Henry Cavill is no stranger to adopting American accents for his movie roles. After all, he is famous for his role as Superman in Man of Steel, where he successfully pulled off an American accent. However, his experience with adopting an accent took a more challenging turn while filming the 2015 movie, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E, directed by Guy Ritchie, is based on the 1960s television series of the same name. The movie features Cavill as CIA agent Napoleon Solo, who collaborates with a KGB agent to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. Ritchie had a specific American accent in mind for Napoleon Solo, he required Cavill to adopt that particular accent for the film.
The Hardest Thing for Henry Cavill
Cavill had to adopt an American accent for the movie, but Ritchie did not want the actor to sound like Clark Gable, a legendary Hollywood actor known for his smooth and distinctive voice. Ritchie wanted something different, and Cavill had to work hard to get it right.
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Speaking about his experience in an interview with FlavourMag, Cavill revealed that the accent was the hardest thing for him while filming The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
“I think the hardest thing for me was the accent. When we started, Guy said, ‘Okay, I want something a bit like Clark Gable, but not Clark Gable.’ And I said, ‘Okay, cool.’ So I sat down with Andrew Jack, our dialect coach, and he ran me through some Clark Gable stuff. We worked on it. We kind of got it down, and then we started shooting,”
Cavill added that getting the English accent down accurately was still challenging even while shooting. According to the actor, Ritchie had a specific American accent in mind for the character Napoleon Solo, which caused some trouble for Cavill. In the same interview, Cavill shared that he struggled with the accent and had to work with a dialect coach to master it.
However, even during filming, it still took some time for Cavill to get his English accent down accurately. Ritchie often corrected Cavill during scenes, stating that certain words sounded too English or too American. As a result, they had to finesse the accent in different ways, and eventually, it became an affected American accent that was transatlantic and dated.
Man of Steel Actor’s Greatest Regret
Despite his hard work to perfect the accent, Cavill has hinted that it may have been his greatest regret while shooting the movie. The actor revealed that the accent he adopted for the movie was so distinct that he struggled to switch back to his natural way of speaking.
Henry Cavill also revealed that he often spoke in an American accent all day long during dialogue. As a result, it took some effort to switch back to his natural English accent, especially when talking to his girlfriend. Cavill explained that this was due to being so used to speaking in the American accent for extended periods while filming.
For an actor who prides himself on his versatility and ability to adapt to different roles, it’s understandable why adopting an accent would be a significant challenge for Cavill. After all, his reputation as a talented actor is built on his ability to bring authenticity to his roles.
Henry Cavill’s performance in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was impressive. Not only did he have to perfect a challenging accent, but he also had to embody a character with an entirely different personality.
While it was undoubtedly a challenge, it resulted in a fantastic performance that showcased his acting range. Despite the challenges he faced, Cavill has proven time and again that he is a versatile actor who can tackle any role thrown his way.
