingout for some rain water.In Australian, it's a lot higher.There's some more open sounds,and a lot more diphthong.And so he's just kinda flattening thatand holding that right inhis mouth a little tighter.- I'm also Dutch, German, English.I'm a mutt.- This is The Wolf of Wall Street,directed by Martin Scorsese in 2013.We're looking at MargotRobbie, who is Australian,and she's doing a Brooklyn accent.- Yeah, I still have familyover there, though, in London.- "Yeah, I still havefamily over there, though."You know, that "over.""I still have family over there,"you know that "over there."It's a tiny thing, butI wouldn't have guessedfrom that that she was Australian.There are some interesting similaritiesbetween a Brooklynaccent and an Australian.There's generally a lotof space in the mouth,you can open it up anhave some diphthongs."Over there," "over there."There's a similar amount of space,but the diphthong's alittle bit different.But still, both of them are non-rhotic,so you're not going to pronounce the Rlike you would for a standard American.- Can I get a straw, please?- "Can I get a straw?"That aw is not overdone.Sometimes people go, like, "strwhaw."Like, as she moves in through the scene,she opens up a little bit with her jaw.- I've already talked to the lawyer.He said even if you don't get convicted,I've got a good chance at getting--- It's hard to say "I'vealready talked to the lawyer."Like, that's a lotta oy."I've already talked to the lawyer."So, the way that she's got her T'sand she's working her T's and all of that,that's important, you know?Sometimes people just getan idea about a Brooklyn.So, like, there's this littleuhr thing that happens,and the best way I candescribe that is like,you make an uh, and then you wrap it upwith a little hint of an R.But not like oy, just uhr.- [Tracy] Some peoplesay I'm an overachiever,but I think they're just jealous.- This is Election, directedby Alexander Payne in 1999.We'll be looking at Reese Witherspoon,doing her Nebraska accent.- [Tracy] My mom alwaystells me I'm different.You know, special.- "My mom."Nebraska's gonna be pretty Midwest,won't sound particularlylike much to a lot of people,but then it's just gonna be a little bittighter in the back of your tongue.And then there'll just be certain thingsthat people might say differently.She's got it right there with "my mom."- [Tracy] So, my mom isreally devoted to me,and I love her so much.- It's a hard one tojudge, because you can hearsomeone from Nebraska and not really knowwhere they're from or hear anything muchparticular unless you hear,you know, wait a minute,or you hear, like, certain -isms.It's a little tighter than,like, Southern California.Overall, it's not like a showpiece accent.It's not like Fargo orsomething like that.- The Joker's tellingus who he's targeting.Get a unit over to Surrillo's house,tell Wuertz to find Dent.- This is The Dark Knight,directed by Christopher Nolan in 2008,and we're looking at GaryOldman's American accent.He's originally from England.- Seal the building.No one in or out til I get there!- "Seal the building, noone out til I get there."That kind of a T, youknow, "til I get there."Very New York.- In this town, the fewerpeople know something,the safer the operation.- "Something."That sort of a catch, you're not gonnado that in New York, it'sgonna be "tell me something."Or, if you're just doingmore of a standard Americanwith, like, a few littleflavors of New York sometimes,then it's still not gonna be "something."- I don't get politicalpoints for being an idealist.I have to do the bestI can with what I have.- So this one makes methink he's not so muchtrying to do a New York accent.Because it's mostly not there.It sometimes creeps in,it's also a little bit under the voice.So, sometimes it's hard to tell,cause it's not just out there.- Because we have to chase him.- That felt a bit British."Because we have to chase him.""Because."Or, for New York, "because."- Because he's the hero Gotham deserves,but not the one it needs right now.- So this is good if it'sa standard American accentthat we're doing."Because it's the hero Gotham deserves,"but not the one it needs right now."But then If we're gonna do more New York,"deserves," with that little ehr,"but not what it needs right now."It's a little difficult to tellwhat he's going for here.- Stay back!Don't come any closer!- Just give me your hand,I'll pull you back over.- No!Stay where you are!- Titanic, the epic by James Cameron,was made in 1997, set in 1912.And we're gonna look atKate Winslet's accent.I mean it!I'll let go!- It seems she was directed to have a morecontemporary, standard American accent,which would go alongwith what Leo is doing.For her class at that time in 1912,she really would have had moreof a Transatlantic accent,like her mother is doing.She's got the sounds pretty solid,when she says, "stay where you are."- Stay where you are!- She got one of the R's.The R in "are," but missed it in "where.""Stay where you are."It can be tricky, because it goes so fast.Pretty much everyone in thismovie has a different accent.Were those choices from the director?Maybe he wanted Leo andKate to sound more similar,and so gave them kind ofa contemporary accent.- I know what you must be thinking.- The space that Kate has in her mouthis just a little bit open."I know what."It could translate to Transatlanticif the other things were there,if it was non-rhotic and ifit was resonating up there,but it just feels like she's tryingto get her tongue around the R's,and that they're a little labored."I know what you're thinking," instead of"I know what you're thinking."- Jeffries.- [Gunnison] Congratulations, Jeff.- For what?- [Gunnison] For getting rid of that cast!- Who said I was getting rid if it?- This is Rear Window,directed in 1954 by Alfred Hitchcock,starring Jimmy Stewart,and we're gonna lookat his Transatlantic, very unique accent.- Gunnison, how did you ever get to besuch a big editor withsuch a small memory?- Jimmy Stewart.The Transatlantic accentwas created by Hollywoodto merge all the cool thingsabout American accentswith the cool things about British.And now you add JimmyStewart on top of that,and he's got his own, youknow, way of resonating,and you feel it all up in here.- She expects me to marry her.- [Stella] That's normal.- "Marry her."- I don't want to.- "She expects me to marryher, I don't want to."That oo, that's not an American oo,it's not even really aBritish oo, it's just oo.There are certain things about itthat can sound a little bit Southern,some of the lilting.It is a very tight kind of an accent.You don't really open your mouth much,you can do it all while you're grinningover a cup of tea, like somevery posh British accent.If you were gonna look for atextbook Transatlantic accent,I wouldn't go for Jimmy Stewart,because he's got his ownawesome essence to it.- I'll tell you what,let's have a quick swimto brighten this up.- This is The Philadelphia Story,directed by George Cukor in 1940,and we're looking at Katharine Hepburndoing the Transatlantic accentthat she was famous for.- It's the most wonderful!Well anyhow, I'm so delightedthat I can offer it to you.- "Wonderful!
Delighted!"So, you can hang all thataccent on her cheekbones.It just rests right up in here.If you get a slight smile,it'll create that tensionnaturally for you.I've heard that she's the only personthat actually grew upwith an accent like this.- I'm so delighted thatI can offer it to you!- "To you."There's that eur.So, it would be "offer," non-rhotic,but because the next word is "it,"which starts with a vowel,we get to say "offer it."That's where theTransatlantic, where you canreally feel it, is in the R's.- Don't tell me you've forsaken yourbeloved whiskey and whiskeys.- "Your beloved whiskey and whiskeys."So she H's her W's.In this context, it doesgive you a bit of class."Whiskey," "whether," "which."It's a little trademarkof this accent as well.- How about you, Mr. Connor?You drink, don't you?Alcohol, I mean.- Well, a little.- A little?And you're a writer?- What's fun here, is that you get to seeCary Grant, who was English,do also a Transatlantic accent.It's a little bit moreBritish, but "a writer?"That uhr is the particular Transatlantic.So, he doesn't say "a writer,"he says "a writer," uhr.It's like this tinylittle bit that you cupwith your teeth, just right in the bottom.With Jimmy Stewart, you can hearhim being a little youngerhere than in Rear Window.Some of that--this kind of a resonance, it's alla little bit more relaxed here.I think Katharine isprobably the most famousexample of a Transatlantic accent.She's certainly what I think of.When someone's doing an accent,it's like I hear it in the energy.I feel something, I'll feelwhether there's a little delineation,whether they're doing somethingor whether it's integratedinto their body and into the character,and that's all woven into one.Thank you so much for watching.I hope you've enjoyed thisand learned a few things,and that the next time you watch a movie,you'll really be able to appreciatehow much work goes intoall the aspects of it,and especially the accents.