These Actors Had to Learn Another Language for a Show

05/11/2020

The profession of actor sometimes requires specialized language skills. With the likes of a historical figure, an adventurer or a backpacker, a new culture sometimes emerges through the dialogues. Let's take a look at these actors who had to learn another language for a series.

Sam Heughan (Outlander)

Attractive highlander in the series Outlander, Sam Heughan had to absorb a certain number of lines in Gaelic for the sake of the scenario. The show creators decided to keep the Scottish-language dialogues from the books, so that they could immerse Claire in a world she does not understand. Jamie Fraser's interpreter therefore had to take lessons with a teacher, in order to best work on the fluency and pronunciation of his text.

Jodie Comer (Killing Eve)

With Killing Eve, Jodie Comer's linguistic talents are put to the test. French, English, Russian, Italian or even German, the indomitable Villanelle never stops juggling foreign languages. An incredible feat for the 27-year-old British actress, who lied about her casting skills on audition day. To get the part, the young woman pretended that she was multilingual, which she was not. She therefore had to work very hard to master the different accents afterwards but was helped in her task by her excellent ear and her gift for imitation.

Tomer Capon (The Boys)

While he is from Israel, Tomer Capon must play Frenchie, a French character in Prime Video show The Boys. At first the actor did not speak a word of the language of Molière, but he had to learn the basics quickly in order to make himself believable in the eyes of the audience. A significant challenge for the fiery hero of the team, who still delivers his lines with a very thick accent.

Souheila Yacoub (No Man's Land)

In the shoes of a young Kurdish fighter in the No Man's Land series, Souheila Yacoub had to familiarize herself with the local language to bring more realism to her character. A formality for the young Swiss actress, who already spoke five languages ​​in total – French, German, English, Dutch and Bulgarian. After a few lessons with a coach and a lot of application, the actress was able to perform her lines like a true native.

Wagner Moura (Narcos)

Coming from Brazil, Wagner Moura didn't have much in common with Pablo Escobar when he was cast to play him in the Narcos series. Thus, the actor not only had to put on weight to get into the shoes of the famous Colombian drug trafficker but was also forced to immerse himself fully in Spanish. An ambitious double bet, which the South American actor was able to win brilliantly.

Travis Fimmel (Vikings)

While in the Vikings series the actors speak most of the time in English, sometimes they must shoot scenes in ancient language. Travis Fimmel, who plays King Ragnar Lothbrok, then had to learn many lines in Old Norse. Developed by linguistic experts, these dialogues were then worked on with a vocal coach, who taught him the correct tone, as well as the correct pronunciation.

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