American TV viewers can't understand Tom Hardy's accent - and need subtitles

12 August 2023 , 17:17

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Tom Hardy was born and brought up in west London (Image: Getty Images)

He may be a big hit in Blighty, but Tom Hardy ’s English accent leaves American viewers baffled.

The Londoner topped a poll of people who have US viewers scrambling to switch on their TV subtitles. Hardy, 45, whose big screen hits include Legend and Bronson, pipped Irish actor Colin Farrell, 47, to the top spot with Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, coming third – even though the Austrian star has lived in the US since 1968 and was governor of California.

Americans also need subtitles to decipher 35-year-old singer Adele ’s Cockney accent. More than two-thirds of US viewers admitted that they needed help to make sense of English, Scottish and Irish accents. They routinely turn subtitles on to follow the plots of international hits such as The Crown, Bridgerton and Peaky Blinders.

US viewers also switch on subtitles to understand Irish actor Colin Farrell (AFP via Getty Images)

Overall, the Scots burr of stars like Ewan McGregor and Gerard Butler was voted the hardest to understand with 47% needing subtitles. But only 20% had trouble with an Irish lilt. Online language tutor Preply asked 1,500 Americans which stars and hit programmes they struggled to follow the most. More than half – 51% – said they leave subtitles on most of the time if they are available.

David Jarvis