22.07.2014
Many of the best actors in Hollywood, for whom English is not their native language, had to learn it in a short time, realizing that they would be playing in an American film. It is not surprising that with such and such a motivation—the opportunity for fame and fortune that Hollywood offers—they have been successful in learning the language. After all, they needed to learn English in the most efficient and fast way.
In this article, you will learn how Hollywood stars learn English, and take note of a couple of their methods.
Watching films in English
Before becoming a Hollywood star Charlize Theron watched hundreds of movies - this method is very useful for learning English quickly. Charlize, who is originally from South Africa, spoke only her mother tongue, Afrikaans, until the age of 19, when she learned English and headed to Hollywood. The actress claims that watching American TV shows and films played an important role in improving her English speech.
Films in a foreign language are often accompanied by subtitles. This is very useful, as it is easier for a person to read in a new language than to try to understand the meaning only from fluent speech. By listening to the spoken version and linking it to the subtitles, it is easier to create a link between the sound shell of a word and its written form.
TV shows and movies also help people to learn new words and slang expressions, as these are not taught in schools. This is especially useful for actors who often have to play dysfunctional people from the street with pronounced slang speech.
French actress Melanie Laurent revealed in a recent interview that she had to watch Gossip Girl on repeat to learn English quickly, as she lied on her resume that she spoke English fluently. As a result, she got a role in Inglourious Basterds, so we can say that this method is effective!
Listen to the actress speak English.
Language tandem
A language tandem is often used when it is necessary to quickly learn a language. This method was used by Mexican actress Salma Hayek when she moved to Hollywood early in her career. Language tandem is a method whereby two people meet regularly and can mutually practice the language they want to learn. For example, a French speaker who has just started learning English is dating an English speaker who has just started speaking French. As a rule, people communicate half of the conversation in French and the other half in English, so that both parties have the opportunity to practice their non-native language.
The technique proved to be effective for Salma Hayek, at the moment when she was offered a role in English-language blockbusters such as From Dusk ‘til Dawn, Wild Wild West, etc.
"Method of action" and surrounding yourself with native speakers
So far, the fastest way to learn a new language has been to travel to a country where the language is spoken and surround yourself with native speakers. Many English learners, including the Hollywood elite, agree that this is the best method.
For actors in particular, the only way to learn how to use and pronounce slang expressions is to be completely immersed in the language environment. This hands-on approach is far more effective than any other method.
"Method of Action" is a label for a group of methods widely used by Hollywood actors to better immerse themselves in the role of the character they are working on. Typically, when using this method, the actor will continue to play their part outside of the actual shooting. Simply put, this role will affect his character, thinking and behavior.
This method can also be used to teach English. By pretending to be a native speaker and speaking only English throughout the day, you can significantly increase your progress in learning the language.
Mastering the local accent or dialect
Mastering the accent or dialect of a language can often be a profitable decision for many reasons. The task of speaking in a regional dialect that differs from their native dialect or accent is a challenge for many actors. For example, Hollywood actors from the US often play the role of British characters and vice versa.
Many actors in Hollywood hire accent consultants to work with them to help them learn the correct pronunciation for the role.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford this luxury, but nevertheless, there is another option, less expensive - we can benefit from watching movies, interviews and listening to the radio, where the announcer speaks the version of the language that we need. On Youtube you can find a huge amount of such materials.
Final word
Speaking is an integral part of the acting profession, so there are always many useful ideas to be gleaned from the language methods adopted in Hollywood.
Try some of these tactics in everyday English use and you will see progress over time.
Learn English with pleasure!
In order to learn a foreign language, it is not enough just to hire a tutor, sign up for courses and allocate 2-3 hours of free time per week. To actually achieve your goals, motivation is very important. And who are the best role models if not Hollywood stars? Especially those who were able to achieve real success by learning English, as we do.
In this article, we will give some stunning examples that will inspire everyone!
Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas is from Malaga (Spain), and just his example proves that a foreign language can be learned at any age. The actor came to conquer Hollywood after thirty, not knowing a word of English. There he realized that if he wants to succeed in his acting career, he simply has no choice. The actor took up his studies seriously - he tried to use the language in speech as often as possible and not pay attention to the strong accent. Banderas admitted that the knowledge gained largely freed him, and he was able not only to get many roles, but also to confess his love to his wife in English.
Mila Kunis
Hollywood beauty Mila Kunis herself comes from Ukraine, but now her English is so good that it is impossible to guess that she speaks a language other than her own. Mila and her family moved to the States over 25 years ago when she was only 7 years old. The actress says she will never forget her first day at an American school - she felt blind, deaf and lost, not understanding foreign words or foreign culture.
Her hard work has fully paid off. Now Mila Kunis is a successful actress, known for her roles in such films as Black Swan, Third Extra, Friendship and many others.
Nina Dobrev
The Vampire Diaries star is actually named Nikolina Dobreva and was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. As a child, her family moved to Toronto, and it was definitely the right decision for the young actress! She started her career early by starring in a Canadian teen drama. But her role as Elena in The Vampire Diaries brought her real success, for which she won four Teen Choice Awards and two People's Choice Awards.
Javier Bardem
Another Spaniard worthy of attention! To the question "How did you learn English?" Javier Bardem had a very interesting answer. The fact is that the actor is an ardent fan of the AC / DC group. He said that it was the love of rock music that helped him learn the language - he listened to the Back in Black album for hours. By the way, the actor's wife is Penelope Cruz, also a Spaniard, who herself did not come across English until she was 20 years old.
Charlize Theron
Theron was born in South Africa and, living in her homeland, spoke exclusively in Afrikaans. It's good that the actress realized early on that she needed to leave South Africa and try to conquer a new peak - Hollywood. By the age of less than 20, Theron was already quite confident in English, which subsequently helped her get many roles. The actress says that she spent hours watching films and TV shows in English, and also tried to sing along to her favorite English-speaking performers.
This list goes on and on! Such world stars as Milla Jovovich, Salma Hayek, Shakira, Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger - all of them are some kind of proof that nothing is impossible, and with due diligence, you can master a foreign language at any age and under any circumstances!
Polyglot. Learn English in 16 hours! Lesson #1 English from scratch with Dmitry Petrov. Learn foreign languages online. Subscribe to the Culture channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCik7MxUtSXXfT-f_78cQRfQ?sub_confirmation=1 All releases in a row: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedqtRaxfVsk6vH5dBDuL5w92🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 Intellectual reality show, educational program "Polyglot". Let's learn English in 16 hours!" is an intensive course of learning English under the guidance of a polyglot and translator D. Yu. Petrov. Students are invited to master communication skills in a foreign language during 16 lessons. The teacher has more than 30 languages. Dmitry Petrov is a psycholinguist, simultaneous interpreter, teacher, author of the book "Magic of the Word". There are 8 people in the group of students. Everyone has their own reasons for learning English. Someone dreams of watching films and reading poets in the original language, someone needs the language primarily for communication, and for someone it is an important core of a new stage in their career, as it is necessary to expand their professional capabilities.But now they all have one thing in common: participation in the Polyglot program is a significant event for them.They do not know the language, at best they have they have vague memories of the school program, but they do not want to miss their chance and hope that the Polyglot program will help them in this. The problem lies in the fact that already at the first lesson they begin to communicate in the language. Even with mistakes, long pauses and tension, but progress is noticeable immediately. Participants: actors Vladimir Epifantsev, Anna Litkens, Daria Ekamasova, Alexandra Rebenok, Anastasia Vvedenskaya; jeweler-designer Mikhail Milyutin; art historian Alisa Gorlova; writer and screenwriter Oleg Shishkin 🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹 See also: German: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedo14WIQcheu2OiJd4xpQzxf French: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedqAQ7bhITgBFHJOY_lXl9T1 Italian: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedruBvEIZahIbcJX1x4j7o1F Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedpwIhkGnahvSnaKcLfx6ZoI Portuguese: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedpXLkgYdfV43DfWbWlOiOvt Chinese: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedrl3z9qmAf7GLqbBJwrXmKT Hindi: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedrqWMRSxlkQ6aos_v8DDPT_ Watch all the programs of the TV channel: 🔹 ACADEMIA https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedrxKWN-xQohVgl_AdYmttku🔹 Grand Opera https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedrHsu72wjxN3dSUxy2p4cMY🔹 Big Ballet https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedra1Pshzfn56_bV44KQ7fG-🔹 Seekers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL66DIGaegedpzskFf8m6qBcq1au51Rbd1🔹 Culture news
Knowledge of even one foreign language expands our cultural boundaries - travel becomes more interesting, and watching movies and reading books in the original gives an incomparable feeling. For representatives of public professions, knowledge of foreign languages is an urgent need.
The site found out which of the Western movie stars are fluent in Japanese, Spanish, Arabic and other languages that are not native to them.
Actress Portman is perhaps the most linguistically savvy of all Hollywood stars. Natalie was born in Israel and her native language is Hebrew. Over time, she became fluent in English and began to independently study German, French, Arabic and Japanese.
Source: globallookpress.com The star of the trilogy of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" was born in the family of a Dane and an American. Each of the parents communicated with him in their own language. When Viggo was still a child, his family lived in Venezuela for some time. The future actor had to learn Spanish. Later, Mortensen was imbued with the study of foreign languages and independently mastered Italian and French. In addition, he knows a little Norwegian, Swedish and even Russian. It is noteworthy that while working on the role of Aragorn in the film adaptation of Tolkien's famous series of novels "The Lord of the Rings", Viggro Mortensen sat down with the Elvish, which was completely invented by the English writer.
Charlize Theron
Source: globallookpress.com The mother tongue of Hollywood actress Charlize Theron is Afrikaans, she was born and raised in South Africa. Since childhood, she had a penchant for learning foreign languages - in order to communicate with her classmates, she easily learned several dialects of Afrikaans, which are quite seriously different from each other. And after moving to America, she mastered English perfectly. Of course, it took her some time to get rid of her South African accent.
Source: globallookpress.com While studying at one of the prestigious American universities, Edward Norton studied Japanese. After graduating from university, he went to Osaka, where he lived for several months, working for his grandfather's construction company. Negotiations with local colleagues allowed Norton to bring his knowledge of the Japanese language to perfection - he knows a lot of hieroglyphs and speaks almost without an accent.
Source: globallookpress.com
German actress Kruger got her first role in Hollywood thanks to the efforts of her former lover, the famous French director Luc Besson. Also, communication with Besson was a great motivation for Diane to learn French. Later, the actress admitted that foreign languages became her hobby, and her beloved men, with whom the actress was in a relationship at different times, helped her in their development. Diane Kruger, in addition to French and her native German, knows Spanish, Italian and a little Portuguese.
In general, it has recently become very fashionable in Hollywood to study foreign languages. In addition, a lot of people from different countries are filming in American cinema, who had to learn English after moving to the USA. What polyglot artists do you know about?
Here you will find out how our stars learn English, what they think about a foreign language and what success they have achieved.
Denis Bessonov wrote a wonderful article for the Exchange Plus Career magazine, from which I would like to introduce some of the respondents!
Marina Khlebnikova
Marina, do you speak any foreign language?
I will not be original, saying that I have been learning English all my life, at school, at college and institute, in courses and with a teacher, and, unfortunately, it cannot be said that I am a master of English literature. Well, of course, English is very necessary, I travel a lot, I often meet people who don’t speak Russian and it’s somehow indecent to bulge their eyes and, shaking their heads, say “I don’t understand” or, distorting English beyond recognition, try to using 50 words at one time to carry on a conversation.
How did you learn the language?
At school, I practically did not advance in knowledge, but at the school I had just an amazing teacher. We staged productions on the stage, sang songs, translated fairy tales and poems. Poems are very difficult, you need to understand the image that the poet wanted to convey, translate and then rhyme in Russian. It gave me the greatest pleasure. I still think that Art-English is the most interesting and easiest way to learn the language.
I learn English when mental hunger appears, when I want to spin the memory flywheel, force myself to sit down with books, write out, twist new words in my head, folding them into ingenious sentences. For me, this is mental gymnastics, a kind of training, an opportunity to escape from problems and have fun. My last lessons with a teacher coincided with a divorce, instead of worries, I filled my head with English phrases. A useful cure for despondency and stupid suffering!
I return to teaching on average once every five years, take a teacher and study for three to four months.
How do you rate your level?
I can easily communicate in the language, if I do not delve into specialized topics. I can watch news and movies in English. I don’t understand some words and phrases, but I don’t lose the meaning and the plot line.
Have there been language failures in your practice, when you were not understood or not knowing the language interfered with your life?
Of course, there were job offers where one of the requirements was knowledge of the language, and at that time my level was rather low, so I bit my elbows, why didn’t I learn while I had the opportunity! When I was in my first year of college, I met an English guy at my friends birthday party, he obviously liked me, but at that time I had a serious language barrier. I remember his sad eyes so well, he looked at me and was silent, realizing that I would still not understand anything. The most stupid and terribly insulting situation.
What advice would you give to those who are learning a foreign language?
Write out words in columns on an A4 piece of paper and hang them where you spend a lot of time. I am a big fan of taking a bath, so here I always have time to repeat new words. A good place in the kitchen by the stove - you stir the potatoes and teach yourself without stress. Great to watch movies with Russian subtitles. Listen to learning CDs in the car. In Moscow traffic jams, where you spend at least 5 hours a day, you can also learn Chinese. My niece returned from America, in the summer she went to work as a waitress for three months, and at the same time learn English. To get such a level as hers, now she would have to go broke on teachers, but she looked at America and did not lose money. In general, communication with native speakers who do not know Russian is an ideal option. English is loaded into the head, as if by a dedicated line.
Alexey Serov (Disco Crash)
Alexey, what foreign language do you speak and why do you need it?
I speak English. Knowledge of this language is necessary for me, first of all, for work. Quite often I have to communicate in English when shooting a video, discussing various details and nuances. Of course, I have many English-speaking friends, and when traveling, knowing the language helps rather than hinders.
How did you teach him? What was easy and what was difficult?
I studied English at school. After that, I studied with tutors, and even now I periodically study with a teacher in order to practice and train more in the language.
Apparently, I'm prone to languages. Since childhood, I learned English well and quickly. Of course, at first I had a problem that is familiar to many: the language barrier. I understood everything, but it was difficult for me to express my thought. The situation has changed due to the hopeless situation. When we were on our first shooting in Sweden, then, in the absence of an interpreter, I had to independently discuss all issues with the screenwriter. It was then that I realized that language practice and the absence of an interpreter have a beneficial effect on the language level.
Can you rate your level?
I didn't rate him on a special scale. I understand and speak English. And I write. Without difficulty. I don't know what level it is, but I hope it's not the lowest (laughs).
Have you ever experienced language failures in your practice, when you were not understood at all? Or vice versa - breakthroughs, when suddenly they began to communicate freely?
Failures happened, it was especially noticeable when we had to deal with an English-Russian-speaking counterparty, who could well change the meaning of the phrase. I don’t like to communicate through an interpreter at all, it’s easier for me myself, if I don’t understand something, ask again or ask a leading question. As for the breakthrough, it's probably that I started to understand Japanese. The fact is that I periodically live in Japan. I can't speak it yet, but I already understand most of the simplest phrases. So I can ask for directions and understand the answer.
What advice would you give to foreign language learners?
Patience and perseverance. You need to work, and, I repeat, hard!
Nikolay Noskov
I speak English. I started learning it at school. This is such a long-standing story with the school VIA. My English teacher, who was on duty at the disco where we played - the school ensemble, heard us sing the songs of Creedance and the Beatles, of course, just imitating English than actually singing the words, she called me to the blackboard in the morning. Of course, I was not ready, and she very sternly told me in front of the whole class that I would need English like no one else in the class. Since then, I have not parted with the textbook.
What textbook did you have?
Then there was the only textbook available - Bonk. Not the best. But that's how I came to Moscow with him. And wherever I went on the subway, he was always under my arm. Due to the specifics of Soviet education and the lack of practice, of course, oral speech was bad. Now I can’t even count how much time I spent on training then.
How would you rate your current level?
I have enough (laughs).
Have there been cases of language failures when you were completely misunderstood?
I don’t particularly remember the language failures, but according to the first one, when we arrived in America, it was somewhat difficult for me to speak. You know, it's like this: you know what and how to say, but you can't pronounce it. But six months later, I spoke completely freely and without an accent.
What advice would you give to English learners?
The key is persistence and practice. The rest will follow.
And on BBC RUSSIAN they talked about the relationship between English, Dima Bilan and Irina Slutskaya!
Dima Bilan
Recently, many Russian celebrities have been learning English. Among them is Dima Bilan, who won the World Music Awards as a Russian singer whose solo album broke all sales records this year. Returning to Moscow from London, where the WMA ceremony was held, Dima Bilan gave an interview to the BBC Russian Service. Evgeny Vlasenko, head of the Learn English section of the BBCRussian.com website, spoke with him.
BBC BBC: The ceremony, apparently, was not the only purpose of a two-week trip to London. Did you really practice English there and record a new disc, as Russian tabloids write about it?
DB: Yes, I practiced English, and being there [in London], I even felt very good. I'm going to continue learning the language, because without it - nowhere!
If I was born in America, knowing English, and applied my strength, as I did here in Russia, I would probably be world famous now - that's honest
Dima Bilan
I will continue to study English in Moscow. I need to find a teacher who could travel with me to all cities, on tour, so that I could communicate with him in any situation, even in some difficult ones, not to ask questions in Russian, but to try to build an English sentence.
BBC BBC: Do Western producers and recording studios have any special requirements for a project called "Dima Bilan"? Are they satisfied with, say, your pronunciation when you sing in English?
D.B.: Yes, very satisfied. Sometimes, you know, a light accent is encouraged, because there is some distinctive feature, but a light accent.
I'm sure it takes me a year and a half to start speaking English well
And the Russian accent in English is not very bad, if it is not clumsy. Senk yu [when saying thank you], for example, or something else.
And no matter how much I show [recordings of English songs], all English sound producers say: “very good pronunciation”.
BBC: Language practice in London - where did it take place and what did it consist of?
DB: I studied with my teacher Miranda. She came to my hotel, and we sat for three hours a day, talked, passed past and future tenses.
Previously, this seemed almost impossible to me. There is a barrier and some complex of a person who did not study English very well at school. But I always went on the rampage, and everything always worked out.
I'm sure it takes me a year and a half to start speaking English well.
Irina Slutskaya
How do those who earn Olympic gold for Russia learn English? Do Russian figure skaters participating in the Olympics, world and European championships have personal tutors, consultants who are engaged in the language training of athletes, preparing them to communicate with foreign colleagues?
Evgeny Vlasenko, the head of the English language training department of the BBC Russian Service, asked Irina Slutskaya, the world, European and Russian figure skating champion, about this.
Irina Slutskaya: There are no such people. Every man for himself. Many athletes learn the language once they get to the United States.
BBC: How did you learn English yourself?
Irina Slutskaya: As for me, I did not speak English at all when I came on a tour of America.
But since the schedule was in English, plus the solution of all issues related to movement around the country, required the ability to speak it, willy-nilly I had to learn it ...
Some of the skaters specifically learn the language while in Russia. One of the parents is English-speaking. In a word, everyone has a different situation with language training.
BBC: How do you like London and Britain - I know you've been there?
Irina Slutskaya: I was in London once at the Russian Winter a few years ago. Then, unfortunately, it was not possible to see too much in this beautiful city. It has such different cultures!
Very beautiful city. When I have time, I will definitely come to London again.
Irina Slutskaya: In general, I really like to explore different countries, see the sights, and watch people.
BBC BBC: You have already achieved a lot in life. Big sports are in the past. Your new pinnacle is television. Goals are different now. Are you bored? Enough drive?
Irina Slutskaya: No, it's not boring. Life is seething. And the drive is different everywhere. The drive that you experience when you go on the ice at the Olympic Games is incomparable to anything. But there are many things going on in my life. Television, cinema, theater projects - all this is very interesting!
BBC BBC: Will you work on the preparation of the Sochi 2014 Olympics?
Irina Slutskaya: I am one of those who paved the way for Russia's victory in the selection of candidate cities to host the 2014 Olympics, which was held in Guatemala. And I would really like to be in Sochi in 5 years, but not as a spectator of the Olympic Games, but to carry out some kind of mission or work. Suggestions come in and I'll consider them.
