Welcome to Talk Like That Accent & Dialect Coaching

 

I’m Mark, a dialect coach from the UK, based out of Toronto, working with actors, directors, and productions to help performances sound grounded, authentic, and true to the story being told. Whether it’s for film, television, or stage, my goal is to make every accent feel lived-in rather than performed.

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With more than twenty years’ experience as a teacher and language professional, I’ve learned that great coaching begins with listening. I mainly listen... to your needs, to the production’s requirements, and to authentic samples of the target accent if they’re available. Only after that do I start guiding the client on what to listen out for and how to adjust their own speech output in a way that’s clear, natural, and sustainable under performance conditions.

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My approach is rooted in empathy and adaptability. Every actor processes sound differently, and no two production timelines are the same. The key is to meet the actor where they are — to find the methods, metaphors, and exercises that make the work click for them. That might mean a detailed phonetic breakdown for one performer, or a more intuitive rhythm-based approach for another. Years of teaching have taught me that flexibility and understanding are just as essential as technical precision.

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I can help with any accent required, adapting to the budget and timeframe. I’ve coached a wide range of accents from across not just the English-speaking world (regional British, North American, South African, and Australasian dialects), but also international varieties (Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, and Vietnamese, to name just a few). Each project brings its own challenges, and I tailor my work to fit the production’s scope and creative vision.

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Productions I’ve worked with include Fear Thy Neighbor, where I helped the cast find accurate Australian and Mexican accents, and Waco: The Aftermath, where I collaborated with Michael Luwoye on a hybridized accent for his role.

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Directors and actors often describe my coaching as practical, precise, and deeply collaborative.

 

I’m available for remote work worldwide, on-set coaching throughout Ontario, and in-person one-to-one sessions in Toronto.

 

Thanks to the flexibility of modern production and rehearsal processes, I regularly work with clients across North America, the UK, and beyond.

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Originally from the UK, I grew up hearing—and eventually speaking—a wide range of British regional accents. Over the years, I’ve lived in several different parts of the country, each with its own musicality and rhythm, before emigrating to Canada. That experience gave me a lifelong curiosity about how people sound, why accents shift, and what they reveal about where we come from and who we are.

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Whether you’re an actor preparing for a specific role, a director seeking on-set dialect support, or a film production company looking for a reliable dialect coach in the Toronto area, I bring both linguistic knowledge and artistic sensitivity to the process.

 

The aim isn’t just to “get the accent right,” but to help the actor feel confident enough that it becomes second nature, freeing them to focus fully on performance.