The best & worst Northern Irish accents in Hollywood films & TV

It's really not that difficult...is it? 🤣

Author: Emma DicksonPublished 24th Jun 2021
Last updated 21st Mar 2022

It's fair to say we're a unique place to visit. For such a tiny country, Northern Ireland certainly has its fair share of unique accents.

It might have recently been voted one of the most attractive accents in the world but why is the Northern Irish brogue one of the most difficult to master?

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise really struggled to pick it up. Leaving local audiences cringing at the screen 😳

In fact, local actor Jamie Dornan was criticised for his imitation of a southern Irish accent in his latest role for Wild Mountain Thyme. See even the locals sometimes get it wrong too!

Let's take a look back at some of the best and worst attempts at our wonderfully wacky accent:

Sam Neill – Peaky Blinders

Sam Neill may hail from Omagh in Northern Ireland, but he recently confessed to having a little difficulty mastering the Ulster accent. Not cool Sam!

Sean Bean – Patriot Games

Sean is known worldwide for his northern Yorkshire accent, but that really didn't help him out when filming for the Patriot Games back in 1992.

Brad Pitt – The Devil’s Own

Brad apparently visited Belfast to research the accent, but perhaps he didn't immerse himself quite enough.

Pierce Brosnan - The Foreigner

Pierce lived in Drogheda up until the age of 12, so his roots are planted firmly here. His northern accent didn't quite hit the mark, with a mix of Scottish & American touches throughout.

Tommy Lee Jones - Blown Away

You can sadly still hear a prominent Texan twang in Tommy Lee Jones' performance in Blown Away. Some accents are harder to shake off than others.

Nicola Coughlan – Derry Girls

The Irish actress, who's originally from Galway, is often asked how she manages to perfect her character's Derry Girls accent. Turns out, 'Claire Devlin' is actually based on pop star Nadine Coyle from Girl's Aloud.

Daniel Day-Lewis - The Boxer

Isn't he Irish you ask? Not quite, Daniel Day Lewis is English with dual British and Irish citizenship. This might give him an advantage but who cares, he's fantastic!