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.
17. Mark Strong in Kingsman
Now one of the roles he is best known for, English actor Mark Strong plays technical support to superspies as Merlin in the Kingsman film series. His Scottish accent is very good, and he even manages to keep it fairly steady during a musical number in the second film, The Golden Circle. It isn’t his first time playing a Scottish character however, as he played Detective Sergeant Frank Agnew in 2006 crime miniseries Low Winter Sun. | AFP via Getty Images
18. Matthew Goode in The King’s Man
Also part of the Kingsman franchise, Matthew Goode puts on a decent Scottish accent in prequel film The King’s Man. While somewhat divisive among fans, his accent is more than solid. Goode’s most recent role was even in Netflix's Edinburgh-set crime series Dept. Q, though he does retain his typical English accent as detective Carl Morck. | Peter Mountain / Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
19. Oliver Jackson-Cohen in The Haunting of Bly Manor
This is more of a controversial addition to this list, as some very much take issue with English actor Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s Scottish accent. Appearing in Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor as villain Peter Quint, while it certainly has its moments, there are some scenes where Jackson-Cohen has it down. | Eike Schroter/Netflix
20. Celia Imrie in Still Game, Cloud Howe, Malevolent and Highlander
From her role in miniseries Cloud Howe in 1982 and Mrs Begg in Still Game to her roles in films such as Malevolent and Highlander, Celia Imrie has played a number of Scottish characters over the years. Her excellent Scottish accent, much like many others on this list, is in part down to having Scottish family members, with Imrie’s father a radiologist from Glasgow who she credits for allowing her to take on certain roles. | AFP via Getty Images