Catherine Zeta-Jones is Welsh?

Well perhaps I am the last person to have figured this out, but then I hadn't been investigating too closely. I was indeed suprised when I read Zeta-Jones is from Swansea today. She was quoted in the paper giving advice to Charlotte Church, saying the teen needs to lose her Welsh accent if she wants to break into the movies. I suppose I could spin it one of two ways in regards to Catherine's accent: either demanding that CZJ should just be herself, and use her natural accent more often; or I could commend her on doing such a good acting job that she has managed to pull one over on us Americans! I tend to lean towards the latter, since sporting a yankee tongue has obviously worked out well for her.


Source:http://www.esrf.fr
I do however disagree with her advice to Charlotte. CC's voice sounds fine and most people around the world couldn't spot the difference between a Welsh and an English accent anyway. Wales is a hip place now, the home of Doctor Who and Torchwood! The US is home to The Tyra Banks Show and So you Think you can Dance?

For what it's worth my great great grandfather was Welsh. Here is a list of some Welsh people who have managed to be quite successfull without hiding their heritate. That long list of fine folks includes Dalek creator Terry Nation and of course Russell T. Davies. John Wayne is noticeably absent, even though this doctor seems to have evidence that the American legend was not in fact born in Iowa, but in Cardiff!