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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences estimates that somewhere between 90 and 95 percent of all film roles go to Brits, making English workers the single largest demographic stealing American jobs. We’re just kidding. That’s not true. (Or is it? And we’re just using dry British humor?) Some of these actors you’ve probably only heard speak with American accents, but everyone on this list hails from somewhere across the pond. (And by “British,” we mean from Great Britain. That’s England, Scotland, and Wales).
1 of 40
Henry Cavill
Sadly, the Superman is not American. Cavill was born in Jersey. Just not that Jersey.
2 of 40
Idris Elba
By now, you probably know Stringer Bell is actually a Brit. Elba was born in London and has somehow not been officially cast as 007 yet. *Shakes head*
3 of 40
Christian Bale
Every award season we’re reminded that both Batman and Bateman are actually English. Bale was born in Wales.
4 of 40
Charlie Hunnam
He’s the ultimate American TV badass, born in the least American-sounding place on earth: Newcastle upon Tyne.
5 of 40
James McAvoy
Is there anything smoother than McAvoy’s Scottish accent? Go look it up.
6 of 40
Tom Holland
It’s not just Superman who hails from across the pond. Queen’s Peter Parker is actually Kingston upon Thames’ Tom Holland. Don’t worry, Captain American is still American.
7 of 40
Tom Hardy
Beneath his many masks and deep vocals is a real-life London accented.
8 of 40
Sacha Baron Cohen
No, not Kazakhstan. Cohen was born in London and grew up in England. Very niiiiice.
9 of 40
Andrew Lincoln
Riiiiick! Another Londoner, Lincoln has just about perfected the American accent by now.
10 of 40
Kit Harington
Harington’s accent in Game of Thrones may be English, but it’s not quite Harrington’s own London accent. He went with a gruff northern English accent to mimic his TV father (?), Sean Bean.
11 of 40
Sean Bean
Bean hails from Handsworth, England. Not quite the North, but close.
12 of 40
Alan Rickman
Rickman first came to us in the guise of one Hans Gruber and had us all fooled until he started snapping at one Harry Potter. We miss you, Alan.
13 of 40
Gary Oldman
If he was in Harry Potter, he is likely British. Oldman’s nationality also means most of the Batman crew is British. (Hate to break it to you but: Michael Caine is not American.)
14 of 40
Daniel Kaluuya
Unless you first caught him in the very British Black Mirror, you may not have heard Kaluuya’s very British accent.
15 of 40
Will Poulter
Something about Pouter just screams American teenager. But alas, he was born in London. And he’s 26.
16 of 40
Robert Pattinson
Remember the Harry Potter rule. (And apparently now, the Batman rule.)
17 of 40
Nicholas Hoult
How does one man become even more attractive? An English accent.
18 of 40
Damian Lewis
With roles in “Band of Brothers” and “Homeland” you would be forgiven thinking Lewis is a good old American. He’s actually from London.
19 of 40
Kevin McKidd
McKidd was born in Scotland before moving to America, attending med school, and working at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
20 of 40
Riz Ahmed
Also known as Riz MC, Ahmed is both an English actor and rapper.
21 of 40
Andrew Garfield
Though Garfield was born in California, his English parents relocated to the U.K when Garfield was three. Still, that makes Holland the only non-American-born Spiderman.
22 of 40
Ewan McGregor
Born in Perth, McGregor does just about as good a job hiding his Scottish accent as any English actor in the business.
23 of 40
Daniel Day-Lewis
Irish, New York, 19th century Californian … Day-Lewis is an accent god. His home: London.
24 of 40
Jude Law
Can young Dumbledore be anything other than British? Or anyone other than Jude Law?
25 of 40
Wentworth Miller
He spent years trying to break out of an American prisons, but this fake American convict is actually from Chipping Norton.
26 of 40
Dominic Purcell
Both of them?? Yes, both.
27 of 40
Andy Serkis
The master of all accents non-human, Serkis and his human English accent was born just outside London.
28 of 40
Ian McKellen
Gollum, Boromir, and now Gandalf.
29 of 40
Orlando Bloom
Also Legolas. Bloom was born in the human town of Canterbury in the kingdom of men.
30 of 40
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Before his American-accented role in “12 Years a Slave,” Ejiofor and his smooth London inflection was more known for his English TV and film roles.
Josh St. Clair
Joshua St Clair is an editorial assistant at Men’s Health Magazine.
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