Fans left stunned as Catherine Zeta-Jones debuts native Welsh accent in new show
Fans left stunned as Catherine Zeta-Jones debuts native Welsh accent in new show
Chiara FiorilloMon, September 28, 2026 at 4:07 AM UTC
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Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as Jackie Price in Kill Jackie -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited
Fans of Catherine Zeta-Jones have been stunned to learn that, for the first time in her decades-long career, the actress is using her native Welsh accent in her new show.
The 57-year-old stars in the upcoming thriller series Kill Jackie as Jackie Price, an extravagant former international cocaine dealer whose quiet, anonymous life is upended when elite hitmen are hired to eliminate her. The new Amazon Prime Video show, adapted from Nick Harkaway's novel The Price You Pay under his pseudonym Aidan Truhen, is scheduled to release on October 2, 2026.
The Oscar-winning actress, who grew up in Swansea, Wales, revealed that the original book was set in America, but she made the creative decision to set the adaptation in Europe and to make the character Welsh. It comes after the actress opened up about the challenges of motherhood.
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Catherine said using her Welsh accent was "liberating," noting that it allowed her to find unique nuances and grounded her performance, relieving the usual mental strain of maintaining perfect American or British dialects.
"It was my decision to do my Welsh accent, which I can't believe in all my career I've never done it in a film," she told Deadline in an interview. "I've done it on stage, Dylan Thomas' play."
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The show is scheduled to be released on October 2, 2026
She revealed that she wanted her character to be "earthy," based on the personality of funny Welsh women who "say what they need to say." Catherine said, "It just made this character so real, and it freed me up as an actor. I didn't have to think about an accent. You know, there's always a part of your brain that's thinking about an accent."
After a clip of Catherine's interview was shared on Reddit, many fans said they loved hearing her real accent, while others said they didn't know she is Welsh. A person wrote, "I had no idea she was Welsh!"
Another wrote, "For a long time I genuinely thought she was Spanish or Mexican because I only watched her in the Zorro movies and was young and didn't know anyone better. My world turned upside down learning she was Welsh. I think the Zeta part of the name threw me off. And also I haven't watched enough of her to hear her Welsh accent. I still am not fully convinced."
Some fans of the actress were surprised to learn she is Welsh
A third added, "I'm Welsh and, I suppose because I'm so accustomed to it, I barely register her Welsh accent here- she's got a real American twang, and that’s more prominent to my ears than the Welsh. But I imagine folks from the USA would hear differently!"
One more posted, "I am astounded by the number of people who didn't know she was Welsh, but I guess why would they." Someone else added, "Hearing actors' actual accent means so much to me; I adore a Welsh woman too!"
A fan said, "I LOVE Welsh accents. You guys sound like you're singing when you talk! I could listen to Matthew Rhys read the dictionary."
In addition to Catherine, Kill Jackie - directed by Damon Thomas, who is well-known for his work on Killing Eve - stars Daniel Ings, Darci Shaw, Raff Law, Sidse Babett Knudsen, and Ron Perlman.
Kill Jackie is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on October 2.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
