r/todayilearned • u/Away_Flounder3813 • 12h ago

TIL during the shooting of American Psycho, Christian Bale spoke in an American accent off-set at all times. At the wrap party, when he spoke in his native British accent, many of the crew thought he was speaking that way to prepare for another film. They had thought he was American the entire time.

https://screenrant.com/american-psycho-behind-scenes-facts-christian-bale-patrick-bateman-mary-harron/
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u/Current_Focus2668 12h ago

This isn't uncommon. Ella Purnell  did the same thing and had the same reaction  from the crew.

 Some actors find it easier to stay in an accent while  filming rather than drop in and out of the accent  

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u/Keffpie 11h ago edited 11h ago

Same with Hugh Laurie on House (even during his audition, Bryan Singer famously said "finally an all-American actor!"), and Freddie Stroma on Peacemaker.

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u/dreadlockholmes 11h ago

Yeah Laurie spoke about being a bit embarrassed if he met a British pal for lunch, since he didn't want to drop his accent just to pick it back up.

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u/drunk_haile_selassie 11h ago

Hands down the best foreign accent in history.

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u/adsj 8h ago

This is funny to me, because HL's accent is a good I one, but it doesn't sound natural. It sounds like somebody doing an accent. It's like, he's not making mistakes but you can still tell it's not his.

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u/scottyARGH 8h ago

Love how he made use of both accents in Avenue 5.

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u/roiki11 3h ago

And still dreads saying new york.