Top 10 Australian Movie Stars People Think Are from the U.S.

Chris Hemsworth: The God of Thunder from Down Under

You'd be forgiven for thinking Chris Hemsworth is just another California golden boy with his perfect American accent in films like Men in Black: International and Extraction. Thor might be from Asgard, but Marvel's strongest Avenger comes from way down under in Melbourne, Australia.

The reality is that he was born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, and Bulman, Northern Territory, before beginning a film career in Hollywood. What makes this even more surprising is that Chris Hemsworth worked with a dialect coach in Australia to master the American accent.

His transformation was so complete that many fans have no idea he's Australian, despite his obvious Aussie charm and laid-back demeanor that occasionally slips through in interviews.

Nicole Kidman: The Elegant Chameleon

Nicole Kidman's ability to completely transform her voice and persona has left audiences worldwide believing she's American. Born in Hawaii and growing up in Australia, Nicole Kidman was exposed to different accents from a young age.

What's remarkable is her dedication to staying in character – in her Nine Perfect Strangers, she maintained her Russian-American accent during the entirety of filming. Her performances in American films like Eyes Wide Shut and The Hours were so convincing that many people still express shock when they hear her natural Australian accent in interviews.

Hugh Jackman: The Wolverine with a Secret

Everyone loves themselves a little bit of Wolverine. But with the character's American accent, it's easy to forget Jackman is actually from Sydney.

The man who became synonymous with the gruff, American superhero actually put serious work into perfecting his accent. To become Wolverine, Hugh Jackman worked with a dialect coach; he also borrowed from Johnny Depp, who said in an interview he used a sentence that contains every vowel and consonant change for a new accent.

His Broadway performances and hosting gigs further cemented his American persona in many people's minds.

Margot Robbie: The Unexpected Aussie Behind Barbie

Here's a shocker that'll make you question everything you thought you knew about Hollywood: Barbie is an Aussie! Born and raised in Queensland, Robbie began her career in 2008 on the television series Neighbours, on which she was a regular until 2011.

Her American accent work is so flawless that Margot Robbie has worked with dialect coaches but also looks to unusual places: she studied the monologue from Legally Blonde for her role in Bombshell. The fact that she's from the small town of Dalby, Queensland, makes her transformation into a Hollywood A-lister even more remarkable.

Jacob Elordi: The Gen Z Heartthrob

The Euphoria and Kissing Booth star has become the ultimate American teen dream, but Euphoria's resident thirst trap (and star of the Kissing Booth films) still considers his hometown of Brisbane to be his home base when he's not working in the U.S. What's fascinating is his intentional approach to adopting an American accent.

Jacob Elordi did a little acting work in Australia as a teen, but he set his sights on America (the place and the accent) early. Speaking to GQ, he said, "I think I just wanted to be able to mimic the people that I thought were cool." His dedication to perfecting his American persona has been so successful that many fans had no idea he was Australian until he appeared in interviews using his natural accent.

Liam Hemsworth: The Younger Brother's Journey

Liam Hemsworth is the younger brother of Chris Hemsworth and they both hail from Australia. He appeared in the Australian show "Home and Away," "McLeod's Daughters," "Neighbours," "The Elephant Princess," and "Satisfaction" before moving to America.

Like his brother, if Chris was born and raised in Melbourne, it would make sense for younger sibling Liam to be raised in the same location. His American accent in The Hunger Games series and his high-profile relationship with Miley Cyrus further convinced audiences he was homegrown American talent.

Many people were genuinely surprised to learn about his Australian origins.

Isla Fisher: The Comedy Queen with a Hidden Past

Technically Isla Fisher's parents are Scottish, but she was born in Oman and raised in Australia. While many of us marveled at her flawless accent in Confessions of a Shopaholic, her most well-known American role is Gloria from Wedding Crashers.

Her ability to completely embody American characters is so convincing that Isla Fisher, star of Godmothered and Confessions of a Shopaholic, stole our hearts as the crazy love interest of Vince Vaughan's character in Wedding Crashers in 2005. The fact that she was born in Muscat, Oman, Isla Fisher was raised in Perth makes her transformation into an American comedy darling even more impressive.

Eric Bana: The Chameleon Actor

Eric Bana started professionally with an Australian sketch-comedy series and worked in his nation's film industry for a decade. His big American breakout was Black Hawk Down (2001) and then subsequently Hulk (2003)—and now he has acted often in an American accent.

What makes his case particularly interesting is that Eric Banner grew up in Melbourne and started off as a stand-up comedian. He became recognized for his portrayal in 2000's Australian film Chopper.

His transition from Australian comedy to serious American drama was so seamless that many viewers never questioned his nationality.

Simon Baker: The Mentalist's Best-Kept Secret

Simon Baker is particularly well-known for perfecting his American accent on screen. Fans of The Mentalist were shocked to hear him in his native accent.

The fact that the man behind The Mentalist's Patrick Jane actually developed his abilities in Launceston, northern Australia? We sure didn't.

His portrayal of the charming con artist turned consultant was so convincing that many fans had no idea he was Australian until they heard him speak in interviews or saw him in Australian productions.

Ryan Kwanten: The True Blood Surprise

This one might be the biggest shocker of all. That's right, Jason Stackhouse from True Blood is an Aussie!

Ryan Kwanten worked with a voice coach to obtain the Southern drawl and then reportedly tried to maintain the accent the whole time he was on set. Yes, Kwanten once made the ladies swoon as Sookie's brother on HBO's True Blood.

What helps his case even further is his real-life Australian accent. His commitment to staying in character was so complete that it totally worked—I never would have guessed.

The transformation from Australian actor to Southern American charmer was absolutely flawless.

Conclusion: The Great Australian Invasion

The truth is that Australia's leading export is… acting talent. How has an island of only 27 million people minted Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, Mel Gibson, Margot Robbie, Chris Hemsworth and so many more stars who have completely fooled American audiences?

The answer lies in their incredible dedication to their craft and their ability to completely transform themselves for their roles. Plenty of Australian actors have hit in big in America—and as many of them have noted, that means cultivating an American accent to be more marketable in Hollywood.

These actors have become so skilled at American accents that they've managed to convince entire generations of moviegoers that they're homegrown American talent. What's most remarkable is how these Australian performers have managed to capture the essence of American culture while maintaining their own unique charm and talent.

They've proven that with enough dedication, skill, and a good dialect coach, you can truly become whoever you want to be on screen. Did you expect that so many of your favorite "American" stars were actually from Down Under?

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