The new Netflix series that has been heavily praised by American audiences has sparked uproar for one reason.
The streaming service's new show, House of Guinness, follows the Guinness family’s struggle for power after the death of patriarch Benjamin Guinness.
It has earned an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with British outlet The Guardian calling it “irresistible” while American publication, the Los Angeles Times, said that it was “good craic” (a term meaning good fun in Irish slang).
However, the show has sparked significant backlash from Irish critics who feel that it misrepresents the country's history and cultural nuances.
Displeasure From Home
The Irish Times took issue with the show’s “rudimentary understanding of Ireland’s experiences of colonialism,” and a lack of appreciation for the Anglo-Irish role in Irish society.
They described the show’s depiction of the revolutionaries as “feral leprechauns” and criticized the portrayal of the 19th-century Dublin accent, particularly the character played by James Norton.
Many users on social media have also shared their thoughts on the accents online. One user on X wrote that the producers should've "tried harder to cast Irish actors," adding: "Some of these accent attempts are awful."
Another person slammed: "I am soo done with the Irish accent constantly being butchered." A third added: "Love James Norton, but his accent is so bad in this, what's going on."
Despite these criticisms, Norton, who plays the lead character Sean Rafferty, has received praise for his performance.
The 40-year-old British actor opened up about the challenges of adopting the Dublin accent, particularly because it was a historic version, not the modern one.
“I was very aware that I had to get it right, because in Ireland everyone can name an actor who’s messed up the Irish accent,” he said in an interview with RTÉ. “If you masquerade as an Irishman and don’t get the accent right, it is sacrilegious.”
The Struggle for Authenticity
Accurately capturing the Irish accent in film and television has long been a difficult task for non-Irish actors.
The challenge has often led to some missteps in cinema, such as Brad Pitt in The Devil’s Own and Gerard Butler’s bizarre twang in P.S. I Love You.
For House of Guinness, dialect coach Poll Moussoulides worked closely with the cast to ensure that the pronunciations were as authentic as possible.
The production even went so far as to consult historical recordings of working-class Dubliners from the 19th century to better understand the nuances of speech during that era.
"Accents require the same type of training as any other complex physical task, such as horseback riding or playing the guitar. They need to know someone else has got their ear on [their accent] so they can be free to act," New York-based dialect coach Erik Singer said.
Despite these efforts, Irish critics feel that the accents, while better than previous film depictions, still fall short.
House of Guinness is now streaming on Netflix.