<p>I like to show ‘House’ clips to my English language learners; I have them study the accent and guess where he’s from. After we have ascertained ‘He’s American’ I go online and pull up a Hugh Laurie audition or interview or two…and watch their jaws drop at his wonderful British accent. It’s a great lesson in how one can play with voice if one REALLLLLY wants to do it!</p>
<p>You should use Idris Elba too ( on The Wire, he played a drug kingpin from Baltimore, on Luther, he plays a detective chief inspector in London)</p>
<p>UMDad, that show sounds great. Where / When it does play?</p>
<p>I used to watch House all.the.time. But, the characters never changed from week to week, no growth, just static characters over time. And the stories, while same flow each week, had the most bizarre problems. But I like Hugh Laurie. I wondered why he bothered switching to an American accent, especially when commercial voice-overs are all seem to be British.</p>
<p>The casting call was for an American, or at least an American accent, and his audition tape was made with an American accent. I think Robert Sean Leonard was cast first and the Holmes/Watson duo works better when they’re both the same nationality.</p>
<p>I seem to be a lone voice here, but I am not a fan of Laurie’s British-accented work. He seems to be more effete with his British accent and more powerful with his American accent. I am not making a general comment about these accents, only about how they work on Hugh Laurie, in my opinion.</p>
<p>His interview on Inside the Actor’s Studio revealed that he’s quite a dark guy. He’s also an amazingly talented one. His piano is incredible. He has a published novel, and he was an oarsman like his father.</p>
<p>Lawrencemom, what a great idea!</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC</p>
<p>Thanks, anniezz! I’m always looking for ideas to motivate my students. :+)
emeraldkity4: I’ll have to check out Idris Elba, too. Thanks.</p>
<p>Myth mom I agree that Laurie changes his demeanor when he changes his accent ( if that’s what you meant)
He has a malleable face, & the things I’ve seen him in where he sounds British, (Jeeves & Wooster, Fry & Laurie, & now 40something) take advantage of that.
But I like him like that.</p>
<p>Heads up to UMDad.
[Fry</a> and Laurie plan some entertainment](<a href=“http://www.canada.com/Laurie+plan+some+entertainment/6636347/story.html]Fry”>http://www.canada.com/Laurie+plan+some+entertainment/6636347/story.html)</p>
<p>“The best thing about the end of ‘House,’ is that Hugh Laurie and his old stage partner Stephen Fry are going to work together again. Fry sent this Tweet the other day: “Hugh Laurie and I are cooking up a project together. We will be working again soon. Sorry to be mysterious but more news when I can.” If you’ve never seen these two as Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, you have a rare treat coming.”</p>
<p>Stephen Fry supposedly has been working on a script for a re-make of the old British movie The Dambusters forever.</p>
<p>It would be great to see him back together with Hugh Laurie. They are obviously such great pals. Check out ***Hugh and Stephen’s Magic Trick ***on YouTube.</p>
<p>Does anyone remember Hugh Laurie’s portrayal of the extremely grumpy Mr. Palmer, the son-in-law of Mrs. Jennings in Sense and Sensibility? He was champion of the withering glance and rolling eyes, then surprises all with his kind sentiments when Marianne appears to be dying in his mansion. I loved him.</p>
<p>He was also in Peter’s Friends with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh. He married to Emelda Staunton there too – their height difference always amusing.</p>