The Ethics of Accent Work: A Guide to Not Getting Cancelled

The ethics of accent work are extremely important to navigate in a cultural minefield

Ah, accents, the spice rack of language. They can make a character sound high-class, tough, mysterious, or like they know where to find the best fish and chips.

But as actors, dialect coaches, and performers, we have to ask: Should you really be doing that accent? Or are you about to step into a linguistic minefield?

Let’s break down the ethics of accent work—without making anyone cry into their IPA.

1. Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should

Read the signs

Yes, you might technically be able to pull off a flawless Nigerian accent. But before you launch into your best Lagos-born university professor, ask yourself: “Is this my story to tell?”

Some accents carry deep cultural, historical, and social significance. If the accent you’re attempting is directly tied to a marginalized or historically oppressed group, you might want to pump the brakes. Nobody wants to be that actor who thinks their fake AAVE (African American Vernacular English) is going to “really bring depth to the character” when, in reality, it’s just making everyone in the room deeply uncomfortable.

Rule of thumb: If it seems out of place coming out of your character's mouth, it probably shouldn't be coming out of yours.

2. The “Neutral” Accent Myth (or: How to Gaslight an Entire Industry)

You know what’s fun? When casting calls say “No regional accent.” What they really mean is: “Sound like a white American from somewhere between Nebraska and nowhere.”

For years, actors have been told that “General American” (a.k.a. “the vanilla ice cream of speech”) is the gold standard. But this so-called “neutral” accent is just as much of a construct as Santa Claus after age seven. And insisting that one accent is more “neutral” than another? That’s not just outdated—it’s lazy.

Instead of pushing actors toward a mythical, regionless way of speaking, why not celebrate a range of accents? An accent coach can help actors refine their speech without erasing their identity. Accent coaching should be about versatility, not conformity. Do we really need every protagonist to sound like they were born in a generic suburb of Ohio?

Rule of thumb: If your “neutral” accent has a built-in bias, maybe it’s not so neutral after all.

3. “But It’s Just Acting!” (Yes, and So Is Juggling Chainsaws—Do It Wrong, and Someone Gets Hurt)

The film archives are littered with non-Indigenous actors made up to look like Indigenous characters

One of the classic defenses of questionable accent work is: “But it’s acting! Shouldn’t actors be able to play anyone?”

Sure, in theory. But there’s a difference between transformative performance and taking up space that isn’t yours to take. If an actor of Scottish descent lands a role as an Australian detective, that’s one thing. If an actor with zero connection to Native American cultures is playing a Lakota warrior, that’s… uh… another thing (a bad thing).

Rule of thumb: If the casting call for your role was not widely advertised to encourage actors from that ethnicity to audition, you might want to reconsider.

4. Is It a Celebration or a Caricature?

That guy

There’s a big difference between honouring an accent and butchering it.

Some actors put in many hours, days, or even months of careful study to authentically master an accent.

Others? They just watch one YouTube video of an Irish guy talking about Guinness and say, “I got this.” The result? A cringeworthy Lucky Charms leprechaun accent that makes real Irish people question all of humanity.

If you’re going to do an accent, do it well—and do it with the respect it deserves. Hiring an online dialect coach or taking accent classes can make all the difference between sounding authentic and sounding like a parody.

Rule of thumb: If your accent makes native speakers visibly wince, maybe put it down and walk away slowly.

5. The “Fixing” Problem

If an actor from Glasgow auditions with a natural Glaswegian accent and is told, “Could you make it sound… less/more Scottish?”—what they’re really hearing is: “Could you sound less like yourself?”

This happens a lot. And it’s not just an accent issue—it’s a representation issue. The more actors are told to "flatten out"/"double down on" their accents, the more the rich variety of the human experience is erased. And that, my friends, is how we end up with a world of people who all sound like news anchors from Wisconsin.

If you're searching for an accent coach nearby, look for someone who understands the balance between authenticity and adaptability.

Rule of thumb: If the industry is asking people to erase their identity to fit a role, maybe the industry is the problem.

Final Thoughts: The Accent Litmus Test

Before you bust out that accent for your next audition, ask yourself:  ✅ Do I have the right to tell this story?  ✅ Am I doing it with care and authenticity?  ✅ Would native speakers of this accent say, “Wow, that’s spot on,” instead of, “Please stop, I beg you”?

Accents are powerful tools for storytelling, but like all powerful tools—chainsaws, TikTok, fondue forks—you’ve got to use them wisely.

So, go forth, actors and coaches, and use your linguistic powers for good. Whether you end up hiring a dialect coach in Toronto or an accent coach in Vancouver, choose one that understands that accents are indivisible from people and culture, because—after all is said and done—accents aren’t just sounds—they’re someone’s home.

Want to add anything? Have a cringeworthy accent story? Drop it in the comments—I promise I won’t judge (much). 😉