8 Actors You Didn’t Know Were British
(By Carmichael Phillips)
Don’t feel embarrassed if you didn’t know that the following actors were British. Believe me, I didn’t know either!
These actors do their American accents and mannerisms so well, it’s hard to believe that they don’t bleed red, white and blue.
It’s also a shame! These actors are so talented, they should be Americans. We produce the best actors, don’t we? At least, we think we do.
Oh well! Maybe we can adopt them!
In the meantime, God save the Queen and all that. And here’s my list:
Idris Elba
Ok. You might already know this one. But I still had to include Idris Elba on the list because his time on The Wire gave us no clues as to his birthplace. But the star of Molly’s Game and The Harder They Fall was, indeed, born in England.
David Oyelowo
This guy once played Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film Selma (2014). Who would have guessed he was British? But the actor, who has appeared in films like Lincoln (2012) and The Butler (2013) was born in Oxford in 1976.
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is best known for his role as Rick Grimes on AMC’s The Walking Dead. And, although he comes across as a red-blooded American on the show, the Love Actually (2003) star is British.
Damian Lewis
Did you know that the star of Showtime’s Homeland is English?
That’s right! He’s one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. But American audiences can’t claim this Emmy and Golden Globe winner as their own. The actor who plays U.S. Army Major Richard Winters on HBO’s Band of Brothers is from England.
Andrew Garfield
How can Spiderman be British? No way!
Way! Andrew Garfield, star of The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) hails from the UK.
Daniel Kaluuya
I first became a fan of Daniel Kaluuya after watching him kill the role of Chris Washington in Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017). Then I was mesmerized by his portrayal of Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah.
To my surprise, he’s not American. He was born in London in 1989.
Matthew Macfadyen
If you love HBO’s Succession as much as I do, then you must love Tom Wambsgans, played by actor David Macfadyen.
You may not know it, but Macfadyen is from England.
Damson Idris
It blows my mind that Franklin Saint from the FX show Snowfall is played by a British-Nigerian actor.
By the way, if you’ve never seen Snowfall, go watch it. It’s must-see TV.
As you’re watching it, listen to the lead actor when he speaks. Then, go watch one of his interviews. The accent change will shock you.
Well done, Damson!
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