Have you ever watched an actor playing an American character and you didn't think anything of it, then check out some interviews they do and realize they have a British accent? It's because they're a foreign actor who plays American roles, which is actually pretty common right now! Here are some of my favorite foreign actors who play American roles.
1. Camilla Luddington.
Camilla is best known for playing Alex Karev's new wife and longtime girlfriend Jo Wilson on "Grey's Anatomy", and has also played Lizzie in a season of "Californication". Camilla was born in Ascot, Berkshire, England and went to school at the New York Film Academy.
2. Millie Bobby Brown.
Millie, though she's British, was actually born in Spain to British parents, but then moved to Bournemouth, Dorset and later to Orlando, Florida to pursue her dreams and learn how from the best in acting schools. Later on, she began to move to LA to get representation from one of the best children's agencies and went on to make guest appearances in shows like "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Intruders," "Grey's Anatomy" and "NCIS," which led to what people know her best for, her role as Eleven in the Netflix show "Stranger Things" (which, fun fact, the people at "Stranger Things" said she didn't need to completely shave her head but she insisted on doing! That's dedication!). She's also a great rapper, and recently became the youngest person to ever be included on Time magazine's list of world's most influential person. At 14, she's already done so much!
3. Lily James.
Lily James, best known for playing Cinderella in the live-action remake, the love interest in "Baby Driver", and most recently young Donna in "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again", was born in Esher, United Kingdom and studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and got her first acting role in a British television series "Just William."
4. Maia Mitchell.
Maia Mitchell was born in Lismore, Australia and studied at Trinity Catholic College in Lismore. She got her start in the shows "Trapped" and "Mortified" but is best known for her roles in "Teen Beach Movie", "Teen Beach Movie 2" and "The Fosters", and is currently working on a spin-off series of "The Fosters" called "Good Trouble."
5. Tom Holland.
Tom Holland, who plays our favorite New Yorker Peter Parker/Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Civil War" and "Avengers: Infinity War," is actually from Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom! Plot twist! In addition to acting, he's also a dancer and has appeared on the West End production of "Billy Elliot: The Musical" as the starring role.
Why do non-American actors play American roles so often? According to various sources, aspiring actors in the UK are more formally trained than actors in America, which brings them more success and makes them expected to learn different accents, including American ones. The UK also has a different culture when it comes to acting, as opposed to America's acting culture where most people want to act in order to be famous. Being a foreign actor auditioning in America also gives you a bit more edge, as foreign actors had to obtain a passport to come audition for producers, and that alone makes them stand out more than just the people who live in America and audition. Though we love our American actors, it's always fun seeing people from across the pond play American actors!
