Coming from Scotland I have had my fair share of discussions over this subject and my view, which is shared by many a casting director, is that accents are cool. Your accent is very much a part of you. It’s part of your identity and so it should be embraced.

The days are gone when every actor had to speak in RP (Received Pronunciation – similar to how a newsreader talks) to get a job. Casting people need regional accents because many dramas require them.

I remember constantly being told to lose my Scottish accent when I was at drama school in london. Which I learned to do.

However, I got the shock of my life when I started working in the profession. My main selling point became my Scottish accent. Admittedly ‘Trainspotting’ and ‘Braveheart’ had just been released, which caused a big change in how Scottish actors were perceived.

It also marked a change for people with regional accents all over the UK.

Now, I am not saying that you should only use your own accent. I think you should be able to adopt another accent if the part demands it and when you are practising scenes during your acting courses, this is a good way to test yourself.

The main thing to remember is that when you change accents it’s for a creative purpose, not just because you think the industry wants you speaking the Queen’s English.

I like accents because they are also part of our history in the UK. RP is a social accent and therefore has no real history behind it.

The thing that really tickles me is how Shakespeare is spoken in RP by much of the acting establishment. But in Shakespeare’s day RP didn’t exist and you were much more likely to hear his words spoken in a London accent or another regional tone.

It seems that we have come full circle since those days.

Remain flexible is my advice during your drama school and acting training. Keep the individuality of your own accent but have the ability to change should it be necessary.