As The Collection is released in its entirety on Amazon Prime USA (well, less 50 minutes shown elsewhere), we finally have an interview with Tom to help promote the show! It is quite brief, but we are grateful for anything. Tom reveals the decisions behind the use of different accents in The Collection. I actually thought it was to show class differences (perceived or actual), so interesting to find out the true reason. Read the article in full on Decider. Note the error in some of the cast names below - Richard is Paul, Frances is Yvette. Decider has mixed up what was actually said a little.
The Collection is by far and away the most beautiful show Amazon has produced. Every one of the Sabines’ designs look ready for a Vogue shoot and the shots themselves look like they were staged by Renaissance masters. It’s not just that this is a show about fashion that nails style — it’s a show that understands the value of sumptuous cinematography. The saturated colors, romantically-cast shadows, and classic Parisian vistas seduce you into submission. If nothing else, you can watch this show just for the pretty, pretty pictures.
But if you do want to turn on the sound and follow the action, you’ll notice that this international show has a unique approach to accents. You’ll hear American twangs, the Queen’s English, and French lilts on this show.
Tom Riley explained to us that there was a very well-thought-out method behind the accents: “In this it’s a case of the Americans in the show are Americans. They’re from America. Everyone who’s English, who’s speaking with an English accent, is French and then everyone who’s French and speaking in a French accent is from Belgium. So there is a weird logic to it.”
“Paul, Richard and I and Yvette and Frances could’ve done French accents, but then that would’ve been weirdly hokey. Why are we speaking with French accents but we’re not speaking French? So, it was just an internal bit of logic that allowed us to have an international cast and also not get it too confusing,” Riley continued, before joking, “It was one thing where we were like, ‘Should we put a disclaimer? Should people know this?’ Otherwise we’re going to hear ‘Why are they all talking like that?'”
The above photo of Tom as Claude Sabine is one a number of promo photos, currently being spammed by mainly fake accounts on Twitter. New behind the scenes photos have been shared on IMDb, including one of Tom as Claude.
