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languages - Why does everyone in Game Of Thrones have a British accent?


What is the reason for the British accents in Game Of Thrones?


Specifically in the North and South, not in what is considered foreign lands like Qarth and Meereen. Although George R. R. Martin is American and the show is directed towards American audiences, everyone in Game of Thrones speaks in some sort of British accent.


Going through some of the characters with accents:



  • Ned Stark has a northern accent (actually Sheffield).


  • Robb Stark has a northern accent (actually Scottish).

  • Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy are non-northern actors with northern accents.

  • Arya Stark has a slight West Country accent.

  • Catelyn Stark speaks with a slight southern English accent.

  • King Robert Baratheon has a northern accent.

  • Some of the knights in the Vale speak with Welsh accents

  • Jorah Mormont has a Northern accent (actually Scottish in real life)

  • Davos Seaworth has a Northern accent (actually Irish)

  • Tyrion Lannister umm, not the best accent.



Anyway, you get the point that the English accent is the theme here. Obviously there are many more characters that speak with British accents, so what was the reason for the British accent?






Answer



David Benioff & DB Weiss thought that the show suited dialog with English, Scottish and Irish accents.


Even though Game Of Thrones is written by an American author and is intended for American audiences, the show specifically uses British accented dialog. As many people know, Game of Thrones is filmed in Belfast and the majority of on-location shooting occurs in Northern Ireland as is the case with Castle Black which is set in an abandoned quarry a few minutes drive north of Belfast. Several of the more exotic locations are filmed elsewhere, but most is in Northern Ireland.


But, speaking as to why the acting was to be done in British accents, an interview David Benioff & DB Weiss. They go on to say that Northern Ireland was the feel they were looking for show but, it was the fact that they had always had in their minds that they would use British accents. The location also played a part as that was the general feel they were going for, old English history type feel.


Taken from the interview below,




"And for whatever reason in our minds, we had always heard, English accents, English, Scottish, Irish accents. I think having this dialog being spoken by someone with a kind of Malibu surfer, it would not have seemed right."






HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’: Further Proof That America Loves British Accents



"It's such an ingrained part of fantasy and science fiction that I'm a little surprised when those kind of characters don't speak in British accents," Matt Zoller Seitz, the TV critic for New York magazine told BBC News. "In the fantasy realm they could have any kind of accent but British does seem to be the default."



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