Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as being a renowned live-action actor, is becoming quite the seasoned voice actor having lent his voice to the likes of The Hobbit, Penguins of Madagascar and Andy Serkis' upcoming Mowgli - the latter two of those he used his own British accent for.
For his upcoming animated feature, The Grinch, he was asked to put on a voice - like as he did for The Hobbit films in which he put on a demonic voice as the dragon Smaug. The actor recently revealed to Uproxx that, when first approached for the role, he was expected to use his regular voice:
It was out of the ordinary until they said, 'Oh, could you do it in your own voice?' And I went, 'Oh, right, I have played some other socially awkward, talented, but at times very rude English characters. So now I kind of get why they might want me to do that.' I was really flattered, and then I just pushed back and said, 'It has to be in an American accent from my point of view.'
The actor further elaborated explaining that he believed that The Grinch is already different enough from the rest of Whoville and that yet another difference, a British accent rather than an American one like the rest of the Who's, may have been one too many.
There were too many questions about this character. Why is he green? Why is everyone else sort-of/kind-of not green? And why has he got fur all over him and why haven't the others? So I don't think he should be English as well, but I thought just not thematically a bad guy. You know?
What do you think about Cumberbatch's comments? Are you looking forward to seeing his American-accented Grinch in action?
The Grinch arrives in theatres on November 9th.
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