Quick Links
An American accent is almost universally known and easily recognized since the majority of the world's influencers and celebrities are either from the United States or reside there. It's impossible to miss a thorough Boston accent or the thick New Jersey dialect like what is heard in The Sopranos. Another accent that sticks out like a sore thumb is a proper English accent, such as that of Michael Caine who played Nigel Powers in Austin Powers Goldmember. But not all British actors/actresses can be easily spotted. Some have adopted the American dialect exceptionally well. We'll take a look at the top ten British-American celebrities in Hollywood.
Idris Elba
Hailing from the London Borough of Hackey in the United Kingdom, born in 1972, Idris Elba has proven himself as one o the elites of Hollywood with his vast range of acting roles in Hollywood. His ability to transition from his hometown in London and immerse himself in the American culture and lifestyle is clearly evident on the screen. Idris has starred in a plethora of iconic movies alongside exceptional actors and celebrities, such as Beyonce Knowles in Obsessed; No Good Deed with Taraji P. Henson; Takers with Michael Ealy, Zoe Saldana, rapper T.I., Chris Brown, and the late Paul Walker; American Gangster with Denzel Washington, and The Avengers. His net worth is estimated at around $30 million, with his highest-grossing film being Avengers: Infinity War earning $662 million at the box office.
Damian Lewis
Damian Lewis is another British actor that has made his way to American soil, a native of St. John's Wood in London, United Kingdom. Although Lewis has starred in a number of films such as Dreamcatcher, Dream Horse, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he is best known for his work in American TV thriller and drama series like Homeland, Billions, Life, and Band of Brothers. He has collaborated with the likes of Paul Giamatti, Kate Ashfield, Rupert Friend, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo Dicaprio. Lewis has a net worth of $15 million and is recorded as grossing $250,000 per episode for a TV series. It's safe to say that he's doing well for himself, both in Hollywood and the UK.
Henry Cavill
If you've heard of the name Henry Cavill, your brain will automatically connect him with the most modern depiction of DC Comic's Superman character. Something you may not know is that the Man of Steel was actually born in Saint Helier, Jersey on the English Channel. The British actor's net worth as of 2021 is estimated at $40 million and with his acting resume, it's easy to see why. Apart from starring in Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman, and the Justice League saga, Cavill has also starred in the action-packed movie, Immortals (2011), The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018), and a host of other hit movies. His most lucrative film to date was Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice which grossed $874 million in 2016.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
He's the man who brought you the doomsday action/thriller, 2012, Twelve Years A Slave, and most recently, Infinite in 2021. But Chiwetel Ejiofor, who portrays the life of an African-American so well on screen, is actually from Forest Gate, London. He received his theatrical training from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and was actually discovered by Steven Spielberg during his school training. Speilberg asked Eliofor to be cast in a supporting role for Amistad, and the rest is history! He's been featured in movies such as Four Brothers alongside Tyrese Gibson and Mark Wahlburg, American Gangster, The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, Salt with Angelina Jolie, as well as The Lion King as Scar. The net worth for his roles in these iconic movies is $16 million and the highest-grossing film he has starred in to date is The Lion King, which amassed $1.657 billion.
Hugh Laurie
For all the die-hard fans of the Medical drama, House, you probably know every episode and medical abnormality by heart, especially the show's elusive infectious disease specialist played by Hugh Laurie. Anyone watching Laurie wouldn't have guessed that The Golden Globe Awards holder was actually from Oxford in the United Kingdom. Some may not have recognized, but Laurie also played the part of Stuart's adopted father in Stuart Little. He was also featured in 101 Dalmnations and Tomorrowland with George Clooney. When House began airing on Fox in 2004, Laurie made $400,000 per episode and by the time the season ended in 2012, he was making $700,000 per episode. To date, Hugh Laurie has a net worth of $45 million.
Stephen Moyer
Born in Brentwood, Essex in the United Kingdom, Stephen Moyer has been showcased in numerous top-ranking movies and TV series. A few of these movies are 88 Minutes with Al Pachino, Priest, and Killing Jesus. However, his most notorious role is in the gruesome vampire fantasy series called True Blood, in which he has made appearances in multiple seasons. With a net worth of $10 million, Moyer is said to make in excess of $270,000 per episode. Other TV series he has been in include The Gifted and The Safe House.
Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald, while not a largely celebrated name, has been around the way in the Hollywood industry and has quite an impressive resume to her name. The British actress, born in the city of Glasgow in Scotland, United Kingdom, has starred in enigmatic films, wearing the hats of both a British and an American actress, as many English celebrities do. A few of her most memorable films include Trainspotting, Intermission, Nanny McPhee, No Country for Old Men, Gosford Park, Harry Potter, and The Death Hallows - Part 2, and the Walt Disney Animation movie, Brave. Although in Kelly's words, she doesn't "get to play glamorous parts," that still doesn't stop her from having a net worth of $75 million, landing her at No. 1 on People With Money magazine as the highest-paid actress in 2021.
Jason Statham
Whenever you combine the words action, packed, and Brit in one sentence, you'll more often than not be mentioning Jason Statham soon after. He was basically born for this role, being that there's an epic fighting scene in almost every movie he's been in. Born and raised in the town of Shirebrook in Derbyshire, England, Statham is one of the few English actors whose guttural street slang has actually complimented his roles and characters, allowing him to be one hundred percent authentic in all his roles despite being in Hollywood. Some of his highest-grossing films include The Fast and The Furious: Hobbs and Shaw which grossed $173.7 million, The Meg which did $530 million, The Fast and The Furious 7, and The Fate of the Furious which both grossed over $1 billion.
Christian Bale
It's a hard-enough pill to swallow knowing that Superman is played by an English character in Henry Cavill, but the same can be said for Batman. Christian Bale, who began playing his role as Batman in 2005 with Batman Begins. Born in Haverfordwest, United Kingdom, Bale took his acting career to America where his first major horror film, American Psycho, shocked the world in 2000. A few other pieces of Bale's work include Exodus, Terminator Salvation, Equilibrium, and the Batman franchises. Although Bale's movies have rarely seen a payday below $100 million, his most outstanding movies at the box office were The Dark Knight(2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which both raked in over $1 billion each.
Sources: Cheatsheet.com, Koimoi, Screenrant, Celebrity Worth, Independent,