Is Hollywood biased towards Brits?

[eauclaireliberal]

This seems to be some general rules that U.S. movie makers follow:

1. Unless the leading man is Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, or Morgan Freeman, the black guy must always die.

2. The trigger-happy cop is stuck in a marriage that's on the rocks and is having a crisis of conscience, ready to turn in his badge and gun.

3. The most diabolical villain is always played by an English actor.

Now, asking if you think Hollywood is biased towards the English may be a dumb question (you probably decided that a long time ago) but what I wonder: If Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: TNG) was supposed to be French, why didn't they get a French actor? Because Patrick Stewart is renowned for his Shakespearean days? I'm pretty sure there are a few French actors wandering about without a job. Don't get me wrong, I think Stewart is a great actor. But If you have seen the latest Star Trek movie "Nemesis" you will note that the movie makers made no effort whatsoever to be genuine to the character when it came to the clone character.

If you have seen the Star Wars movies, two of the strongest characters are Gran Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) and Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). One of the best actors to play Sherlock Holmes, in my opinion, was Peter Cushing. The only good guy was Sir Alec Guinness, and I preferred him as George Smiley (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), not Obi-Wan.

By the way, is Jeremy Irons English?

Just some thoughts.

[eauclaireliberal]

1. Oh yeah, I forgot...

Christopher Lee as Saruman, which I must admit was PERFECT for him...

[henslee]

2. This trend goes way back and may have to do with the legacy of

cultural insecurity that we seem to have ever since we broke free of England. Somehow, we think the Brit's are refined.

[tjwmason]

4. We are.

Now get back to your field - peasant. :sarcasm: (or for the purists :irony: )

[supernova]

3. Yes, Jeremy Irons is English

There was an article a while back, I forget where about villainas always being British, specifically upper-crust, aristocratic guys.