My guest on this episode of the Hometown to Hollywood Podcast is top dialect coach Jerome Butler.
Jerome Butler. Photo credit: Alison Rosa
As a dialect coach for actors performing in movies, television, or theater, Jerome’s job is to give actors enough understanding of the accent for their imagination to take over and bring the character to life.
And as a Juilliard School graduate with more than 25 years of experience in theater, television, and film, Jerome Butler understands the challenges facing actors.
Performers he’s worked with range from Naomi Watts, Thandie Newton, Melanie Liburd, Noomi Rapace, Stephanie Szostak, and Ellen Burstyn to Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler, Robert Downey Jr., Jonathan Pryce, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Jerome Butler’s credits include For Life, When They See Us, This is Us, Blade Runner 2049 and many more. He has also worked as a Dialect, Speech and Vocal coach at Juilliard, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYU and numerous other actor training programs.
He is also the founder of dialectcoachescorner.com, an innovative resource for accent modification and dialect work.
Jerome shared some fantastic direction for actors regarding how to approach speaking with different dialects convincingly, as well as non-actors who want to be able to speak in a different dialect for their own personal or professional reasons. Throughout the episode, he shares some fantastic life wisdom and advice for actors.
Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:
- “Whatever it is that you say ‘yes’ to on a continuing basis… 5 years later, that is where you’ll be. Positive or negative.”
- “Your earliest relationship with your language has a deep connection with aspects of your character.”
- “There’s a stereotypical aspect of just about every dialect because of the truths of where that person is coming from.”
- “I have a lot of tools… and I really follow what the actor’s learning style is.”
- “I want actors to have as many different choices as possible.”
- “DialectCoachesCorner.com provides high quality tools for people to use who don’t have access to a dialect coach.”
- “There’s nothing wrong with having ‘an accent.’”
- “Our session is like a workout… but the muscle grows during the rest time.”
- “The person who gets the job ultimately is a combination of talented, committed, focused, and centered.”
- “The emotional management that I’ve seen kids do on sets is amazing.”
- “In English, sounds are in different categories. And we can use those categories to teach us about dialects.”
- “Follow your desire… because you’re going to get further, faster that way.”
Follow Jerome Butler HERE:
https://www.dialectcoachescorner.com/
Instagram: @dialectcoachescorner
Facebook: @dialectcoachescorner
Dialects are an entire world of their own, just like the world of professional acting is. And the more you explore these worlds, the more you realize that there is a lot more to understand and master than meets the eye! If you are discovering that you could use some help navigating your own path in the entertainment industry, sign up for an online consultation with me! Just one session can answer questions you didn’t even know to ask, and set you up with a detailed action plan.