How I Teach Actors in Hollywood to Speak with an American Accent

Watch how I teach actors in Hollywood how to speak with an American Accent. In this video I am teaching the actress Yasmine Al Massri to practice a script for a TV series. We focus on the importance of word stress and how we use it to convey emotion and meaning.

[carloshbinda]

Her speaking is so clear that you can understand her even if you don’t speak English. 😍

[EricELT]

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing this authentic example that illuminates the crucial role of stress patterns in conveying meaning and emotion. Many non-native English speakers unintentionally "change the story" with unexpected stress. The Picasso quote sums up the situation!

[xrebelkittenx]

I'm not in need to perfect my accent but this is great for just basic conversation on how stressing a word can give someone the wrong idea of your message!

[asifhuseynov]

She explains every point in a very simple way...👍👍👍

[BullMarketCommunication]

As an English teacher, I love this lesson!!!! Great Material!

[kassahimeur]

You're such a smart and attractive teacher,  you deserve to be a queen in Hollywood

[asherkabir]

The thing I learned from this lesson is how to identify the words which need to be stressed. It all depends on a particular situation we're in

[dollymatias]

Wow! You're really a great teacher,

[dheerajdheeraj]

I couldn't stop myself to comment that it's very helpful video. So we request to upload this kind of sentence analysis video frequently.👏😊100% worth watching.

[marklanders]

As an Italian, I studied accent reduction and speech for about 4 years in NYC in order to get rid of my foreign accent and acquire a perfect General American as well as the Eastern Standard accent. I reached the point of sounding like a native speaker in real life everyday conversations with American people. Only occasionally, meaning whenever I happened to mess up a certain sound at a certain point of the dialogue (due to tiredness, or unfamiliarity with a certain word, etc) they would be able to detect _something off_ that would lead them to then ask, _"hmm, where are you from?"._
At the time I would train 3 to 4 times a week with a teacher and every single day on my own by practicing, doing repetitions, working on consonants, diphthongs, vowels, schwa, front vowels, back vowels, length of sounds, intonation, voice placement, musicality, rhythm, breathing exercises, resonance, stress and demeanor (the personality and mindset of the average Italian person are different from those of an average American, as we know).
The evolution of my voice and my accent was something of a true miracle.
I have now been living in Los Angeles for 20 years and stopped pursuing acting, which led me to also interrupt the daily training and lessons I so religiously dedicated myself to. The results are clear as I'm no longer capable of passing for a native speaker from the US. This, of course, goes hand in hand with my loss of interest in sounding American as I no longer have the necessity of possessing such skill. Yet, I'd l9ike to challenge myself and see how quickly I can go back to where I was while feeling natural, meaning feeling like I'm being _myself._

[jwbz]

I had no idea that her accent was artificial.  You do very good work if you can help someone change their accent so completely.

[hansaf]

I think we're on the same page. When I stress the wrong word I convey the wrong message which gets me in trouble. Thanks a lot for this lesson and by the way both of you are goregous.

[alicemj]

Dear Ms. Lisa; I have read comments on your channel, and I could not agree more with those who share the same views as mine. You share the meat and bone in learning English, and you are so generous with your knowleage and for that matter, you deserve the highest salute from all of us. Thank you again for your teaching.

[Vigil]

The maximum dimension in English courses for foreigners, you are simply amazing!

[siyawashnishat]

It very kind of you and generous of you to share such lessons with everyone for free.

[abdlhakchouayt]

Need more episodes like this it's sort of helpful when you get to talk to someone and show them their mistakes besides the fact that it is enjoyable

[mikon]

Interesting. I’m an ESL teacher. This is very interesting to me. Thank you so much.

[humanityismysoul]

Am proud to have teacher like you the best you tube

[sivakumarkaliyan]

Dear teacher, i watched hollywood pronouncian with your vonversation. are very nice and clear speak, thank lot.

[chabrimohamed]

She did well in Quantico I have loved her acting.