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It is not quite accurate to say that American television is acquiring a striking British accent these days, because disguising a native cadence is part of an actor's skill. But in all other senses a talent invasion is going on like never before.
Tom Conti, Natasha Richardson and Ray Stevenson are among a veritable boatload of British stars who have been hired to head up dramas and comedies for the big broadcasting companies in the United States, including NBC, Fox and CBS.
Studio executives say that almost one in every three series now in the pilot stage stars or co-stars an actor from Britain. That means they are filling roles in more than 20 prospective new series, some of which have already begun shooting.
Stevenson, who caught the attention of producers with his Titus Pullo role in Rome, which has just ended its second and final season on the HBO cable channel, recently found himself before the cameras on Long Island for a pilot of CBS police drama Babylon Fields.
Kevin McKidd, who played the stoic Lucius Verenus in Rome, which was adored by Hollywood casting agents but turned out to be something of a commercial disappointment for HBO, has his own starring role in Journeyman, a pilot about a time-traveller.
The British wave may have been triggered in part by Hugh Laurie who, as the scratchy hospital doctor House, has catapulted the Fox drama series of the same name to the top of the ratings charts. And British comedy actor Eddie Izzard has begun a stint as the lead in a new and well-received drama series, The Riches, for the FX cable channel.
"A tremendous number of British actors are being signed, certainly more than ever before," says the casting head for 20th Century Fox.
As to what makes British actors appealing to American producers all of a sudden, she says: "They are so accomplished."
She might have added "cheap and available". By most accounts, British stars do not expect anything like the astronomic fees charged by their American cousins - sometimes more than $100,000 an episode (although they often prefer to answer the call of films instead of television).
But that may change as London agents become fully aware of the television landscape in America. With so many channels raising their game to meet the challenges of competition with each other and with other entertainment media, notably the internet and video games, they are finding that the good actors are getting thin on the ground.
Familiar faces of the British stage and screen traversing the ocean include the EastEnders actress Michelle Ryan, who will play the title role in a resurrected Bionic Woman. Julian Sands, Calvin Goldspink and Ed Westwick have roles in new dramas.
Conti will be appearing on Fox and Richardson on NBC.
It is a love affair which means that the days are long gone when Britain's representation on American television did not stray much beyond endless re-runs of The Benny Hill Show and Keeping up Appearances - although Hill can still be found on an American channel almost every night.
The infatuation with Britain extends not just to borrowing its stars but also its series formats.
Programmes now appearing on the American schedules, usually in modified form, that were spawned by British broadcast companies range from ratings champion American Idol to Dancing with the Stars and The Office.
Other shows with the same British pedigree that will be coming soon include Football Wives and The IT Crowd.
- INDEPENDENT
