MovieChat Forums > Damian Lewis Discussion > Question about his accent

Question about his accent

posted 8 years ago by annehedberg
2 replies | jump to latest

Yes, I know he is English :-)

I have seen him on screen, but until recently I heard never heard his "normal" voice. I was a bit surprised. I assumed he would speak RP, but not only did he sound significantly older than he is, he also had an interesting "Welsh sounding rhythm" (as in a Welsh accent while speaking English, not Cymraeg. He sounded very "old school", what I mean is that he sounded more like an English literature professor from 1933, than a 40+ actor of today.

Before angry posters rip me to pieces, I would like to point out that English is not my first language, I do not live in the UK, so please keep that in mind. :-)

[–] CobblersAwls 8 years ago

Only Mr. Lewis might shed on light on what kind of accent he believes he has.

But he's from London, St. John Woods (cha ching).

He went to Eton. Ergo, he's an "Old Etonian."

He comes from an ancestry in London that is as blue blood as you can get at the center of London's powerful society echelons for a couple of generations. His family tree is littered with "Lords" and "Sirs."

So, his "natural" accent isn't going to be from a sink estate in South London. Innit.

It's posher than posh.

[–] hilaryjrp 8 years ago

I would like to point out that English is not my first language, I do not live in the UK, so please keep that in mind.

If that's the case, how are you able to say--

I assumed he would speak RP, but not only did he sound significantly older than he is, he also had an interesting "Welsh sounding rhythm" (as in a Welsh accent while speaking English, not Cymraeg. He sounded very "old school", what I mean is that he sounded more like an English literature professor from 1933, than a 40+ actor of today.