Dennis Haysbert accent


Anybody else here (especially those who are either familiar with SA or from SA) think his accent was crap? I've meet tons of real Xhosa's and this was just AWEFUL. My Anglo-South African husband who's not an actor can do a better one - and he sucks at languages.

Normally I like Dennis Haysbert but he really needed an accent coach!

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Put on Accents always sound bad to those familiar with the original - I have had to put up with Americans doing brutal irish accents for years.

I try and ignore it and concentrate on the rest of the performance

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There's a brief moment in this movie where Joseph Fiennes' character mimics Mandela to one of his colleagues. It was at that moment that I thought Fiennes does Mandela's accent better than Haysbert. Still, overall it's a fine movie. I liked it much better than the Michael Caine-Sidney Poitier take on DeKlerk and Mandela.

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Agreed. I love Dennis Haysbert, but that accent was horrendous. It made it hard for me to get through the movie.

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I think hitting the right accent is quite important, but not everything. I haven't seen this film yet, but soon will. My visit to Robben Island in 2003 was quite memorable, I spent 6 months in South Africa. From the perspective of a Quebecoise who has travelled and listened to many accents, my favourite ever depiction of a South African accent is Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamonds, he practically transported me back to South Africa when I heard it.
The South African accent is one of the most beautiful anglo accents in the world, both in tone and quirky word choices.
ah, and nothing equals biltong!

***So I've seen 4 movies/wk in theatre for a 1/4 century, call me crazy?**

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