Warning: Major Spoilers For Citadel’s Season 1 Finale Below!Richard Madden’s Citadel accent has been a source of complaint about the Amazon series, but the season 1 finale explained why it sounds so off. Alongside the likes of Henry Cavil or Regé-Jean Page, Richard Madden’s name is often tossed into the ring as a contender for the next James Bond. Historically, the role tends to go to actors who don’t already have a defining role or franchise, but until James Bond 26 unveils the next actor, it’s anyone’s race. Citadel gave Madden his best Bond audition, where he gets to play a suave spy who uses elaborate gadgets and romances beautiful women.
In essence, Citadel gives Madden two roles to play; superspy Mason Kane and, after the latter loses his memory, family man Kyle Conroy. Madden is never less than compelling as a performer, though one element of his performance has drawn ridicule. Citadel forces the Scottish actor to use an American accent as both Kyle and Mason, and he often struggles to pull it off. There are worse examples of actor doing American accents in other movies and TV shows, but Madden’s American accent is definitely a little shaky.
Richard Madden’s Citadel Accent Is Bad Because It’s Supposed To Be Fake
Madden’s accent has become a subject of mockery in some reviews and on social media, though again, it’s not that bad. That said, the showrunners must have predicted this response, as Citadel’s season 1 finale 6 “Secrets in Night Need Early Rains” proves. The finale provides some major twist reveals, with the major one being that it was Mason who sold out Citadel to Manticore. This is revealed in a flashback after Mason/Kyle recovers his memories, where he went to visit Dahlia (Lesley Manville) – who turns out to be his estranged mother. It also reveals that he really has a British accent.
Mason used to be Paul, whose father was killed in an explosion when he was a boy. His mother Dahlia was so traumatized by the event that she abandoned her son, and after young Paul watched the John Frankenheimer cult classic Seconds, he decides to reinvent himself completely. So when the Citadel agency recruited Paul, he “buried” his accent and became Mason Kane instead. Mason uses his original accent to confront Dahlia, but despite his anger, she’s able to convince him to turn against Citadel. She reveals it wasn’t a terrorist bombing that killed his father, but a Citadel operation gone wrong.
Madden Should Use His Real Accent For Citadel Season 2
Armed with this knowledge, Mason brought her a list of Citadel agents so she could expose the agency to the world; instead, Dahlia used her Manticore contacts to wipe Citadel out instead. Given how prevalent the complaints about Madden’s American accent on Citadel have been, it was a wise choice to reveal Mason was faking it the whole time. Now the show has explained it, Citadel season 2 should just like Madden use his real accent moving forwards. Madden is clearly a little ill at ease playing an American, and it would be a little strained if the show continued to use it now the truth has been revealed.