Brit, Aussie Actors Find US Success

British and Australian actors are flocking to the US in search of work and finding great success in roles that challenge their mimicry skills, the Chicago Tribune reports. Whether it’s Hugh Laurie on House, Anna Friel on Pushing Daisies, or Simon Baker on The Mentalist, the thespians have found it pays to adopt a new accent.

Marc Hirschfeld, NBC’s executive VP of casting, cites the decline of the British film industry as one factor: "The fact that there isn't as much in the work in the UK as there has been in the past has opened things up for them." The American public loves discovering stars, and “this is a way for America to discover a new star who is not really on the radar for them," Hirschfeld says.