Americans seem to be losing their minds at David Jonsson becoming the new Black Panther which has sparked a familiar debate online: Why are so many British actors landing iconic American roles? For those who don’t know him, David Jonsson is a London-born actor from East London who broke out with standout performances in Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk. He’s quickly become one of Britain’s most exciting young actors. Here’s the thing—this isn’t about nationality. It’s about training. British actors have a long reputation for mastering accents and disappearing into roles. David Jonsson, Idris Elba, Damson Idris, Christian Bale, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland have all convincingly played Americans to the point where many viewers didn’t even realise they were British. The reverse happens far less often. When American actors take on African, Jamaican or even some British accents, the results are often criticised as unconvincing. There are exceptions, of course, but it’s a pattern audiences have noticed for years. That doesn’t mean American actors aren’t talented—Hollywood is full of incredible performers. It simply reflects a difference in training and dialect coaching. Many British drama schools place a heavy emphasis on voice work, classical theatre and accent versatility from the very beginning. So if David Jonsson really is the next Black Panther, he hasn’t been chosen because he’s British. He’ll have been chosen because Ryan Coogler believes he’s the best actor for the role. At the end of the day, audiences don’t buy a ticket to see a passport—they buy one to believe the performance. #blackpanther3 #davidjonsson #tchalla #damsonidris - @itsmadfam