David Tennant’s Russian accent in Litvinenko is… quite something

For some reason, TV and film creators don’t think viewers can get over the one-inch-tall barrier that is subtitles, as ‘Parasite’ director Bong Joon-ho so perfectly put it

Anyone watching the new ITVX drama Litvinenko will hear something very strange. Something very unsettling indeed: David Tennant’s Russian accent.

In the show, Tennant is playing Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian spy who claimed that his murder (via a poisoned green tea in a London hotel) was ordered by Vladimir Putin in 2006.

Litvinenko’s death sparked an investigation into a chemical attack in the UK capital and a 10-year investigation between Britain and Russia to find justice for his killing.

With this role, Tennant has joined the long list of actors we’ve seen playing international characters, while speaking English in various accents. For some reason, the creators of TV and film still don’t think viewers can get over the one-inch-tall barrier that is subtitles, as Parasite director Bong Joon-ho so perfectly put it.

But if Jared Leto’s Italian accent in House of Gucci wasn’t surreal enough, then Tennant’s new lilt is worth tuning in to this show to hear.

People on social media have said their minds have been “blown” by the accent. The Guardian’s Joel Goelby wrote: “He is just doing José Mourinho’s voice.”

I have no idea if the accent is any good or not – Litvinenko’s real-life wife, Marina, gave it her seal of approval – but what I do know is that the actor’s Scottish accent makes numerous surprise cameos. And any good accent coach would give you a slap on the wrist for that. There’s an especially pleasing moment when Tennant tries to wrap his mouth around the name of a KGB expert, Mario Scaramella, without sounding like he’s from just outside Glasgow.

I have to applaud Tennant for really going for it with this accent, but sadly, for me, its overall effect is to totally distract from one of the most shocking stories of our times.

Read The Independent’s review of the series here and our interview with Margarita Levieva, who plays Marina, here.