Kathy Bates immersed herself deeply in her role as Ethel Darling in American Horror Story: Freak Show by adopting a thick Baltimore accent that she maintained even off-camera. This dedication stemmed from the accent's difficulty, ensuring consistency throughout production. While it added character nuance, the accent drew mixed reactions from critics.
Background on the Role
Kathy Bates portrayed Ethel Darling, the bearded lady in the 2014 season of American Horror Story: Freak Show, set in a Jupiter, Florida carnival. To distinguish her character, Bates chose a pronounced Baltimore accent, diverging from creator Ryan Murphy's suggestion for subtlety. The result was a bold 'Bawlmer' drawl that reflected Ethel's outsider status among the freak show performers.
Preparation and Dedication
Bates prepared independently, without an accent coach. She studied interviews with Baltimore native Senator Barbara Ann Mikulski and practiced daily by reciting a localized version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' found online. In a BuzzFeed interview during production, Bates explained her commitment: 'I talk in my Baltimore accent even when I'm off set because it's such a tough accent that I feel like if I don't, I won't get it back.' This approach underscored her method-acting style, blending personal challenge with performance authenticity.
Critical Reception
The accent polarized viewers and reviewers. Some praised its role in highlighting the performers' diverse backgrounds, showcasing Bates' effort to make Ethel vivid. However, critics like Flavorwire described it as an 'open-voweled Baltimore honk,' while The A.V. Club found it 'ambiguous' in origin. Linguist Kara Becker from Reed College critiqued it in Vox, noting Bates overemphasized features like fronted back vowels, differing from natural Baltimore speech: 'She's identified the features of a Baltimore accent, and is using them, but she's using them differently than a native speaker would.'
Despite imperfections, the choice emphasized themes of chosen family and resilience in the series.
