Accents/Casting

[dillivered]

There are talented actors out there who are, however, not that great at accents. I was considering one possible way of maximizing the talent out there in HBO/BBC land.

What I came up with is the possibility of having the Lannisters speak with intelligent(please), but decidedly flat, or "American" accents. I was even considering the same for the Tyrells, if not a little bit of a California/West Coast(the intelligent version still please) twist for them. Meanwhile the British actors could fill out the other rules, which are obviously no less juicy and also more extensive really.

Obviously being that I am only a fan, this thread is more of question. I would imagine that GRRM himself might have some input in regards to that as well, because only he and the people closest to the project would be able to decide whether or not that is an acceptable way to portray the asoiaf universe.

[silmarilli]

I think it odd if House Lannister was "American" and every other house "British". Why single out the Lannisters, of all? I am fine with the idea of various accents, but this strategy does not make sense to me.

[dillivered]

[quote name='silmarilli' post='1631967' date='Dec 28 2008, 02.52']I think it odd if House Lannister was "American" and every other house "British". Why single out the Lannisters, of all? I am fine with the idea of various accents, but this strategy does not make sense to me.[/quote]

Well I know what you mean, and I didn't have a particularly well thought out reason for the Lannisters. I guess I singled them out more because it was how I explained the notion to myself. It's been two years since I last read the books so I don't really recall how each of the regions' dialects break down, though Martin has said that dialect does change regionally.

I am just curious as to how they plan to spread the actors out without sacrificing consistency in setting.

To answer your question a little more thoroughly though...
When I do break down the houses, the Lannisters always felt the most American to me. It's not that I think to myself, "hmmm...Lannisters=Americans," but if I had to pick a house that seems the most like the stereotypical(as shown in the movies) old money American, with excessive riches and access to geo-political power, I would pick the Lannisters. They say Tywin Lannister shites gold do they not?

Now obviously America is a hodge podge of culture and dialect, so I am thinking more of the flat accent we see in the media and on screen.

[silmarilli]

[quote name='dillivered' post='1631986' date='Dec 28 2008, 05.17']Well I know what you mean, and I didn't have a particularly well thought out reason for the Lannisters. I guess I singled them out more because it was how I explained the notion to myself. It's been two years since I last read the books so I don't really recall how each of the regions' dialects break down, though Martin has said that dialect does change regionally.

I am just curious as to how they plan to spread the actors out without sacrificing consistency in setting.

To answer your question a little more thoroughly though...
When I do break down the houses, the Lannisters always felt the most American to me. It's not that I think to myself, "hmmm...Lannisters=Americans," but if I had to pick a house that seems the most like the stereotypical(as shown in the movies) old money American, with excessive riches and access to geo-political power, I would pick the Lannisters. They say Tywin Lannister shites gold do they not?

Now obviously America is a hodge podge of culture and dialect, so I am thinking more of the flat accent we see in the media and on screen.[/quote]

But if you use that reasoning, every house should bear the accent of the real-life culture which most closely shares its attributes...and this is really open to interpretation, since I don't think it was GRRM's intention to create a perfectly analogous world.

Also, since most of the cast will probably be from the UK, logistically it may be hard to cast the Lannisters with American actors - or worse, Brits faking American accents.

I think it should be done LoTR style with vague, undefinable British and European accents throughout. It keeps you in the fantasy state of mind without drawing obviously comparisons to real cultures. Perhaps only cultures which need to seem especially foreign to the viewer or POV characters (e.g. Dothraki) should have noticeably distinguishable accents.

[Smoldering Hound]

Hehe, I'll take a stab at it:

Wildling: Canadian/wisconsin "Fargo"/alaska accent (Think Fargo, or Sarah Palin)

The Watch: Austrailian

Lannisters: American northeast.

Stark: Scott/irish

Greyjoy: Austrian/german (Think schwartzenegger)

Vale: Scandinavian

Baratheon/Court: American midwest

Tyrell: American southern

Riverlands: British

Dorne: Spanish/latin american accents

Free Cities: French/italian/greek accents

Slaver bay: Turkish/arab accents

Horselords: Mongolian accents

Lazareen: Asian accents

Quarth: South african accent

Summer Island: Jamacan accent

Asshai: Russian

[Knight of the Teabags]

Within Westeros the only regions I can hear 'working' with a radically geographically different accents to the rest of the country are the Iron Islands and Dorne. This is because both these regions have a much stronger sense of a seperate culture and identity to the rest of Westeros to the degree of even a primitive nationalism, compared to these two regions not even the North comes close even with its own religion.

Now in my head the Ironmen (with one notionable exception which I'll come to shortly) do speak with a very particular American accent. This is the archaic New England drawl straight out of [i]Moby Dick[/i]. The exception of course is Theon who (due to losing his native accent and being a pretenscious little twerp) speaks with the cringeworthy 'proper' English that one only picks up if you go to prep school.

Imagine the look on all-American Rebel, Balon Greyjoy's face when those vile limies finally return his last son to find they've turned his boy into a disgusting little Etonian!

[Shukun]

[quote name='Smoldering Hound' post='1632290' date='Dec 28 2008, 14.00']Wildling: Canadian/wisconsin "Fargo"/alaska accent (Think Fargo, or Sarah Palin)[/quote]
There are few Canadian accents that sound similar to Alaska/North Dakota/Minnesota accents. ;P

[dillivered]

[quote name='silmarilli' post='1632286' date='Dec 28 2008, 12.53']But if you use that reasoning, every house should bear the accent of the real-life culture which most closely shares its attributes...and this is really open to interpretation, since I don't think it was GRRM's intention to create a perfectly analogous world.

Also, since most of the cast will probably be from the UK, logistically it may be hard to cast the Lannisters with American actors - or worse, Brits faking American accents.

I think it should be done LoTR style with vague, undefinable British and European accents throughout. It keeps you in the fantasy state of mind without drawing obviously comparisons to real cultures. Perhaps only cultures which need to seem especially foreign to the viewer or POV characters (e.g. Dothraki) should have noticeably distinguishable accents.[/quote]

I actually completely agree with that first paragraph. I only view it as one of the many shades that make up my view of the Lannisters. I usually do not like to draw parallels between the real world and a fictional universe, because as I think you were implying, it usually is the writer's intent to create a completely alternate world. Though there are influences from the real world, I think a lot of them are subconscious. Which similarities come through, probably depends more on the reader.

The more I've thought about it, the more I've come in line with your point of view. As you say the most important thing for the actors is probably to portray the Westerosi as being very different from the rest of the world, Dorne included. I guess it wouldn't help matters if they blur things by creating definite language differences between the Lannisters and the rest of the Seven Kindoms.

[Black Wizard]

I think American accents would sound ridiculous. I wouldn't have a problem with American actors as such because good actors can put on convincing accents. Like that guy who played Adam Monroe in Heroes. There's another actor who does fantastic accents but his name escapes me right now.

[K26dp]

[quote name='Smoldering Hound' post='1632290' date='Dec 28 2008, 14.00']The Watch: Austrailian[/quote]
It would be hilarious if, the minute someone joined the Night's Watch, they suddenly got an Australian accent.

[ogbebaba]

[quote name='K26dp' post='1636103' date='Jan 2 2009, 12.12']It would be hilarious if, the minute someone joined the Night's Watch, they suddenly got an Australian accent.[/quote]


:agree: I was just going to say the same thing.