If you’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing a terrible Scottish accent while watching a film or catching up on a television series, then you know how much it can ruin your viewing experience.
In many instances, it is almost immediately noticeable when a Scottish character is being played by an actor from elsewhere.
From Mel Gibson’s famously terrible Braveheart accent to James Doohan’s disastrous attempt in Star Trek, it can sometimes feel as though there are only overwhelmingly awful Scottish accents in film and TV.
Thankfully, this isn’t the truth. While the ideal scenario would see Scottish actors taking on Scottish roles, there are some performances which leave audiences surprised to learn that the person they were watching on screen wasn’t from Scotland to begin with.
Classic examples of this include Jonny Lee Miller, Emma Thompson and Celia Imrie, each of whom boast almost perfect Scottish accents.
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However, more recent performances from actors such as Jack O’Connell in 28 Years Later or Jessica Gunning in Baby Reindeer, have significantly increased the number of good Scottish accents popping up in film and TV.
So without further ado, here are 23 of the best Scottish accents by non-native actors – including Robert Aramayo in I Swear.
13. Christopher Eccleston in Shallow Grave
Christopher Eccleston does an excellent, almost unnoticeable Scottish accent in Danny Boyle’s first feature film Shallow Grave. He starred alongside New Zealand actress Kerry Fox and Scottish star Ewan McGregor in the crime thriller which followed a group of Edinburgh flatmates who dismember and bury a mysterious new tenant who died, leaving behind a large sum of money. | PolyGram/Channel 4 Films
14. George MacKay in Sunshine on Leith and For Those In Peril
Though he is from London, George MacKay has a very good Scottish accent – one which he has put to good use in several films over the years. Fans of Sunshine on Leith may remember him best as Davy, but it was his role as Aaron in 2013 drama For Those in Peril which saw him win a Scottish BAFTA. He starred in the film alongside Scottish actress Kate Dickie and it was shot on location in Aberdeenshire. | John Devlin
15. Jodie Whittaker in Toxic Town
Jodie Whittaker starred in Netflix’s 2025 miniseries Toxic Town, which is based on the true story of the Corby toxic waste case. Not only was the English actress taking on a Scottish accent in the show, her character was portraying Susan McIntyre, a real mother impacted by the case. While it’s not a completely straight Scottish accent, as McIntyre moved to the English town from Scotland when she was very young, Whittaker did a decent job for someone who called the accent “terrifying”. | James Stack/Netflix
16. Simon Pegg in Star Trek
Considering that Simon Pegg was stepping into James Doohan’s shoes by taking over the role of Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the Star Trek reboot film series, the bar was very low for his Scottish accent. Doohan’s is notoriously terrible and Pegg’s is so close to being authentic by comparison. This could perhaps be down to the fact that Pegg is married to a native Glaswegian, and as such has plenty of family members ready to correct, and criticise, his accent. | Getty Images