Ridley Scott has released the trailer for his next epic, Napoleon, but many have observed that the cast does not appear to be adopting French accents.
The Blade Runner director’s latest picture will be a dramatised portrait of the French military officer who was a key participant in the French Revolution.
The gritty video features massive wartime action scenes and political power grabs as the titular historical person aspires to become Emperor of France, played by Joaquin Phoenix.
While fans were pleased, with Ridley’s reputation preceding the picture, one element seemed to irritate some spectators.
Despite the fact that the narrative takes place in France during the French Revolution and is told by a Frenchman, Joaquin does not adopt a French accent for Napoleon.
The 48-year-old does not say much in the caravan, but when he does, his American accent is audible.
Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, an island off the coast of France, on August 15, 1769, and is supposed to have had a unique Corsican accent.
Joaquin was not the only one who avoided dialect changes; Vanessa Kirby, who plays Napoleon’s wife and “one true love,” Josephine, maintained her British accent.
Given the standard of Ridley’s films and how fantastic Napoleon appears in the brief clip, several fans believed the lack of accents was a mistake.
‘That Napoleon trailer would’ve been more enjoyable if Joaquin had a French accent,’ said one disgruntled viewer.
Another criticised: ‘Just watched the Napoleon trailer and oh LORD what is that accent?? I know (for some reason) French characters always get British accents in movies but did Joaquin Phoenix not have any type of voice/accent/dialogue coach?’
Dialect coaches are frequently used to ensure that an adopted accent is properly done, as performers can be punished for misrepresenting certain regional idiosyncrasies.
‘Why does the French Napoleon have an American accent while the rest have a British accent 18 century France?’ questioned someone else.
One fan joked: ‘The trailer is out. Napoleon looks riveting. Ridley Scott doesn’t miss epics. But where is the French/Italian accent? Phoenix sounds like he’s from Omaha.’
Others backed the decision, saying the choice could have been ‘distracting’ and one added: ‘Thank God Scott learnt from House of Gucci and is not making people in Napoleon do an accent.’
In an interview with Variety, Vanessa did address the accent drama and said it was a ‘collective decision’.
She explained how, during filming The Crown, in which she played little Princess Margaret, it was decided to soften the harsh accent of the Royal Family in 1950.
‘We’re not speaking French so to all collectively speak in French accents, really it would make more sense if we all spoke French because why are French people speaking English even though they’re native tongue is French,’ she explained.
‘So even though we’re English actors, the whole script is “translated” into English, so we are French people but we’re speaking in translation in English, if that makes sense.’
In Gladiator, another Ridley Scott film in which Russell Crowe did not assume a distinct accent, the Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning actress expressed the same reason.
Tahar Rahim plays politician Paul Barras, and Ben Miles plays Caulaincourt, Napoleon’s advisor; both actors utilise their own accents.
Napoleon is set to release on November 24, 2023 in cinemas before debuting on Apple TV+.
Source My Celebrity Life.