Claudette Roche - The Accent Coach, Accent/Dialect Coach, Foreign Accents, Accent Reduction » News

Sarah Coomes

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:53:56 +0000

British actress, singer, dancer, writer, voiceover performer…did I get all that she does…Sarah Coomes recently nailed the American accent. Sarah is stunning, hilarious and daring. I just love that about any performer.

Here’s what she wrote to me. She put in all the exclamation marks.

“Thank you soooo much!!!!!!!! You are amazing.!!!!!! The audition went really well. Thank you. Thank you! You’re a really wonderful find - yes a piece of treasure, and a fine actress to boot. As soon as I have reason to have another session with you I will, and will be recommending your incredible talents most heartily. And the feedback from the call back was that my American accent was really good!”

My biggest fan, Sarah, hails from Surrey, England and studied at the renowned RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London where she honed her craft as a complete performer. There isn’t anything that she can’t do.

She was a series regular on the BBC’s Life As We Know It and guest starred in 2 episodes on the internationally acclaimed Eastenders. She won the Westminster Prize for HOOKIE, a play in which she starred and wrote.

Her many stage appearances include TWILIGHT OF THE GODS at ‘C’ Venues at Edinburgh Festival, VENICE PRESERVED at the Arcola Theatre and BATS at the Royal Exchange.

I’m so happy to include Sarah as a student. She’s brilliant. And I mean that in the American and British definition of the word.

Claudia Cimino

Claudette Roche — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:42:23 +0000

Australian student, actress, Claudia Cimino, was critiqued on her American accent by über fabulous casting director, Gary Zuckerbrod (Pulp Fiction, Without A Trace, Live Nude Girls and President of the Casting Society of America). Gary is conducting a workshop in Sydney, Australia at the prestigious AIPA (Australian Institute for the Performing Arts).

Gary’s opinion of my student’s American accent was that it was “flawless’. Needless to say, Claudia Cimino is extremely happy, as am I.

This is critical step one achieved toward Claudia’s triumphant return to Los Angeles and a wonderful career as an actress.

Stay tuned, she’s awesome.

http://claudiacimino.com/

Respect for Accents

Claudette Roche — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:22:15 +0000

Respect [ riˈspekt ] – noun
1) Ali G’s favorite word
2) due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others

I was watching a popular TV show a few months ago. This particular episode was set on the Caribbean island of Haiti with American actors playing Haitians. I hadn’t worked with them and was interested to hear their accents, so I tuned in.

I sat, I watched, I was saddened. Not one of the actors had a Haitian accent. Instead, they’d opted for a West African sound which is obviously nothing like Haitian. French is the official language of this island nation but no one would know it from these portrayals. No beautiful lilt, no French Rs, no nasal vowels, rien de tout (nothing at all).

We are all impressed when we hear foreign actors do flawless American accents; Nicole Kidman (To Die For), Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Hugh Laurie (House) and Idris Elba (Obsessed). And conversely, we know how we feel when they fail at this task. I’ll not mention anyone out of respect.

An actor’s job is to play full and honest characters to the best of their ability. This includes doing proper research. Actors should be as committed as Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond, Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda, Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare In Love and Renée Zellwegger in Bridget Jones’s Diary.

If you’re an actor, look at yourself. Look at your look. What roles could you be called in for? Be ready. Don’t wait and give a “close enough” accent.

Respect your audience. Respect your craft. Respect yourself.