David Tennant defends American accent in US Broadchurch remake Gracepoint

Actor shrugs of criticism that he should have kept his Scottish accent

Daisy Wyatt
Wednesday 01 October 2014 12:42 BST
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David Tennant plays Detective Emmett Carver in the US version on Broadchurch
David Tennant plays Detective Emmett Carver in the US version on Broadchurch

David Tennant has defended his American accent in the US remake of Broadchurch after fans claimed the actor should have kept his West Lothian tones.

The former Doctor Who star plays detective Emmett Carver in Gracepoint, the US remake of Broadchurch starring Anna Gunn.

But some fans have criticised the actor’s American accent after seeing the Fox drama’s new trailer.

According to Scottish newspaper Daily Record, fans claim Tennant’s voice veers between Canadian and someone from Kentucky. Some have also reportedly called for him to revert to his Scottish accent in the drama.

Tennant said his accent was notably absent in Doctor Who and fans did not appear to mind at the time.

“If they’re fans of Doctor Who, I didn’t use a Scottish accent in that, either. I used an English accent in that,” he told the newspaper.

“I think doing different accents is part of the job of acting really. It’s something that I quite enjoy the challenge of.

“Obviously, it’s something that you take seriously, and you work with dialect coaches to help you, and then you practice until it’s in your bones.”

Kendrick Sampson, who appears in Gracepoint, said he was impressed with Tennant’s American accent.

“He speaks in his original accent in between takes so to see him seamlessly go between accents was amazing. He just transforms,” he said.

The US remake, written by Broadchurch writer Chris Chibnall, has also drawn criticism for being “pointlessly similar” to the ITV original for the sake of pleasing US audiences.

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Olivia Colman, who stars in Broadchurch as DS Ellie Miller, does not appear in Gracepoint despite winning a Bafta for her performance.

She is replaced by Breaking Bad’s Anna Gunn in the starring role alongside Tennant.

Gracepoint begins on Fox in the US on 2 October.

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