Stephen Colbert Makes ‘Downton Abbey’ Actors Do American Accents

Downton Abbey actors Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday to discuss the show’s final season and Colbert used the opportunity to poke some fun at their characters oh-so-posh accents.

Stephen Colbert Makes ‘Downton Abbey’ Actors Do American Accents

Making a stab at surmising the appeal of Downton to American fans the host said:

“I suspect that one of the things that makes Downton Abbey so alluring, and seem in some ways like a fairy tale to us in the United States, is just how plummy all your accents are.”

In order to bring the highbrow speech speech to a more vernacular level Colbert has the three stars speak genuine dialogue from the show in American accents and, as you’d expect from professional actors, they do a pretty good job.

Dockery’s sing-song Valley Girl persona makes a stark contrast to the prim and proper Lady Mary Crawley, while Bonville’s American re-imagining of Downton patriarch Robert Crawley could easily pass for an Alec Baldwin impression.

It’s Allen Leech, however, who steals the show, hilariously switching the Irish brogue of Downton heartthrob Tom Branson for a California dude twang.

Downton‘s final season will start airing Christmas Day, marking the end of the series’ six year run.