Outlander Season 5: Ulysses’ accent isn’t an American one
When Colin McFarlane took on the role of Ulysses in Outlander Season 4, many fans questioned the accent. The actor explained it during Sasnak City.
Colin McFarlane has certainly stolen the hearts of the Outlander fandom. When he first started speaking as Ulysses in Season 4, fans brought up the American accent. Well, it turns out that the accent isn’t American after all, but something that could transform into that in the future.
Trying to develop accents for the characters in period dramas isn’t easy. That’s especially the case when it comes to Colonial America, where there wasn’t a standard accent. With so many settlers from all over the world, the accent had to evolve into what we know of it today—and even today there isn’t one standard American accent.
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McFarlane couldn’t use his own voice for the character. If you’ve heard him speak, then you’ll understand why. Despite being Jocasta’s trusted man, he still wouldn’t have spoken with such a suave, upper class-sounding accent. So, that means he had to adapt it.
It made sense to turn it into something that could eventually become an American accent. So, he and the producers decided a West Country accent would work best, which involves the heavier rolling of the Rs.
And yes, it does have a hint of an American accent, McFarlane admitted while at Sasnak City 2019. However, it certainly was never supposed to be that. If you want to hear his American accent, watch Batman or The Commuter.
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What did you think of McFarlane’s accent when you first heard it? What would you like to see from Ulysses in Season 5? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander Season 5 premieres on Feb. 16 on STARZ.