Last month I was lucky enough to obtain a ticket to the sold out Broadway hit A Steady Rain starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. In this dialogue-heavy play, Jackman and Craig portray Chicago policemen who are caught in a series of events, lies and misinterpretations. The play faced one small problem: one actor is Australian and the other is British, but they needed to sound like inner-city Chicago cops. That’s where Hollywood-famed dialect coach Jess Platt comes in.
Jess Platt worked as a speech pathologist for years before he was hired to help a neighbor’s friend for an hour. British actress Emma Samms needed to sound American before she could play one on the popular television show Dynasty. His hour of work proved fruitful, and the producers, including Aaron Spelling, were so impressed with Platt’s work that they hired him to work with Samms during the rest of the season.
Platt soon left his practice as a speech pathologist because he was receiving calls from agents and producers to work with actors all over the world. Today, Platt is one of Hollywood’s busiest dialect coaches and has worked on over thirty films including: A Price Above Rubies, the X-Men films (X-Men, X-2: United We Stand, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Cider House Rules, Frida, House on Haunted Hill, The Prestige and the upcoming A-Team.
Platt has worked with Sir Michael Caine, Geoffrey Rush, Jeremy Irons and Renee Zellweger to name a few but it’s his longtime friend and client Hugh Jackman that he describes as “one of the most committed, hardworking actors” he’s ever met. Platt and Jackman have worked on over fourteen films together but A Steady Rain was Platt’s first experience on Broadway.
My interview with Jess Platt is the perfect addition to my new “Meet Me” series. He’s articulate, interesting and not impressed with Hollywood, just thankful.
| Posted by Josh on January 2, 2010 @ 1:38 AM |  |
wow! it`s very wow!, yeah. I never thonk in this work, really; well, only when i watched 1 movie of Hugh Grant (yeah, i watch this movies, i know, it sound like that i`ve few culture of films,je!) cause he`ve this British accent, it`s notorious. Well, exist too the case like David Duchovny who were translated into French with other voice cause for the french his voice wasn`t sensual (it isn`t your problem, you sound so ahhhh…! sorry!). In my country, the movies are produced by Argentina and Spain and it has actors talking in Spanish-spanish and actors talking in something that sound like Spanish from Argentina(named “argento”) the only way to difference -in 1 movie -1 Argentinian of another way of Spain or elsewhere in Latin America is the bad words and rudeness or say:”vos” and not “tu”, or say “che” for all.Example:”che, Bol%*$&…” or “no tengo un mango” to say “ì `ve no money”.
Well, sorry, it`s complicated to explain. Other assunt is think how different the peoples are, cause here, in this side of the world we watched many movies and series of others countries and we listen 1 machine translation, like the simpson sounding like mexican style and we acept it.Or X-Files that it has 1 traduction and late it changed and it was
awful! I supose that is so difficult make talk in Perfect lenguage to 1 person who talks in other similar lenguage, too is frecuent listen that in the movies the peoples are laughing at the way they speak of the Australians and Canadians: they all say that they speak as ranchers! british saies it bout irelands too.
Wow, his work is so difficult. it`s good to see, it shows more bout the world of the movies!
Comment by dheniss — January 2, 2010 @ 5:32 PM
hi, Josh!!!
i love you so much, you`re the best. I love X-man and i listen it very well. He made a great work with the actor. You`ve a favolous british acent. Sexy!
Comment by belinda — January 9, 2010 @ 12:33 PM
Hello:
I love it. He explain in a simple and good way bout the differents respect dialect and acents.
You make it so good.
Comment by kary — January 9, 2010 @ 4:48 PM
OMG! i can see your gym-work in your arms, really! you make me turn hotter!
I LOVE YOU!
Comment by Tin@ — January 9, 2010 @ 4:57 PM
Great!
Comment by Yesica — January 11, 2010 @ 3:29 PM
I love it, you`re perfect in it!
Comment by woody — January 25, 2010 @ 5:07 PM
Brave!
Hey, Josh: i love you!!!!!!
Comment by Alejandra — January 25, 2010 @ 5:09 PM
It`s an super-interview: you in the beach, it`s a dream for all women!
Comment by CarterSucre — January 27, 2010 @ 12:01 AM
I was thinking that what important is this work in the industry, when I watched one movie,. but you’re the most important, sure!
Comment by carter — February 10, 2010 @ 6:11 AM
love you in this beach, i love you so much, Josh.
Comment by kary — February 12, 2010 @ 5:48 AM