Are Americans or Brits better at accents?

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[rubberducky]

As an Australian this is so true. We are exposed to American and British content all the time so it’s easy to pick up and imitate.

[jasperdenissen]

Benedict Cumberbatch channeling his inner Chris Martin

[VamLoveAndKisses]

Wow I never realised how strong Elizabeth's own American accent is until I heard it compared to Benedict's.

[SheilaR.]

Many still don't realize that Christian Bale isn't American because his accents are so good.

[shawnagrubb]

We can't forget Hugh Laurie being house and how great of an American accent he did not knowing he was British for quite a few seasons. Yeah he slips up so I'm in the first couple of seasons here and there but he does a great American accent. He's so multi-talented anyways

[seabirdcj]

As an Aussie can confirm I intake a lot of American and English content and basically no Aussie content lol I've always had vocab and inclinations that most people say sound English mainly from watching "skins" but my little cousin is almost 4 and sometimes she will have a full american accent thanks to the content she watches so I think it has a pretty strong affect on people, good theory elizabeth olsen lol

[jonasking]

She’s right about Goggle Box. It’s “regular Brit’s” and not some over stylized accent.

[carkod]

I think it's because American accents are easier because they have more open vowels, but British English emphasize more the consonants which is harder to pronunce

[WandaWitch]

As a Brit, I’m glad she’s not biased towards her own country. I love her ❤

[clareeeeee]

It’s because the Australian accent is the easiest to lose and it borrows from both American and British English / accents.

[lalecerrahoglu]

Elizabeth is so right! I’m Turkish and I’ve heard a lot of comments about my accent sounding very American despite never being in the US. Mind you I’ve been hearing the American accent since the day I was born because my parents were crazy movie/show lovers❤

[artillianeye]

linguistically, it’s also easier to ADD rhotics (the ‘r’ sound after vowels) than it is to DROP them

[scorpiolovepeace]

I am still shocked when hearing these few actors in interviews speaking their normal voice. Daniel Kaluuya, Hugh Laurie, Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Andrew Lincoln. They American accent is so good

[nutellalatte]

This is absolutely true! I'm British and grew up watching a lot of disney channel and still consume mostly north american content, my own accent is so strange and I find doing the American accent the easiest thing in the world

[siemlybi]

I am a kiwi and I have always been able to do a flawless English accent and American, down to the regions, but don’t ask me to do an Aussie accent lol

[JeffMyName]

lizzies bang on the head with this one, and the fact brits and aussies have such varied accents that they end up practicing different accents their whole lives

[effyloveskpop]

I did not expect her to drop GoggleBox 🤣

[GreggyAck]

It’s true but as a Brit I believe it’s because we’re immersed in American culture from birth. We literally play in American accents as children.

[ManneBharath]

"Absolutely."
is it?
"No."
What a chaotic cute beauty 😂♥️

[ETphonehome]

From memory, Aussies actually do have a linguistic advantage when it comes to accents. Apparently our accents are flatter or something (not the right term, idk what is though), so we have fewer region specific sounds and mouth shapes/tongue positions that we have to unlearn before learning those of the accent we're imitating. It's generally easier to add something than take it away, and the Aussie accent is kind of a "blank canvas" that lends itself well to that (which is probably why it's so rare to find non-Aussies who can do a believable Aussie accent). Or something like that. Combine that with extensive, long term expose to both American and British programs and you've got a lot of Aussie actors who are accent chameleons.
That being said, I'm terrible at accents. And there are a number of (quite big name) Aussie actors who always sound glaringly Aussie to me, regardless of their character's supposed nationality.