Dolph's accent

[ShawnWatson]

What is it?

No way Swedish anymore. Is it American? 50/50?

[dolphage]

Basically he's going for a non-specific US English accent.

As a fellow Swede I definately hear a bit of Swedish in there still. He sounded more L.A earlier on in his career but has started to throw in som more east coast word; "befoah (before) words here and there.

I give himn massive props for the fact that the Swedish accent is very hard to get rid of but he has succeded as well as any of the other Swedish actors in Hollywood (Peter Stormare, Alexander and Stellan Skarsgård, Lena Olin etc.)

[ShawnWatson]

Do you find that traitorous?

I myself am Scottish but I have this weird Scottish/American accent that greatly aggravates virtually everyone I encounter in this country. If I ever moved to the US I'd try to lose the Scottish completely but I have a feeling that I'd be hated for it.

But if Dolph does it...people still love him. I can't win.

[Jox]

But if Dolph does it...people still love him. I can't win.

Dolph has been popular in Sweden now for the past 4 years, but do you know what happened when he did some promo in the 80s?
He refused to do an interview in Swedish (because his dialect coach advised him too as he was working on his American accent but he wouldn't tell that) and so the Swedes kind of snobbed him for years (not only was he doing stupid action movies but he wouldn't even speak in Swedish!) and did not forget that, until he made people cry in a radio show where he told about his childhood and his father beating him for the first time...

As far as accents go, I tried to get a American accent for years because I was ashamed of French people speaking English, and when I lived in the US, they were pretty much forgetting that I was French... but then I realized chicks would have dug me even more with my French accent!

Coming back Dolph some (who have never heard English with a Swedish accent probably) have been pretty harsh on his supposedly strong Swedish accent when in most films, he sounds flawless (and when you compare him to Arnold and Jean-Claude). Even in MASTERS I don't think the accent is the biggest problem.

[ShawnWatson]

Yeah, weird how Arnie and JC have spent decades in the US but still sound Austrian and Belgugese.

French accents are much more easy on the ears than Scottish.

I never thought he really sounded Swedish. In MOTU I figured his accent was 'Eternian'. Then he played a Russian again, and after that his American accent was acceptable enough.

Stellan Skarsgard is my favorite actor and his English-speaking accent is so cool I frequently use it when impersonating upper-class types. I can do a flawless Gregor from Ronin.

[dolphage]

Belgugese.

"Belgian"?

I like "belgugese" better, though.

I would love to hear the American/Scottish accent.

Yeah, that little misstep from Dolph with refusing to speak Swedish really rubbed people the wrong way.

[ShawnWatson]

It sounds like this!



One of my unboxing videos.

[Dawn]

I would say just do what is comfortable to you. Even in the US there is arguments on what sounds the most like the "normal" accent. All the regions have different influences and even within the state that I live in the accents range quite a bit. Minnesotans have lots of nordic influence and you can tell it in their accents. I can't understand the cajun dialect in Louisiana very well at all. For the most part I notice that most actors speak more of a mid-western accent for most parts unless they are trying to be southern part or eastern part (Boston or New Jersey is quite distinct). So to each his own! I think its all interesting as you can sometimes tell well people are from and it leads to fun conversation about other places outside of where we live.

[Mosquito]

Shawn, I can't watch your videos right now so I don't know what you sound like. But I love the Scottish accent in general and think it sounds totally cute. My recommendation would be to stick with it. Actors of course should be able to lose theirs an pick up every accent that is required for a role. To be successful even with a heavy accent you have to have Arnie's or JC's total determination.

[Mosquito]

As far as accents go, I tried to get a American accent for years because I was ashamed of French people speaking English, and when I lived in the US, they were pretty much forgetting that I was French... but then I realized chicks would have dug me even more with my French accent!

When I was there I noticed that many people found everything European very interesting. But that was San Fran. It may be different e.g. in the Mid West. I didn't get rid of my accent completely (was there only for a few months) but at least people coulnd't tell my county of origin. Oh and yes, I can speak English and German viz a heavy Frönsh accent. ;-p