In fact, he was born in Denison, Texas. That’s right, he’s a Texan.
Now, I generally haven’t any trouble with my Brits not being actually British. Indeed, some of the best haven’t been. Half of them, first off, are really Australian. I’ve learned this since dating a girl who, American born, is now actually Australian by choice. Liam Neeson, terrific Brit, but really Irish. One could argue that that’s practically the same, but since the Irish wouldn’t, and have a little Irish in me, neither will I.
It makes me wonder, can anyone be anything? I once spent an evening in Maui as an Australian, touring all the jacuzzis of the hotels along the western shore. It went great for about three hours. I picked Brisbane for my hometown because it’s exactly the sort of town that Americans might say, “oh yes, I’ve heard of that,” without knowing so much as a cousin who has a friend who went there. I also spent a great many nights in England being English. Partly, it’s because I sound better. My grammar, already overdone in most venues, just seems more natural in England, and it made it easier to go out to bars without folks demanding to inquire as to how I let Bush win the 2000 election.
Pigmalyon dealt with this (that’s “my fair lady” for the rest of you), where a young girl transforms her social class with the powers of a terrific accent.
But is it a stretch for a Texan to be a Brit? No, so long as he eventually moves to England, forges papers, and never lets IMDB know any different. In this case, Higgens failed. If I ever become a famous British actor, please, for the sake of my fans, don’t let them know any more about me but that my time growing up in Newport Beach was punctuated by long summers abroad, refining my home life, in beautiful Oxfordshire.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
You know he plays (himself) Higgins’ brother, from Texas, in an episode of Magnum.
Yes, of course I know that. But it’s much more realistic that a Brit is being a Texan than a Texan is being a Brit. It’s like when Rickman played an Australian landowner. Tell me you didn’t buy that?
It depends what accent you are going for? The English accent is very varied and I doubt you could pull off an Northern English accent. Well you could try
I personally hate hearing an ‘English’ accent on American TV, because it is all very tea and crumpets, which is nothing like the accent I hear every day.
As the aforementioned “Australian by choice” I thought I better weigh in on this one. I know for a fact that I sound more charming, and distinctly cheekier with an Australian accent, which is partly why I have refused to let it go.. However, I think that the real reason is that I feel I spent my “formative” years there. For many people this would be their childhood/teen years, however in my case it really was my early twenties spent in Australia with the most amazing group of ruffians you have ever encountered. I finally laughed and danced and cried completely unencombered by the overly serious persona I had drafted for myself in childhood, and if for those occasions alone I keep an Australian twang, then so be it. What I find distinctly funny about the whole ‘case of the Madonnas’ as I have decided to call it is that it’s only Americans that ever take issue without it. In fact, all of my Australian friends seem deeply dismayed at the ever increasing hold the American accent has taken on my diction since my return. Why is that, I wonder, as it is truly their accent that I am pretending to? Are Americans so quick to judge a “poser” or are they just shitty at picking up accents on the whole?
Thoughts?
What about that ridiculous Hugh Whateverhisname is? A Brit subduing his accent to play an Amurican doctor? Another loser
Hugh Lorie, or something rather. Yeah, my only real trouble with him was his understanding of the word “quite” which I take to be wholly different from my own (and I believe, a large population of other users). In this Playboy QnA, he seemed to think that Brits use the word quite to mean “not so much” or to distinguish something as having a minor amount. I think he’s totally wrong. I’ll bet that he’s just been confused all these years by the use of quite as the Brits tend to use it ironically or sarcastically as in “Zachary, isn’t this the loveliest Spanish Bullfighter hat I am wearing?”
“Yes, Camille, quite.”
Or something similar.
I seem to recall you spent only one summer in beautiful Oxfordshire – a summer spent punting mostly. And if my memory doesn’t fail me, you had a Scottish accent at the time.
Sir Dutchman, I may be forced to reveal your identity. And my god, how I do miss Punting.