Henry Cavill
While Superman might be an all-American icon, the actor who plays him certainly isn’t. As one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars of recent years, Henry Cavill is used to adopting an American accent for his roles.
However, Cavill is actually British, hailing from the island of Jersey in the English Channel. He began his career on British TV before breaking through in Showtime series The Tudors.
Damian Lewis
Although he’s British, Damian Lewis is a master of American accents, with his roles in TV shows like Homelander and Band of Brothers displaying his talent for mastering regional dialects.
Lewis put his skills to good use in 2003’s Dreamcatcher, which saw him playing an American who develops an English accent after getting possessed by an alien.
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a bona fide Hollywood bombshell, and most of her roles see her adopting a flawless American accent. In reality, the actress is not only South African, but she didn’t even grow up speaking English!
Instead, Theron’s mother tongue is Afrikaans, a language spoken in South Africa and a number of other African nations.
Christian Bale
Some fans are surprised when they hear Christian Bale’s strong London accent in interviews and awards speeches, as many people assume he’s from the US.
The actor, who was born in Wales but grew up in the English capital, is best known for playing the All-American lead characters in Hollywood movies like American Psycho and The Dark Knight trilogy.
Tom Holland
In order to convincingly portray Peter Parker in the Spider-Man franchise, Tom Holland had to sound like he grew up in Queens.
The actor mastered the accent so successfully that most viewers believe that Holland is a born and bred American when he actually grew up in London.
Idris Elba
While he’s best known in the States for his portrayal of crime boss Stringer Bell in The Wire, Idris Elba started out with small roles in British movies and TV shows in the 90s.
American audiences are mostly unaware that Elba is actually British, largely on account of his impeccable Baltimore accent in The Wire.
Charlie Hunnan
Although he’s starred in a number of blockbusters, Sam Hunman is best known for playing Jax Teller on the hit FX show Sons of Anarchy.
Most fans tend to assume that Hunnam is American, but he can be heard speaking with his natural British accent in movies like King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Andrew Lincoln
If you’re from the United Kingdom, there’s a very good chance you’ve long been familiar with Andrew Lincoln thanks to his roles in Love Actually, Teachers, and This Life.
If you’re from the other side of the pond, the first time you saw Lincoln was likely in The Walking Dead, and his impeccable Deep South accent probably convinced you he’s American.
Hugh Laurie
When Hugh Laurie sent off his audition tape for the medical drama House, executive producer Bryan Singer reportedly remarked: “See, this is what I want, an American guy.”
Embarrassingly for Singer, Laurie is British, and he’s starred in some of the most quintessentially British shows of all time, including Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster.
Margot Robbie
Most movie fans will know Margot Robbie from her roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, I, Tonya, and Suicide Squad, all of which saw her playing American characters.
However, while the actress has certainly mastered American accents, Robbie is actually Australian, and her acting career began with a recurring role in Neighbours.
Freddie Highmore
In recent years, Freddie Highmore has been dazzling audiences with his performances in The Good Doctor and Bates Motel.
Given that his characters in both these shows are American, many people assume he’s from the States. Highmore is actually British and can be heard speaking in his normal accent in 2004’s Finding Neverland.
Matthew Rhys
If you thought that Matthew Rhys was from the United States, you can definitely be forgiven, given that he spent years starring in a TV show literally called The Americans.
In reality, however, Rhys is from Wales, with the actor moving to the States in 2011 after landing a role in ABC’s Brothers and Sisters.
Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown was just 12 years old when she landed the role of Eleven on the Netflix show Stranger Things.
Brown later revealed that she put on an American accent during her audition, which helped her win the part. The actress is actually British, although she was born in Spain.
Rose Byrne
After building a successful career in her native Australia, Rose Byrne got her Hollywood break when she landed a role in 2004’s Troy.
Since then, the actress has turned in acclaimed performances in movies like Insidious and Bridesmaids, convincing fans that she’s American in the process.
Dominic West
Like his co-star Idris Elba, Dominic West convinced legions of fans that he’s American with his starring role in The Wire.
While the actor’s portrayal of Irish-American cop Jim McNulty was certainly convincing, West was actually born in the English city of Sheffield, and he didn’t move to the States until his early 20s.
Daniel Kaluuya
American audiences were introduced to Daniel Kaluuya when he starred in Jordan Peele’s 2017 horror masterpiece Get Out.
The actor has since followed up with a number of acclaimed performances in Hollywood movies, scooping a BAFTA for his turns in Black Panther and Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah. While most fans assume Kaluuya is American, the actor is actually British.
Robert Pattinson
After becoming a household name with his portrayal of Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise, Robert Pattinson mostly pivoted to making independent movies.
The actor’s recent turn as Bruce Wayne in 2022’s The Batman reaffirmed Pattinson’s superstar status, and also cemented the mistaken belief that he is American when he’s actually British.
Isla Fisher
While she’s technically Australian, Isla Fisher was actually born in Oman, where she lived until the age of six.
These days, the actress is best known for her roles in Hollywood movies like Wedding Crashers and The Great Gatsby, with her spot-on American accent tricking moviegoers into believing she’s from the States.
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman adopts an American accent for most of his film roles, as well as portraying the most famous Canadian superhero, Wolverine, in the X-Men series.
He can also be heard speaking (and singing) in an English accent in the 2012 movie adaptation of Les Misérables. In reality, however, Jackman is neither American, Canadian nor British; rather, he’s Australian.
Tom Hardy
The mask he wore as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises made it impossible to hear what Tom Hardy was saying – let alone what accent he was speaking with.
Still, the fact that the movie was a Hollywood blockbuster led many to assume that Hardy is American. Like his co-star Christian Bale, Hardy actually hails from London, England.
Dominic Cooper
Jesse Custer – Dominic Cooper’s character on the AMC show Preacher – has a thick Texan accent, leading many to assume the actor hails from the Lone Star State.
In reality, the actor grew up in London, beginning his career on the stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Gillian Anderson
Although she’s best known for her portrayal of Agent Scully in The X-Files, Gillian Anderson has also had plenty of success on the other side of the pond, most recently with roles in War and Peace and Sex Education.
The actress actually holds dual British-American citizenship, and she is also bidialectal, meaning she switches between British and American accents interchangeably, and almost unconsciously.
KJ Apa
KJ Apa rose to prominence with a role in the CBS TV show Riverdale, in which he played the All-American comic book character Archie Andrews.
Since then, Apa has mostly played actors with American accents, but in real life, the actor’s soft New Zealand accent reveals where he actually grew up.
Chris Hemsworth
Despite the fact that Chris Hemsworth didn’t adopt an American accent to play Thor – the character he is best known for – many fans still assume that Hemsworth was raised in the States.
However, the actor is actually Australian, and whenever he’s not in Hollywood for work he can be found in his native country.
Rosamund Pike
After starring in a number of British films – including Pride and Prejudice and Johnny English – Rosamund Pike worked with a dialect coach to master her American accent, enabling her to crack Hollywood.
The actress was so successful in her endeavor that the majority of Americans now think that Pike (best known for her Oscar-nominated turn in Gone Girl) is actually from the US.
Naomi Watts
If you already know that Naomi Watts isn’t American, there’s a good chance you believe she hails from Down Under.
The mistaken – and widespread – belief that Watts is Australian is largely due to her close friendship with Nicole Kidman, but the actress is actually from the English county of Kent.
Eliza Taylor
As with many Australian actors who went on to conquer Hollywood, Eliza Taylor got her showbiz break with a role in the soap opera Neighbours.
These days, Taylor is best known for her role on the TV show The 100, and her American accent is so convincing that many are shocked when they hear the thick Australian accent she speaks with in day-to-day life.
Jamie Dornan
Jamie Dornan became a household name with his portrayal of enigmatic billionaire Christian Grey in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy.
While the actor has mostly starred in independent films since then, most fans still believe he’s American, when in reality he’s from Northern Ireland.
Max Minghella
Although he started his career on the stages of London’s theaters, Max Minghella – who was born on the Isle of Wight – soon made the jump to Hollywood, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Best-known for his roles in Syriana and The Social Network, Minghella has recently been attracting attention with his role in The Handmaid’s Tale.
Alfred Enoch
In preparation for his role in the legal TV drama How to Get Away With Murder, Alfred Enoch reportedly spent much of his free time speaking in an American accent.
While this was probably somewhat annoying for his British friends and family, it certainly worked, as the majority of the show’s viewers believed that Enoch was from the States.
Bob Morley
Like his The 100 costar Eliza Taylor, Bob Morley is actually from Australia. After getting his start on the soap opera Home and Away, Morley went on to star in a number of Australian TV shows and films.
Since his role on The 100, Morley seems to have pivoted to American cinema, most recently appearing in 2023’s I’ll Be Watching.
Yael Stone
Yael Stone did a very good job of mastering the instantly recognizable Boston accent for her role in Orange is the New Black.
For this reason, most fans of the show believe the actress really hails from the Massachusetts capital. In reality, Stone was actually raised in the Australian city of Sydney.
Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris is something of a dialectical genius, successfully nailing the notoriously challenging South African accent for her role as Winnie Mandela in 2013’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Harris’ roles usually call for an American accent, however, which is why plenty of moviegoers don’t realize she’s actually from Britain.
Katherine Langford
Katherine Langford broke through in 2017 when she starred as Hannah Baker in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.
That role required Langford to adopt an American accent, which she pulled off so effortlessly that most fans of the show have no idea Langford is actually Australian.
James McAvoy
In recent years, James McAvoy has become a household name with his portrayal of a young Professor X in the X-Men franchise.
Despite the fact that McAvoy speaks with an English accent while portraying the character, most fans believe he’s American. In reality, the actor is neither English nor American – he’s Scottish.
Gary Oldman
It’s not exactly like Gary Oldman never uses his natural English accent onscreen, but fans still seem to think that he’s from the United States.
To be fair, the actor has resolutely mastered his American accent, as films like Leon: The Professional demonstrate, so it’s not the most unreasonable assumption.
John Boyega
John Boyega became a household name with his portrayal of Finn in the rebooted Star Wars franchise, leading to the widespread assumption that he’s from the US.
The actor is actually from Britain, and you can hear his natural London accent in 2011’s Attack the Block.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Before his retirement in 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis was known as one of the most dedicated method actors in Hollywood.
In addition to immersing himself in the lifestyles of his characters, Day-Lewis also adopted their accents, which tended to be American. As a result, the British actor is widely believed to be from the States.
Will Poulter
Will Poulter was just 20 years old when he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award for his performance in 2013’s We’re the Millers, and he’s been playing American characters ever since.
However, Poulter – who recently earned critical acclaim for his role in Dopesick – was actually born and raised in England.
Hugh Dancy
Most people tend to assume that Hugh Dancy comes from the United States because Will Graham – the character Dancy plays on the hit TV show Hannibal – speaks with an American accent.
Dancy is actually from Stoke-on-Trent in England, however, and many of his early roles were on British TV shows.
Mischa Barton
She may have risen to fame as one of Orange County’s elite, but The O.C. star, Mischa Barton, is actually English.
Barton was born in Hammersmith, London, before her family moved to New York when she was six. Although young when she left, Barton is still able to perform a stellar British accent when required.
Keanu Reeves
Many know that Keanu Reeves is not American, believing him instead to be Canadian. Whilst he did primarily grow up in Toronto, Canada, Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon.
As his parents were only temporary residents of Lebanon, Reeves is not technically classed as a Lebanese citizen. The John Wick star spent his early years in Sydney, Australia, before moving to New York and then Toronto.
Kiefer Sutherland
Whilst his father, Donald Sutherland, is Canadian, Kiefer Sutherland is actually British. The 24 star was born in London and moved to Canada when he was really young.
Sutherland has been acting in America since the 80s and currently has a side-hustle as a country singer. The star seems to be doing everything he can to fool people about his English roots.
Russell Crowe
Thanks to his high-profile career in American cinema, many people believe Russell Crowe hails from America. Those that have heard him in interviews think he is Australian. The truth though, is that he is neither.
Crowe is actually from New Zealand, making him a native Kiwi, not an Aussie. He relocated from New Zealand to Australia at the age of four.
Rose McGowan
Charmed star, Rose McGowan, had an interesting upbringing. She was born into the Italian chapter of the controversial Children of God cult.
It wasn’t until McGowan was 10 that her American parents returned home. McGowan hated the move and refused to speak English for several months.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh is of the hottest stars of Hollywood right now, following starring roles in Midsommar, Oppenheimer and Don't Worry Darling. With her blonde locks and golden tan she easily passes for a California girl, but Pugh is in fact from Oxford, UK.
At the age of three, her family moved to Spain in an attempt to fix Pugh’s tracheomalacia, a health condition that restricts airflow, before returning to England a few years later.
Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson has a particular set of skills; the ability to pass as an American on-screen being one of them. The Taken franchise star has tried hard to mask his native accent throughout his career.
Neeson has tried so hard that he has almost lost his Northern Irish twang entirely. Despite this, the actor is a fiercely proud Northern Irelander.
Stephen Moyer
Just like Andrew Lincoln, Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Laurie, Stephen Moyer is another Brit that snuck onto a huge American television show and tricked everyone with his accent.
Originally from Essex in England, Moyer had everyone fooled with his deep Southern accent in the sexy vampire show, True Blood.
Ryan Gosling
As a child, Ryan Gosling grew up on screen as a Mouseketeer on Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Club. Disney is intrinsic to America and its culture so people assumed Gosling was an American child.
Gosling however, is actually from Canada. The Barbie actor was born in London, Canada and, outside of the Mickey Mouse Club, got some of his first big roles in the country.
Ewan McGregor
Those that have followed Ewan McGregor since the beginning will be aware of his Scottish roots. But for others who only began following him post Star Wars, his Scottish ancestry will be a surprise.
To enjoy McGregor in all his Scottish glory, Trainspotting is a must watch. Be warned though, the accents are so thick that it might be best viewed with the subtitles on.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, star of 12 Years a Slave, Serenity, and Doctor Strange, is another Englishman hiding in Hollywood. The London native’s American accent is exceptional.
Prior to landing in America, Ejofor was already a staple of some of the most popular and successful British movies such as Love, Actually, and Kinky Boots.
Jacob Elordi
Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi is a star on the rise. Thanks to roles in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Elordi is fast on his way to becoming a household name, but where is he from?
In Saltburn he plays English, and in Euphoria and Priscilla, he portrays Americans. However, he is from neither country, and actually hails from Australia.
Ryan Reynolds
If you didn’t realize that Ryan Reynolds isn’t American by birth, then you clearly haven’t been paying close enough attention.
Reynolds is a loud and proud Canadian, and one of the biggest exports out of the country since maple syrup.
Cate Blanchett
Although Cate Blanchett has been working in America for over 25 years, she was born and raised in Victoria, Australia.
Given her breakout role in Elizabeth, most confuse Blanchett to be English if not American; she’s actually an Aussie at heart.
Antony Starr
He may play all-American ‘hero’, Homelander, in Prime television series The Boys, but Antony Starr is from much further afield.
Don’t let his well rehearsed American drawl fool you - Starr, like his The Boys co-star, Karl Urban, is from New Zealand.
Emily Blunt
If you wondered why Emily Blunt sounded so supercalifragilisticexpialidocious as a Brit in Mary Poppins Returns, it’s because it is her native accent.
Blunt grew up in London and starred in a slew of UK independent films before making it big in the States. She now lives in the US and obtained citizenship in 2015.
M. Night Shyamalan
Director, and occasional actor, M. Night Shyamalan loves a twist ending. The end reveal in his film The Sixth Sense is legendary, but Shyamalan has his own real-life twist - he’s not American.
Although he grew up in New York, the city inspiring many of his great works, he was actually born in India.
Pamela Anderson
Thanks to her turn as C.J. Parker in Baywatch, Pamela Anderson became the pin-up for the all-American girl. Her bleach-blonde hair and tanned skin screamed American woman, but it's all a lie.
Anderson was born and raised in Canada. The star came to America after being spotted by a scout at a sport game, and the rest is history.
Natalie Portman
Prior to ascending the steps to fame, Natalie Portman lived in Israel and went by the surname Hershlag. At the age of three, her family relocated to America.
The surname change, combined with Portman’s impeccable ear for accents, mean that many have just assumed her to be American.
Dacre Montgomery
It seems that every season of Stranger Things launches the career of a new cast member. In the second series everyone was talking about Max’s bully of a brother, Billy.
The part was played by Dacre Montgomery, who is yet another non-American in the show. The young cast has a talent for tricking the audience with their accents. In reality, Montgomery is from Australia.
Kim Cattrall
Given her high-profile roles in the Police Academy movies and Sex and the City, it is easy to think that Kim Cattrall is American through and through.
The truth though is that Cattrall is actually English. The actress was born in England, then moved to Canada soon after, before returning to the UK again aged eleven.
Famke Janssen
Although her name betrays her, when listening to X-Men star Famke Janssen speak, you would never guess she wasn't American.
Janssen was raised in the Netherlands and didn't relocate to the US until the eighties when she began her modelling career.
Elizabeth Debicki
Elizabeth Debicki’s shot to fame when she played Princess Diana in the 5th and 6th seasons of The Crown. Debicki appeared in The Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.
Whilst it is easy to assume Debicki is American, she was in fact born in France, then relocated to Australia at the age of 5.
Diane Kruger
Having starred in French, German, and English movies, tracking down Diane Kruger’s origin can be tricky. Her model good looks and luscious blonde hair may scream California, but she is actually from Europe.
To be more specific, Kruger is from Germany, where she was both born and raised. After appearing in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, Hollywood came calling and she has now been here so long that people assume she is American.
Gal Gadot
As well as having an Englishman playing Superman, the Justice League has a non-American in the role of Wonder Woman. In this case, it was Israel born Gal Gadot.
Gadot didn’t move to the US until she was an adult, but has quickly taken over Hollywood. As well as playing Wonder Woman, Gadot is also the star of the very American Fast franchise.
Rachel Weisz
That accent in 1999’s The Mummy isn’t a clever put on, actress Rachel Weisz is indeed English. Born in London, Weisz is a British treasure.
Her ability to transform for a role is incredible. Weisz’ work in television show Dead Ringers, a remake of the David Cronenberg movie of the same name, had her playing identical twins, both of which audiences whole-heartedly believed were American.
Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender, star of David Fincher’s most recent film, The Killer, is sadly not an American. He instead considers himself to be a German-Irish actor.
Fassbender was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and lived in the country until he was 2. At this point his family moved to Killarney, Co. Kerry, in south-west Ireland.
Mila Kunis
Although she now voices Meg Griffin, a member of one of America’s most recognizable animated families, Mila Kunis is not native to the States.
Kunis was instead born in Ukraine and lived there until the age of 7. At that point her family emigrated, but Kunis has never forgotten her roots and returns when she can to embrace her heritage.
Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins has been appearing in American movies for so long that people have forgotten he doesn’t actually belong to the US. The Hannibal Lecter star is originally from Wales, United Kingdom.
He still resides in Wales and famously missed giving his virtual acceptance speech for his Oscar win for The Father, as, due to the time zone difference, he had already gone to bed.
Melanie Lynskey
Melanie Lynskey, star of television series Yellowjackets, almost broke the internet when fans found out that her American accent was fake.
As housewife Shauna, Lynskey’s accent is perfect and people were disillusioned to discover that the actress is actually a New Zealander.