Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johansson admit that it was tough learning their British accents for the film The Other Boleyn Girl.
The pair attended the star-studded premiere for the movie, in which they play Henry VIII's wife Anne Boleyn (Portman) and her sister Mary (Johansson), at London's Leicester Square on Tuesday night. It was attended by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Portman was particularly focussed when attempting to master the accent as she feels it's quite off putting when actors fail in that area.
"It totally takes me out of a movie when I hear British actors doing a bad American accent," she said (the cheek of the girl!). "It's a scary thing. I can't improvise with an accent at all!"
Portman also revealed that when she's got her eye on a role she shows, er, dogged determination.
The 29-year-old actress said during the press conference: "I'm actually a scheming bitch!" At which point co-star Johansson chopped in with a more 21st century woman-friendly: "I don't think you're that kind of a person. You're just healthily ambitious!"
Meeting Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at the screening, Portman said to Charles about the film: "It must be so strange to see a film version of your family."
The movie, based on Philippa Gregory's bestseller and also stars Eric Bana as King Henry VIII, opens on March 3.