You think you know all the British actors and then you find out there are so many actors you didn’t know are British. I mean for the longest, the biggest shocker was Idris Elba. By the time it made major headlines he was known for his role as Stringer Bell in The Wire and other films in which his perfected American accent. So when he spoke in his real accent, two words: mind blown.
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But over the course of the past few years, there has been a heavy British invasion in Hollywood and while some are known from day one there are still many others who we will be surprised to learn are from the UK. Check out our list of actors you didn’t know are British or just forgot they are and let us know if you are utterly surprised in the comment section.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson
Addai-Robinson is known for her roles in Arrow, Shooter and currently on The Rings of Power, Addai-Robinson was born in the UK and lived until she was 4.
Deborah Ayorinde
The ‘Them’ and ‘Riches’ star was born in London, England to Nigerian parents and lived there until she was 8.
Arian Holmes
The Bel-Air star is from the UK as well as Canadian before calling the US his home. He was born in the UK before moving to Canada at 5 and now he’s living in Bel Air on our screens every Thursday.
Eric Kofi-Abrefa
If you’ve been a fan of Eric before BMF, you probably know this British actor, but if you are like many and have been recently introduced to his talents, you might be quite surprised.
Melanie Liburd
Liburd’s resume is pretty lengthy, with her most recent role as Professor Milgram in Power Book II: Ghost and yet we never realized she’s from the UK.
Eamonn Walker
The Chicago Fire star was born in London to Grenadian and Trinidadian parents. And an interesting fact, he trained as a dancer before acting.
Aaron Pierre
The UK actor has been snatching up some great roles in series like ‘The Underground Railroad’ and the movie ‘Old.’ Up next he is set will take on the role of Mufasa in the untitled Lion King prequel.
Ashley Madekwe
The British actress is well known for her roles as social climber Ashley Davenport on the ABC drama series Revenge and the witch Tituba in the WGN America series Salem.
Nick Sagar
Sagar is best known for starring in The Princess Switch and now Run The World and yet we never knew this Jamaican-Guyanese actor was British.
Nicholas Pinnock
Most of us were introduced to Pinnock through ABC’s drama For Life, however, the British actor has been
Damson Idris
We knew this but someone mentioned it on social and we realized, you may not have known that the Snowfall actor is from the UK.
Daniel Ezra
He has a nice voice in All American, which is why it was super surprising to hear him change his voice while visiting The Real.
Christine Adams
The matriarch of Black Lightning is actually from the UK and we have to admit, we didn’t see that coming.
Ricky Whittle
Whittle is a British actor who got his start as a model, then came in second in a reality dance competition, before switching to acting.
Daniel Kaluuya
You know who needs to get out, Daniel Kaluuya with his British accent. Rather surprising.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Smith, who starred in Queen and Slim alongside Daniel Kaluuya is also British…yeah we didn’t see that coming.
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Kinglsey Ben-Adir
Ben-Adir made waves as a very convincing Malcolm X in One Night in Miami, so it is very surprising to find out he is actually from the UK.
Delroy Lindo
Lindo has starred in so many movies and TV shows and we just now are finding out that he’s from the UK. And we’ve yet to find him speak in a British accent.
Cush Jumbo
Jumbo is a British actress and writer who is best known for her role as attorney Lucca Quinn in The Good Wife and its spin-off series The Good Fight. You can currently hear her acccent in her latest role ‘Stay Close’ on Netflix.
Franz Drameh
Drameh, who made his film debut in Clint Eastwood’s fantasy drama, Hereafter, also starred alongside John Boyega in Attack the Block.
O-T Fagbenle
The Handmaid’s Tale favorite and soon, Marvel star was born and raised in the UK.
Freema Agyeman
Before Agyeman was saving lives in New Amsterdam, she starred on one of the longest-running BBC shows Doctor Who as well as Sense8, and Law and Order: UK (which I never knew existed).
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Ejiofor maintains a perfect American accent when he’s acting although he has British roots in real life.
Naomie Harris
The UK actress has starred in many films that you may not have known she was British but she also showed off her London side playing Eve Moneypenny in the Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre.
Lennie James
James is best known for his role in The Walking Dead franchise but he has an extensive in Britain, which is why it is surprising we didn’t already know he was from the UK.
Antonia Thomas
The Good Doctor actress does a good job keep our emotions running on the show and all along she’s British. What makes it more interesting is there is an actor who started on the show with her, who plays a British doctor.
Thandie Newton
The actress has been starring in many shows and movies is actually British and we’re ashamed to say it wasn’t until now that we really listened to how she sounds when in interviews.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Don’t be surprised if you didn’t know or you simply forgot. It wasn’t until Belle, the past recent years that she portrayed a character with an accent.
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David Oyelowo
Oyelowo portrayed one of the most revered man in the fight for equality, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the whole time he was British and masking his real accent. Pretty good acting.
Alfred Enoch
If you remember him from Harry Potter than you may have known he was British. If you knew him from How To Get Away From Murder, you may not know.
Jessica Sula
If you’ve known her since Skins you may know she’s from the UK but if you were introduced to her on Recovery Road or anything more recent, you are in for a British surprise.
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Theo James
The Insurgent actor stole our hearts in the trilogy and tricked us all throughout his career because we didn’t know he was British.
John Boyega
This may or may not be a known factor that Boyega, the history-making Star Wars actor (among other roles) is from the UK. If you saw his film that helped get him closer to the limelight, Attack the Block, then you would know, but that film wasn’t his break out film in America so you still may be in the dark about his true accent.
Carmen Ejogo
The British actress and singer is best known for her roles in such films as Metro, The Avengers, Love’s Labour’s Lost, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, Boycott, and so much more.
Cynthia Erivo
Erivo has nailed her American accent down so well, she has portrayed to Americans in pretty big projects: Harriet Tubman and Aretha Franklin.
Idris Elba
By now, you probably know Stringer Bell is actually a Brit. Elba was born in London but for years we thought he was just another beautiful American.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Marianne Jean-Baptise, known for Without a Trace and Secrets & Lies, is originally from London. And when she was on Without a Trace, we could’ve sworn she was from New York.
Aml Ameen
Ameen is a British actor who you may or may not know is British thanks to his role in Fences and The Maze Runner.
Jacob Anderson
Did you know the loyal, Grey Worm is actually from the UK. Up next you can catch him in the remake to Interview with the Vampire.
Lashana Lynch
Lynch may be best known for her role in Captain Marvel and No Time to Die and she’s also British. Go figure.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is an English actor, director, and former fashion model known for his roles as Simon Adebisi in Oz, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns, Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity and more.