Character Accents: Should they be used?

[gkokujin]

Xmen comics after Crockum are known for multinational members. As a kid I always read in my head with accents.

The movies (or the actors) have either butchered or completely removed the accents.

Do you miss the accents? Why or why shouldn't accents be used?

[The Batkilt]

I don't see why accents shouldn't be used. There are characters that have distinct dialogue due to their background - Gambit, for example - and there's no real reason to make them more generic. I can understand Colossus' American accent in X2 and X3 as, let's face it, how easy is it to find a guy big enough to portray him that is capable of a convincing Russian accent? (Unless you actually hire an English-speaking Russian that's about 6 foot 7/8, obviously.) But unless there's actually a reason for it, why shouldn't Gambit, to use him as an example again, be Cajun?

[JP]

Gambit had an accent.

[Wesley Dodds]

Yeah, I think they should. The multi-national thing the X-Men have is one of the ideas that makes them unique.

It slightly annoyed me Banshee didn't have his in FC.

[Angamb]

on Wolverine dont know, since I saw it in my language, but on the tv series he did.

He is cajun after all

[Primal Slayer]

Of course. They do come from all over the world which is one of the great things about X-men.

[bullets]

I'd like to see some accents if we get new characters.

[TDK elbowstrike]

As long as the accents remain consistent, they would be welcome imo. If I remember correctly, the first X-Men movie, Halley Berry played Storm with a slight African accent. Then she dropped it completely for the next two installments. That was so stupid, so if they go the accent route, they better be sure their actors can keep it up. There are few things that take me out of a movie quicker than an actor doing an inconsistent or all together bad accent.

[psylockolussus]

They should but for the characters that they already introduced, its too late now.

[The Batkilt]

Originally Posted by JP

Gambit had an accent.

I wasn't referring to Origins, just using Gambit as an example of a character that has a distinctive accent and dialogue in the comics - the latter depending on the writer.

[def28]

They should definitely keep their accents. It takes away traits and history from the character if they ditch. X men should be as diverse as possible.

[NanaT]

Originally Posted by TDK elbowstrike

As long as the accents remain consistent, they would be welcome imo. If I remember correctly, the first X-Men movie, Halley Berry played Storm with a slight African accent. Then she dropped it completely for the next two installments. That was so stupid, so if they go the accent route, they better be sure their actors can keep it up. There are few things that take me out of a movie quicker than an actor doing an inconsistent or all together bad accent.

Yes she did. Bryan Singer told her to drop the accent after it had gotten a lot of criticism from the public. I never understood the criticism the accent was not as bad as people make it out to be, most of those people probably not african themselves. (I'm african btw) I think it could pass for a eastern african accent. Just needed to be slightly deeper.

I hope she and the rest of the cast return with the accent. As it individualises the X-Men as a team. They are an international team and it should be emphasised more in the films. Halle, Anna and Alan are the only actors that tried an accent in the films. No one else did. Colossus (russian), Wolverine(canadian), Gambit(cajun), Emma Frost (british accent) and many others.

[Glutton]

Don't forget about Fassbender's accent near the end of the movie LOL

[Angamb]

Originally Posted by def28

They should definitely keep their accents. It takes away traits and history from the character if they ditch. X men should be as diverse as possible.

totally agree

[X-Maniac]

It's too late now for established characters.

Alan Cumming did a very good German accent, it was recognisably German but cleverly still kept the English 'w' pronunciation rather than turning 'w' into 'v' (as in when he said 'I could wind up inside a wall').

I hope we don't see Fassbender lapsing into Irish again. I keep wondering why no one made him do the scene again with the proper accent! It must have been done in a real rush, that's my only conclusion, or he would have been asked to do the scene again or at least overdub it with the right accent. It's really jarring when he sounds more and more Irish at the end of the movie.

[Wesley Dodds]

That didn't really bother me. By that point Fassbender had impressed me so much he could have slipped into a thick Mexican accent and he still would have delivered the best performance in the movie...

[EnDz0n3]

Haha I love how Emma is now British

[Wesley Dodds]

Eh?

[BMM]

EDIT: I stand corrected.

[Wesley Dodds]

Ah. Yeah, but in her case, I do kind of read her lines in a faux-British accent. Emma's a little bit like Madonna in that respect.

[EnDz0n3]

She's the Madonna of the X-men. Replace Boston with Detroit

Edit: Jinx!

[NanaT]

I never said Emma was british. I know she's american.
If you re-read my post I said 'british accent'. This is a big part of the character 'cause it hints at her personality, putting up an accent.

[EnDz0n3]

Point taken.

But I don't think she should have the British accent at all. I think that's a just a recent occurrence (recent, comics-wise), with Grant Morrison's New X-men. That's like making Beast's first appearance cat-Beast right out of the gate.

[Wesley Dodds]

Yeah, January Jones can barely act in her own accent. I'd hate to hear her try a British one.

[BMM]

Originally Posted by NanaT

I never said Emma was british. I know she's american.
If you re-read my post I said 'british accent'. This is a big part of the character 'cause it hints at her personality, putting up an accent.

You're right. It's a Morrison thing, I believe, and I keep forgetting that. Or ignoring it. Either way, I don't consider it necessary.

Originally Posted by Wesley Dodds

Yeah, January Jones can barely act in her own accent. I'd hate to hear her try a British one.

Seriously.