Greek Accents

Cover of Clash of the Titans (Snap Case)

I have watched a lot of movies recently involving ancient Greece; both Clash of the Titans, Troy, 300, and last night the last half of Percy Jackson.  I have come to the conclusion that the Ancient Greeks spoke with an British accent.  Only actors from the UK have a chance at any of these roles.  I am pretty sure the ancient Greeks didn’t speak English at all, so why the actor discrimination.    If you want foreign actors to play these roles get Greeks with Greek accents.  I know we are the movie going public and can’t tell the difference, but put some effort in here. 

Maybe it is because these are Hollywood movies and Hollywood only knows about British actors.  Maybe when they do a movie in the UK about the ancient Greeks they use American Actors to give us that foreign sound.  No, they probably use Australians.  I wonder what Australia uses?

I don’t see this changing and really see it going further with the Thor movie coming out, as I believe most of the Norse Gods will have British Accents as well.  The Doctor from Doctor Who is an alien and he has British accent but that is a British show so it is therefore excused.  In Star Trek:  The Next Generation, we had a Brit playing a Frenchman. 

Hollywood, there are more accents other than the ones from the British Isles.  Sure India was a British Colony but I doubt that the entire country of India is populated by people with a Londoner accent.  Obviously realism doesn’t matter when making these movies so just cast whomever from wherever.  Don’t put the accent litmus test into the auditions.  I am sure that there are women that will say that Hollywood should but Gerard Butler into every movie, but that is something different altogether.