Do you think British actors are really better trained than American ones?

[Colin X]

Are they more talented?


I've heard both of these statements, how much truth is there, Coli?

Some say acting is taken more seriously over there whereas over here it's more "cool" and thought of as just a "thing".

I've heard that formal acting training and theater are more popular across the pond too than they are here.

 

[AnonymityX1000]

No, there are a lot of A list actors who never even received any type of training. Some people are just born with that talent to pretend really well. It really doesn't matter where you are from

 

[Colin X]

No, there are a lot of A list actors who never even received any type of training. Some people are just born with that talent to pretend really well. It really doesn't matter where you are from

But there are also many great actors who did go through extensive training:


Denzel
Meryl Streep
Angela Bassett
Lupita
Kevin Spacey
Oscaar Isaac
Viola
Alan Rickman (UK)
Anthony Hopkins (UK)
Jim Parsons
Carrie Fisher (UK)
Andrew Garfield (UK)
Dean Cheadle
DDL (UK)
Patrick Stewart (UK)
Care Blanchett
Mel Gibson
Bradley Cooper
DeNiro
Al Pacino
Kevin Bacon
Del Toro
PSH
Kit Harrington (UK)
Forest Whitaker
JEJ
Seinfeld
McConaughey
Samuel L.
Sandra Bullock
Courtney Vance


So I mean, formal training clearly means SOMETHING

 

[AnonymityX1000]

Yeah, not saying training isn't helpful but it also isn't absolutely necessary like some other professions.
America has great theater and drama schools just like anywhere else, so no I don't think it matters where you are from.

 

[MikeyC]

Yes. Brits can do accents better than yanks.

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

"i'm not an actor i'm just a rapper"

basically the "i'm not a rapper i'm just telling my story"

 

[zayk35]

I think its the accent making it seem all elegant and classy...

 

[the next guy]

But there are also many great actors who did go through extensive training:


Denzel
Meryl Streep
Angela Bassett
Lupita
Kevin Spacey
Oscaar Isaac
Viola
Alan Rickman (UK)
Anthony Hopkins (UK)
Jim Parsons
Carrie Fisher (UK)
Andrew Garfield (UK)
Dean Cheadle
DDL (UK)
Patrick Stewart (UK)
Care Blanchett
Mel Gibson
Bradley Cooper
DeNiro
Al Pacino
Kevin Bacon
Del Toro
PSH
Kit Harrington (UK)
Forest Whitaker
JEJ
Seinfeld
McConaughey
Samuel L.
Sandra Bullock
Courtney Vance


So I mean, formal training clearly means SOMETHING

You see how everyone american on this list is passed 35. The new american actors just have not met the standard as a whole, too many models getting in and not knowing about the work acting takes. Meanwhile Britain is pushing out a new guy every 2-3 years at this point.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

American actors need to work on their accent game cause it's not comparable right now.

For example someone from Baltimore should be able to do a better job at a Cali or New York accent and vice versa.

 

[Colin X]

You see how everyone american on this list is passed 35. The new american actors just have not met the standard as a whole, too many models getting in and not knowing about the work acting takes. Meanwhile Britain is pushing out a new guy every 2-3 years at this point.

For the past like 6 years the newest "actors on the rise" have been British and like 95% of them ALL have some form of formal training.

Just like a lot of older Hollywood actors

I'm sure that's not the only factor but idk it definitely feels like it is one.

 

[the next guy]

For the past like 6 years the newest "actors on the rise" have been British and like 95% of them ALL have some form of formal training.

Just like a lot of older Hollywood actors

I'm sure that's not the only factor but idk it definitely feels like it is one.

MJB
Channing is already 37
Miles Teller maybe.. he needs his next projects to click.
Shia's done
Zac Efrons box office numbers are weak.

It's ugly out there for sure.

 

[Still FloW]

you answered it yourself, the older guys had formal training, the new ones not so much, and all this ''model turned actors'' thing aint helping either, plus none of them got range..

british actors spend years in film school, the talented ones acted in theatres before getting that hollywood break, dont think you guys realize how hard it is to do theatre, you master that you're pretty much game..

 

[StraxStrax]

I'm gonna quote myself from a thread made last year

4 years ago I saw 5-6 short films from National Film and Television School in England. One of them was about an old man trying to get a loan and while he's talking to the manager robbers come in a start shooting up the place. This old man (60 years old) was so good I looked him up on IMDB, I legit wanted to see more of his work. That short film was only credit besides something like Man in bookshop (uncredited) in 2-3 TV shows. All of the short films were like that, fantastic actors with few credits to their name.

 

[Menelik II]

You see how everyone american on this list is passed 35. The new american actors just have not met the standard as a whole, too many models getting in and not knowing about the work acting takes. Meanwhile Britain is pushing out a new guy every 2-3 years at this point.

basically americans put style and looks over substance. In the UK they train from a very young age, and it is more theatre based. This is why there is a huge vacuum of US talent under 40, particularly with men. With that being said, i think it has gone to far. There seems to be an English bias and americans find it almost impossible to get roles, unless they have celebrity pull. A black american male around 25 y/o has zero hope of getting any serious roles ahead of an english actor.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

I don't know what the American way is, but having worked in the UK industry for a while (no longer btw), majority of the actors I worked with, their training was more from a stage/theatre background where ad-libing, vocal projection and body language are keys to performing on the stage. Also I did notice that alot of the younger actors also came from a musical backgrounds whether it was singing or emceeing, so they were already use to performing to an audience, then it was just a case of transitioning to taking direction.

But when I worked with Letitia Wright who is in Black Partner in her first ever role, she had limited experience, I think her only acting before that was drama lessons at school.

There's people who've trained and gone thru the system from being kids and they still cannot act for shyt. Then you got people who fall into acting late and are good. :shrug: