Points off for using the phrase 'Irish brogue' which really is worse than Boreanaz's efforts.

It really amuses me to see people slag off other people's attempts at Irish accents, when they themselves wouldn't be able to tell a Donegal lass from a Kerry man, or a Northside skanger from a Southside smoothie. I thought it was hilarious how people thought Glenn Quinn's accent wasn't real just because they'd never heard a real Dub speak. Righ'?

Caroline | November 23, 13:52 CET

OK, I'm one of those you mention (although I am careful to admit my ignorance, even as I slag off DB's attempts) but tell me: do you agree that DB was really bad before but is getting better?

I think back to the time they all lost their memories, but Angel still 'talked American' and the flashback scenes between Angel and the Big Rubber Disco Satan where Angel never spoke at all, and I thought those were as much of an acknowledgement as anything we would ever find that the Irish thang just wasn't working for David. I thought he'd sworn off accents. So I was very surprised to hear him trying it again now, but this time pleasantly so, as noted in a previous post, because he seems to be doing something right now.

Prolific? Simon? What do those closer to the matter think?

melsta | November 23, 17:22 CET

I do think it's a lot better that before.

As it happens I'm not that familiar with the Galway accent, which is where Angel is supposed to be from, but from the few times I have been to Galway (city) it did strike me as the most 'generic' Irish accent I've heard.

I'm listening to Galway radio as we speak - 'course radio presenters aren't the most reliable people to base your impressions on, but judging from this sample, David does a reasonable job for someone who's obviously not a natural mimic. (He can't sing either, that says a lot. You've got to have a musical year to be a good mimic.)

English and American actors who can do a good Irish accent... Daniel Day Lewis, Kevin Spacey wasn't bad (and he's a great singer), Samantha Morton and Paddy Considine (both English) do a good job in 'In America' (go see it!).

Tony Head's American accent is hilarious.

Caroline | November 23, 17:44 CET

I thought his accent was better as well but then I'm right along there with melsta.. hee! And I find that English, Irish, Scottish (that doesn't look right...) actors "American" is almost always amusing especially if they are really putting on! ;) ... eh? hee!

lyn | November 23, 17:49 CET

I really haven't travelled in the south a lot so I'm not a good judge of southern Irish regional accents but David's accent did really grate in the early days but it has vastly improved.

Worst Irish accent was Tom Cruise in "Far and Away (and Over the Top)".

Simon | November 23, 19:17 CET

My favorite accent was when Spike was trying to hide who he was from Riley in Doomed. You had an American playing a Brit trying to imitate an American. "Me? No. No, sir. I’m just an old pal of Xander’s here."

Scott | November 23, 19:23 CET

Best fake American accent is Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson in Dead Again.

melsta | November 24, 00:27 CET

The question is, is he the Mastermind…or the Mastermind’s right hand?

Or is the Mastermind his right (or was it left?) hand?

kishi | November 24, 02:42 CET

Melsta -- though I'm a fan of "Dead Again," I've got to disagree about Branagh's accent. He's supposed to be a Los Angeles native. I too am an L.A. native and we rarely speak in what sounds like a Philadelphia or Jersey accent, which is what he sounded like.

Russell Crow did a pretty good job in "L.A. Confidential." (He based his voice on the director, Curtis Hanson, who I think is also a native Angeleno.)

bobster | November 24, 07:40 CET

I've known and travelled with irishmen in my life, and though I'm hardly an expert on the topic I do agree David's attempts are well-intended but not very succesful. It has it's ups and downs but really, he always sounds like someone trying to sound irish rather than someone being Irish.

Well, as stated it's a separate talent that actually a minority of actors really has.

I have noticed as well though that I can't think of a single british actor who can do a convincing american accent. I have yet to see Michael Caine's last movie (The Quiet American? Was that it?) but in Cider House he was laughable. Not his acting mind you, that was great if not as big a role as I'd hoped, but his accent was very much NOT New England.

And yes Australian actors seem to fare a lot better (Russel Crowe, Gut Pierce, Hugh Jackman) even though they have a very clear and hard to miss dialect of their own. It's interesting stuff.

I still say James Marsters does a very good job generally. I'm certain no one from North London thinks he's from North London, but I have spoken to brits who at least did think he was indeed from somewhere in England.

EdDantes | November 24, 12:48 CET

Mmmmm, Southside smoothies are delicious on a hot day.

brother_grady | November 24, 20:30 CET

Marsters was pretty good in the early Buffy seasons, but he's all over the place now. (perhaps he's too busy a.c.t.i.n.g.) Time for a Brit to join the cast so he can brush up.

Caroline | November 24, 22:55 CET

I remember reading somewhere that while on Buffy that Marsters based his accent on Tony Head's real accent, and that Head coached Marsters on his accent. Maybe not having Head on the set has caused a decline in Marsters accent.

pesoto74 | November 25, 03:04 CET