Why oh why do they do that? Anyone who has seen Armitage in "Spooks" and/or "Strike Back" will recognise him as a popular British actor with a British accent. Why, then, do they sidestep American actors for a role so clearly made for an American?
shareSame when Americans have to play foreigners.
shareDon't know but it's filmed in Berlin, i.e. the EU.
And it's generally a situation in which the EU and especially the UK are not as generous with actor visas for non-EU citizens as the US is with American visas for British and/or EU actors.
The UK especially is protective of the work practices of its actors. Also, depending on where TV productions receive funding, (like from governments and the lotteries), they have certain requirements to hire locals.
It was no accident Damian Lewis ended up playing the iconic American hero in "Band of Brothers" and that the rest of the cast was filled by so many non-US actors playing Americans. It was filmed in the UK.
European actors and actresses are also often less expensive to cast--even the bigger names.
There have been a lot of interviews over time with UK producers talking about this.
Those Brits play Americans better than American actors. Makes me proud to be American - when they do it.
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