The Best And Worst Australian Accent Attempts By Celebrities
As far as accents go, our humble Aussie twang is about as difficult to impersonate as you can get — but that’s never stopped anyone from trying.
We’ve seen countless attempts at faux Australian voices on film, yet the real intrigue lies in the many celebrities who are forced to show off their best Aussie accent for interviewers searching for the perfect clickbait video title.
I set myself the task of watching these interviews for no particular reason and have since become a self-proclaimed “Celebrities Doing Australian Accents” expert.
Feast your eyes on the best (and worst) Aussie accents attempt YouTube has to offer.
1. Ariana Grande
I’ve seen Ariana Grande’s celebrity impressions on Fallon. Her Celine Dion impersonation is up there with the greats. But while this particular accent may not be her best work, it’s hard to deny that the Steve Irwin level of enthusiasm does add some authenticity. Her saving grace here is that she’s having a laugh with the whole thing. If Ariana decides to give our accent a serious go, I’m tipping she could nail it.
2. Ed Sheeran
Can Brits do a better Aussie accent because we’re all one together under the Commonwealth reign? Possibly. The more likely scenario is that impersonating Smallzy over an unreliable radio phone line is a pretty good way to get away with an Australian accent attempt. I don’t know about you but if Ed Sheeran called me in the hopes I would believe he was a Nova radio host, I would one hundred percent be okay with that.
3. Tom Hiddleston
Please sit back and enjoy the impressions master himself as he delivers what has to be one of the best attempts at our accent I’ve ever heard. Sure, it’s technically a Chris Hemsworth impression, but the accuracy is so undeniable that I’m counting it. Petition for Tom Hiddleston to appear in Thor: Love and Thunder as Loki pretending to be Thor sounding exactly like Chris Hemsworth. Taika Waititi, I’m trusting you on this.
4. Lily Allen
Who knew Lily Allen could do a half-decent Australian accent? Maybe everyone, to be quite honest with you, but it was news to me. She delivered her impersonation with the kind of confidence that would sell even a really bad accent attempt, but hers was actually quite good. The eerily accurate “How’s it going?” really sold this one for me.
5. Matthew McConaughey
Have you heard Matthew McConaughey’s accent in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? It’s incredible. No wonder Kate Hudson falls in love with him. But in a bizarre turn of events, McConaughey admitted to faking an Australian accent for a year after returning from living abroad in our very own country, to which all I can say is: why? In what world is an Aussie accent preferable to a Southern one? Strangely enough, people reportedly fell for the accent despite its lacking in Australian-ness. No wonder he won an Oscar.
6. Saoirse Ronan
Jimmy Fallon, for all his qualities, dropped the ball on this one. We only get to hear a snippet of Saoirse’s attempt at an Aussie accent before the host interrupts to move the interview onward. But despite the lack of evidence, I have complete faith in Saoirse Ronan’s Australian accent. Don’t ask me why. I just feel like she can do it.
7. Niall Horan
Given the amount of time Niall Horan has spent in Australia both with One Direction (how long does a hiatus last, anyway?) and his solo career, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he can channel an Aussie bogan’s dulcet tones with ease. Congratulations, Niall. You’re officially one of us.
9. Michael McIntyre
Michael McIntyre is one of my go-to YouTube searches, the kind that’s guaranteed to deliver a laugh even when you’ve withstood hours of questionable Australian accents by celebrities. All things considered, I wasn’t at all surprised to hear that his Aussie accent is pretty spot on. “They find out where the decibel level is in the room and [say], ‘We’re gonna go slightly above that, okay?’” has to be one of the most apt descriptions of us I’ve ever heard.
If listening to all of these celebrities attempt an Australian accent has taught me anything, it’s that the key to nailing it is to spend more time with Chris Hemsworth.
Case closed.