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

The Accent Coach

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:56:51 +0000

MARCH 2010

I’m blushing while gushing because I was named by HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY MAGAZINE as one of the Top 5 Voice Coaches in Hollywood. Look for me in the March 2010 online issue, as well as on the newsstands.

READ ARTICLE HERE

And I was so thrilled to be included in the RTP.PT (a Portuguese website) interviews with director Jason Reitman and actresses Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Melanie Lynskey all of whom co-star opposite George Clooney in the brilliant film, UP IN THE AIR. I was invited to comment on accents in Hollywood, as Melanie Lynskey, who is from New Zealand, does a perfect American accent.

I am a member of…
VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association)
SAG (Screen Actors Guild)
AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists)
ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Television and Radio Artists)

P.J. Ochlan joins The Accent Coach!

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:55:30 +0000

“He’s a wonderful actor. He can [do] the accents and the whole thing.”

Jodie Foster

“One of my favorite characters…one of the real treasures…”

Roger Ebert

P.J. uses the techniques that I use which are focused completely on how the individual student learns. I have developed a strong and quick process for accent learning which encompasses the spelling out of new sounds sometimes derived from your natural accent. And P.J. uses IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) if that is more comfortable for you, whatever elicits the right sounds.

P.J. was born in Long Island, New York to Italian American parents and like me, was surrounded by many cultures in his neighborhood. He speaks German, has a good command of French (2 years of French Intensive at UCLA) and is learning Mandarin, so his aptitude for foreign sounds is extensive.

As an actor, P.J. has worked under directing legends that include Jodie Foster, Garry Marshall and Tommy Schlamme, producing icons including Scott Rudin, David E. Kelley, Brian Grazer, Carsey/Werner and Aaron Spelling, and for every major studio and network.

Among P.J.’s big screen achievements are several notable films including the role of Damon Wells in Little Man Tate, for which he was submitted for an Academy Award nomination.

On television, P.J.’s been a four-time series regular, along with guest and recurring appearances on numerous other top shows, resulting in several network submissions for Emmy nominations.

He’s also done over 30 national commercials and many voiceovers for which his skill at accents was a big plus.

P.J.‘s stage highlights include a Broadway production nominated for three Tony Awards and a critically acclaimed performance in Joseph Papp’s historic New York Shakespeare Festival.

On radio, P.J. currently serves as an on-air personality and Creative Director for several stations, where his extensive voice work includes several regular shows and features.

Among the other hats stacked up in P.J.’s career closet are stand-up comedy (including headline engagements at L.A.’s legendary Comedy Store), sketch comedy, hosting, writing and directing for both stage and screen. He also has frequent speaking engagements and serves as an announcer and emcee for special events and arts organizations.

Member of:

ATAS (Academy of Television Arts & Sciences)
SAG (Screen Actors Guild)
AFTRA (American Federation of Television & Radio Artists)
AEA (Actors Equity Association)

Australian actress Elyssa Saville wins the prize

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:54:34 +0000

Wow! To be 9 years old and be as talented as she is, Australian actress Elyssa Saville is making herself a serious contender for stardom. This triple threat performer (she sings and dances, as well) stunned me with her ability to learn the American accent and then apply it with ease.

I was fortunate enough to be recruited by Stacey Testro International Management here in Los Angeles to be Elyssa’s accent coach. We worked via Skype and within 2 hours the results of our time together produced very strong American sounds. It’s still a work in progress but in a very short time, she will nail this accent and be flawless.

Represented by Joan Gibson Management, one of the top talent agencies in Australia, Elyssa is off to a great start. She co-starred in an episode of the Discovery Channel’s series, DEADLY WOMEN, SPIRITED and KID DETECTIVE for Southern Star Productions, as well as TV commercials.

Devoted to being the best she can be, alongside her accent training, Elyssa studies acting with Mary K. Vasey, singing with Tim Collins and dance (jazz, hip hop, tap, ballet) at the prestigious Elevate Performing Arts. Did I mention that Elyssa also plays piano, guitar and percussion? And did I mention that she’s only 9? I know I did but it warrants another mention.

This wunderkind plays golf, does horse jumping and plays rugby, as well as the usual suspects like swimming, gymnastics and cycling.
 Elyssa Saville is one of those rare talents where you wonder how can she be so good. She’s bright, professional and charming, all reasons to want to work with her.

Click below to see her transformation with only a 2 hour class. Note, this is one scene out of three that we worked within the 2 hours.

BEFORE

AFTER

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.

Rafika Chawishe

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:52:57 +0000

This powerhouse woman takes my breath away. Rafika Chawishe landed the highly coveted role of Antigone and Cassandra in Paths of PASSION, to premiere at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus on the 28th of August 2010, followed by performances at Royal Albert Hall and culminating with a star studded finale run at the Hollywood Bowl in 2011. And for this production, Rafika will be using her newly acquired American accent.

And if that isn’t enough, Rafika also booked the lead role in the German film, THE WALK, playing Cecilia with an impeccable English (Kent) accent.

Rafika, like most of my bright students, understands the need to have a repertoire of accents and languages in her arsenal. She is completely fluent in Greek which broadens her spectrum for learning all foreign accents. We are polishing her American and English dialects so she can focus solely on character.

Rafika is one of the rising stars of her generation. She has performed in productions at the London Festival, the Gielgud Theatre at RADA and the Peter Brook/Bruce Meyers Company. She graduated with distinction from the National Theatre of Greece,, and has gained the gold, silver and bronze Shakespeare Award by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the United Kingdom. She has acted with the Peter Brook/ Bruce Meyers Company and with the Young Vic Genesis Company.

At the age of 21, she directed Anagnoseis at the National Theatre of Greece and at the Young Vic Genesis program in London. She then went on to stage MEDEA in London’s famed West End.

In 2008 the Hollywood Foreign Press Association invited her as an actress to make her debut appearance at the Golden Globe Awards. She graduated from Athens University School of Philosophy, Department of Greek Literature and Language and is a PhD student at Cambridge University.

Keep your eyes and ears open for Rafika Chawishe. This classic beauty will amaze you.

Isabella Mancini

Claudette Roche — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:51:35 +0000

I adore this girl. Isabella Mancini represents all that I cherish in a devoted actor and person. She works hard, challenges herself and is result oriented.

Born in Romania, Isabella came to me to help her sound American so she could book American roles and not be limited by her beautiful Romanian accent. We worked very hard and her success makes us both exceedingly happy.

On an airplane, Isabella chatted with an American couple who were amazed to find out that she was not American. They did not detect her natural accent. They were focused only on what she said, not how she said it.

Here’s Isabella’s assessment of our work together.

“Claudette is the best dialect teacher in Los Angeles. I studied with other coaches before her but I wasn’t moving forward. Claudette was the best fit for me. She is very talented and understands immediately your weaknesses and works tirelessly until all of them are gone. I never thought I could overcome my Romanian accent. I have a terrible ear, but her hard work and her teaching technique are impeccable, and I succeeded sooner than I thought.

Listening to her and doing my homework and practicing allowed me to acquire a beautiful Standard American accent. I couldn’t have done it without her expertise. She understands sounds but also languages and cultures and teaches you to impersonate an accent not only imitate.

I am so grateful for meeting Claudette. Besides being the best teacher she is also a wonderful person and friend. She changed my life for the better and I sincerely recommend her as the best dialect coach. Thank you very much, Claudette!”

This says it all; the process and how you can feel afterward if you put the work into it as Isabella did.

The beautiful Isabella has had some wins recently. She signed with David Rhee at Arc Talent Management and her ability to do an American accent was key. She shot the short films, CAN YOU WATCH THIS?, and FALLING SNOW which has been accepted
for competition in the Student Academy Awards. Isabella also stars in VAMPIRES, the web series.

Isabella continues to work on her accent, so that it just gets better and better.

KEKE PALMER

Claudette Roche — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:08:16 +0000

Actress/Singer and student, Keke Palmer, wins the 2010 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance In A Youth/Children’s Program for her hit television show, True Jackson V.P., on the Nickelodeon Network.

Keke is one of those brilliant young actors who hones her craft and continues to improve and grow. Currently, we are working on a West African accent for an upcoming film project. I advocate to always be prepared and Keke is doing just that. When her first day of shooting will start, she will be 100% on her game and ready with a flawless accent. Her respect for the people of Uganda will be appreciated by her dedication to learning their native sounds.

Keke was the title character in the spectacular film, Akeelah and the Bee, opposite actor Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett. For this, Keke won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture as well as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture by the Black Movie Awards. She has also received nominations for Most Promising Newcomer by the Chicago Film Critics, Best Actress by the Black Reel Awards and Best Young Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association.  

She also starred opposite Sam Jackson and Eva Mendes in The Cleaner. In 2008, Keke received rave reviews for her performance in The Longshots, a true story about the first female to quarterback an all boys football team to Pop Warner Nationals.

Keke can be seen co-starring with Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams in the feature film Shrink, which was a crowd pleaser at Sundance.  She starred in the Emmy- nominated made for TV movie, The Wool Cap, opposite William H. Macy. Her performance earned her another NAACP Image Award as well as a coveted Screen Actors Guild nomination in the Best Leading Actress category.

 Her many other film and TV credits include co-starring in the made for television movie Knights of the South Bronx with Ted Danson, a pilot for her own show on Disney Channel, Keke & Jamal, and the Lionsgate film Medea’s Family Reunion starring Tyler Perry, Cicely Tyson, and Dr. Maya Angelou.

And if all these accolades weren’t enough, Keke is nominated for the 2010 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite Female Actress!

Needless to say, she is a busy and professional young actress with a very bright future ahead of her and I am happy to be a part of her team.

Visit her site.

http://www.kekepalmer.com/

FREDDY ROY

Claudette Roche — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:07:34 +0000

It’s a busy and an exciting time to be Freddy Roy! He just wrapped production on the pilot, Princess J and Kay. And he signed with Larry Goldhar at The Characters, the biggest talent agency in Canada. Freddy also landed great management, working with Korin Kaplan at Asylum Entertainment located on the famous Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.

Here in the United States for 5 months, Freddy came to me to work on perfecting his American accent, as he hails from Quebec with a few years spent in Colorado. His American accent is now so authentic, he auditions with it and no one detects his roots. He’s really that good. He puts in the time and effort gaining great results. Passion works wonders.

In Princess J and Kay, Freddy plays one of the leads, Mygone, a Royal Page. Mygone is a confident young man and every girl’s dream in the castle. Mygone will do anything to get what he wants and he wants the beautiful Kay, played by Kristen Leanne, the cutie who gets Justin Bieber’s full attention in his One Time music video.

Princess J and Kay’s Producer, Ben Daka and Director, Thomas Santiago, were instantly knocked over by Freddy’s audition and knew he was perfect. And it was important that Mygone have an American accent. Freddy completed this great cast of extremely talented fresh faces.

As a true Canadian, hockey is Freddy’s second passion. He played center for the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Freddy’s father is the amazing Patrick Roy, retired goalie for the Montreal Canadiens.

Freddy’s dedication to hockey translates to his dedication to being the best actor he can be. He continues to study with me and stays fresh with scene study classes. An actor’s job is to do everything he or she can to be great and when they book a job, the job is their vacation period! And Freddy’s goal is to be on vacation as much as possible.

With Freddy’s drive, talent and his great look, this actor is truly one to follow. He better mention me when he wins his Oscar!

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, KID: THE DON CHERRY STORY

Claudette Roche — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:06:16 +0000

Don Cherry was voted as the seventh greatest Canadian on the CBC’s (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) television special, THE GREATEST CANADIANS.

Many of you watched the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and witnessed the colorful and brash Canadian hockey icon, Don Cherry with his cherry red suit, Hockey Canada cufflinks and his Canadian Maple Leaf tie on NBC predicting that Team Canada would win over Team USA. Great drama on the ice ensued as Team Canada won Gold over Team USA 3 – 2. Not quite the 5 – 3 victory Don Cherry promised, however.

For those not in the know, Don Cherry is an ice hockey commentator for CBC Television. Cherry co-hosts the COACH’S CORNER intermission segment on the long running Canadian sports program HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA, and in addition occasionally adds commentary on ESPN during the latter stages of the Stanley Cup playoffs. He is known for his outspoken manner, flamboyant dress, and staunch Canadian patriotism.

Prior to his broadcast career, Cherry was an NHL player and coach. He played one game with the Boston Bruins and later coached them during the days of the great Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito.

On March 28th and 29th, the CBC will air their biggest and best production ever, KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, KID: THE DON CHERRY STORY. The 2 part mini-series, directed by director Jeff Woolnough and written by Cherry’s son, Tim, is a testament of Don Cherry’s love for his family and his love for hockey.

I was the dialect coach on this project working with stars, Jared Keeso and Sarah Manninen, assuring their accents were spot on. Jared also worked with vocal coach, Brad Gibson, to ensure he had Don Cherry’s vocal quality and tones.

I had to teach a Hershey, PA accent to Sarah Manninen who plays Rose, Don Cherry’s devoted and beloved wife, as well as the actors playing Rose’s family. I contacted a number of people in Hershey who were gracious enough to talk to me so I could hear their accents. Someone even directed me to Rose’s cousin, still living in Hershey, who spent an hour with me on the phone. When the accent must be this specific, this kind of research is mandatory. Sarah Manninen dove in and embodied Rose fully. She made me so proud. And Don Cherry was amazed how much Sarah sounded like his sweet wife.

Canada, watch this mini-series. It’s Mr. Canada as you’ve never seen him.

ANTHONY DEBAECK

Claudette Roche — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:05:22 +0000

This really is no surprise to me that my student, actor Anthony Debaeck, gets swept up by top reps in the city after having arrived in the United States only a short time ago. When this town discovers talent, they pounce.

Anthony has it all, strong acting skills, an incredible work ethic and charismatic leading man good looks, all of which make him a dynamic performer to watch.

Anthony recently signed with one of the top agencies, KSR (Kazarian, Spencer and Ruskin) for commercial representation, as well as joining the talent roster of the prestigious management company, Anonymous Content and DPN (Danis, Panaro and Nist) for Voice Over.

Anthony has lived in Antwerp, Paris, and London and now calls Los Angeles home. We are working on his Neutral American accent. The commercial and theatrical market is tight and having an American accent is key to landing more roles. Anthony is well aware of this and continues to work this new accent so he is versatile and cast-able.

Anthony is one of those rare performers, who not only is extremely talented but his repertoire of languages is extensive. He is fluent in Flemish, English, French and German which is an asset for him as many American film and TV roles are asking for foreign accents.

Anthony can be seen in the current release of The Wolfman with Benicio Del Torro and Emily Blunt, and was most fortunate to have performed in The Queen with the wonderful Helen Mirren.

His many other credits include the U.K. productions, Torchwood, 1066, Dr. Who and Clash of the Santas as well as a stunning performance in a 2 episode arc in Septième ciel Belgique, a popular Belgian TV series.

View his reel here. Be prepared, he’s great.

http://adebaeck.com/adebaeck/Anthony_DeBaeck.html/