Harry Potter: Anti-American clarification

[susanbones2003]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
SNIP> 
> SSSusan:
> LOL!  This was Something the Lord Made.  And if you thought 
Rickman's 
> accent was awful in that, then *don't* watch Judas Kiss or Dark 
Harbor 
> or even the segment of Die Hard where he pretends to be an 
American.  
> Believe me, his accent was much *improved* in StLM.  
> 
> Saddest part for me, a *huge* Rickman fan, is that when he tries 
to do 
> an American accent, he tends to lose some of that wonderful 
plumminess 
> in his voice.  (Think the "DON'T lie... to me" line from the 
potions 
> storage cupboard in GoF. :-))
> 
> Siriusly Rickman!Snapey Susan

I have wondered, if you SSusan know, just what kind of accent is 
Alan Rickman doing for Snape? Is it just a middle of the road 
British accent, an "acting British" accent (the plumminess comes to 
mind) or something else? I have seen him in other British things and 
I love the accents he's used in them(the film where he was the 
hairdresser comes to mind, but alas the name of said film does 
not) . He seems very comfortable switching British accents. I feel 
very sorry for most actors who have to take on a Southern American 
accent. It's the easiest to caricature and therefore the easiest to 
mangle. 
JenD, speaking to herself in her own genuine Southern accent...
>