Testimonials

Here’s what some of my fantastic clients have said about working together:

‘I’ve been lucky enough to work with Gaby, whether it be for an audition, preparation for a role or simply to practice her infallible approach to deepening the understanding of a scene, since 2007. With the added advantage of American Accent and insightful Acting coaching, her fun-filled, tried and tested approach to the work is a god-send.’
~ WILL KEMP, London & Los Angeles: Lord Darnley on Reign, Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce, Code Black, Royal Matchmaker, Petals on the Wind, Kristin’s Christmas Past, The Great Fire, The Prisoner, Step Up 2: The Streets, Van Helsing, Scorpion King: The Lost Throne, ‘The Swan’ in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

‘I’ve had the most brilliant time working with Gaby since we started in 2016. Specifically, I got an audition for a Coen Bros movie (no pressure!) and they asked for a period American accent?!! I had no idea! So, not only did she teach me that — but she sourced a number of film clips for me to see, to put this whole thing into context. Then she recorded the self-tape with me, as well. So the result of this was, while I didn’t actually book that particular job, I am pleased to say the feedback was very positive — and they particularly mentioned the accent. So yes — this lady is excellent and very special.’
~ LESLEY NICOL, London and Los Angeles: Mrs Patmore on Downton Abbey, The Catch, East Is East.

‘Since the first session I had with Gaby, I knew this was it and I had found my coach. Not only is she amazing at what she does, but she makes the whole session so enjoyable, giving me the desire to do the work. She is utterly rigorous, precise and doesn’t let me get away with anything. Also, when I have struggled a few times with the meaning or tone of the piece, she always found a solution that worked well for me. She is the best.’
~ MORGANE POLANSKI, Paris, London & LA: Princess Gisla on Vikings, The Aspern Papers, The Pianist

“Gaby is a godsend! Working with her has helped me immensely in finding my authentic American ‘voice’. Our sessions are fun, instinctive, and her experience as an actress and acting coach adds an invaluable extra dimension when working on audition material. I come out of our sessions with the confidence that, not only is my accent accurate, but that it is my true voice as an actress and as the character I am creating.”
~ ESMÉ BIANCO, London & Los Angeles: Ros on Game Of Thrones, The Magicians, Any Human Heart, Eric and Ernie, The Big I Am, Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, Christmas Mystery, Ominous

“Gaby turned an average, mediocre audition into one I felt really soared. She has an amazing ear for nuance in dialects and finding small things in the dialogue to make it feel more colloquial. I always run dialects by Gaby, and always come away with great insight.”
~ JAIME RAY NEWMAN, Los Angeles: The Punisher, Eastwick, Mind Games, Bosch, Bates Motel

“Gaby Santinelli is an excellent acting and dialect coach, with a fantastic understanding of actors from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Her attention to detail is impeccable, which helps you go into the room or onto the set with the tools and confidence to nail it!”
~ JIMMY AKINGBOLA, London & LA: Arrow, Scorpion, In The Long Run, Sons Of Liberty, Rev, Holby City

“I love working with Gaby because she goes beyond making sure I pronounce things correctly. She makes sure I understand the script in a cultural context, and uses Accent Integration so I can find my American voice without it being separate from who I am. I’ve found Gaby to be extremely generous and accessible, our sessions are always fun, and I can apply her techniques to other material I’m working on. I just booked a lead role in a web series, American Accent! Months of training with Gaby did that!”
~ SIBONGILE MLAMBO, South Africa & LA: Lost In Space, Siren, Teen Wolf, Under The Silver Lake, Black Sails, Honey 3, The Last Face, Message From The King

‘Gaby is a great coach to work with on Audition Prep. We work specifically and quickly. I find her one-on-ones a valuable resource. She really knows how to break down scripts, to help facilitate detailed choices, as well as give accent tweaks that work. Recommended highly.’
~ RUTH CONNELL, Rowena in Supernatural

‘After reaching a place of frustration with my American accent, I started working with Gaby. In just a couple of months of us working together, I began booking roles in the American accent. Gaby is my go-to person. Best investment I have ever made.’
~ TEHMINA SUNNY, Los Angeles & New York: Argo, Training Day, Extant, The Following

‘When I booked the role of Anna Zhou in Doctor Who, I went to Gaby’s Text Analysis class to prepare for it!’
~ ELIZABETH TAN, London: Doctor Who, Tully

‘Gaby’s Text Analysis System was invaluable to me whilst working on my part in Waking The Dead, Series 8. I played the part of a lead Detective with a heroin problem and had some harrowing scenes to say the least. The key to getting under her skin was getting into her head and understanding how she was reacting with what she was saying, and also with what she wasn’t saying. This is where the Text Analysis System really kicked in. We boiled it right down to the basics, to then work through the nuances and the pain to create an understanding, and therefore a platform, that enabled a rich, deep and emotive portrayal. Very specific and personal, which tuned me as a person to the character’s triggers and responses, which meant the text flowed all on its own. That’s the key! I can’t recommend Gaby and the Text Analysis System enough. She worked wonders on me and my performance and taught me some very powerful tools to approach text and character.’
~ STACEY ROCA, London & New York: Nancy Tench on Mindhunter, Bull, Waking The Dead, Rachel in The Office (Original UK Series), Strictly Confidential, Ladies of Letters

“I’ve been training my American accent regularly with Gaby for over a year now both in group sessions and privately and pleased to say I’ve massively improved. Gaby understands the different nuances of what’s going wrong in the accent, and pinpoints them for each person, which ultimately helps to find your own voice in the accent, rather than an accented voice – imperative for good truthful acting. She’s friendly, personable and with the right mix of firm and fun. Training in this way has definitely improved my confidence in the room with American auditions, and my booking rate.”
~ DARREN DARNBOROUGH, London & Los Angeles: Roots, Murder In The First, True Blood, 2 Broke Girls

‘As a classically trained, Shakespearian, very British actor, I’d been struggling for a couple of years to really nail a completely solid US accent. When I met Gaby, her key was to help me find my “inner cowboy” — to not only acquire accuracy with the accent, but to also find within myself the man who would naturally find the words, rhythm, phrasing, and thus, speak this way. With that breakthrough, and with regular on-going sessions, I now feel completely comfortable, and have great fun going into (and sometimes even leaving) the audition room, and even the set, without anyone knowing I am not a home-born US guy.’
~ JOHN MAWSON, actor and writer, Los Angeles: Casual, Outlander, Castle, Masters Of The House

“Since I started training with Gaby Santinelli’s Accent Integration exercises, I have changed my approach to accent work. Before, I would work on my accent first, and then try to apply it to my acting choices: that’s the best way to mess up the accent, especially when nerves come into play! Working in a different accent will influence your acting; Gaby provides the necessary tools to continue your work independently, so you go into an audition room with confidence. In addition to being a great coach, Gaby is a passionate, charming, funny, and intelligent person, who does her best to make herself available for you at short notice. And I always enjoy her film recommendations as reference points for the work!”
~ GAÏA WEISS, Paris, London & Los Angeles: Vikings, Overdrive

‘I’m ready to ACCLIMATE to my new Los Angeles environment (expertly articulated in my newly achieved and extraordinarily excellent American accent). But only with the help of GABY SANTINELLI…without whom my attempt at an American accent would be a complete DUD. Thank you, Gaby, for such ingenious ways of explaining and guiding me in the best direction possible, that will be used again and again. Looking forward to my next sessions!’
~ HANNAH TAYLOR GORDON, Los Angeles: Emmy & Golden Globe Award Nominee Best Actress in A Movie/Mini-Series for ‘Anne Frank’ 

‘What can I say? Gaby teaches you things in such a fun way, and makes you understand and hear where you’re going wrong. She’s great!’
~ JENNIFER NEALA PAGE, London & Los Angeles: Winn Manchester in THE MASTER, Westworld, Get Carter, Mike and Molly

‘Gaby patiently coached me through the re-dubbing of my entire leading role in the independent foreign film KUSHTARA – PATTERN OF LOVE. I’m grateful for her help and dedication: she transformed my portrayal from VHS to HD BlueRay. Not only did she help me find my American Accent, she guided me through intention, emotion and phrasing, to create a complete performance. I look forward to many more collaborations with her.’
~ EMRHYS COOPER, Los Angeles: Person Of Interest, Vanity, Desperate Housewives, CSI:NY, Touch, Mamma Mia The Movie. Entertaining Mr Sloane – Best Lead Actor Broadway World Award

‘Gaby’s Text Analysis System completely revolutionised the way I approach text. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her system. I learned more about acting in four hours with Gaby in a Text Analysis class then I did in four years of college and drama school!’
~ ANNABEL TOPHAM, London: Sir Trevor Nunn’s world premiere Birdsong, West End

‘I worked with Gaby on two shows she directed when we were Theatre students together at Northwestern University. The Text Analysis System she introduced us to was a key to the fundamentals of good acting. It organically assists the actor to refine the specifics of scenes, tapping into their instinctual ideas, from which authentic emotion would naturally follow.’
~ BRUNO CAMPOS: The Frog in Disney’s Academy Award-nominated The Princess and The Frog, Nip/Tuck

“Thank the lord of lords that people such as Dialect & Acting coach Gaby Santinelli exist. As well as one-to-ones in her gorgeous little Hollywood apartment, one of my favourite times of the week is the accent class we have with her: six British actors sit around a table for 2 hours pretending to be American (No waaaay! Yes waaaay! Hey. How YOU doin?!). Thank god no actual American (apart from Gaby, obvs) can overhear us practice. Two weeks ago, I had an audition for an ABC comedy pilot. On my way out, I was walking on air, beaming from ear-to-ear: I’d gone in American, read the role in American, and then thanked them in my English accent. The Casting Director and Producer did a double take, then told me my US accent was flawless. BOOM! WINNING! My ongoing practice is beginning to pay off! Thank you Gaby! Onwards and upwards! Next audition please!
~ Ty Glaser, London & Los Angeles: Holby City, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The IT Crowd, Hard Boiled Sweets, Bones, My Family, The Bill, Casualty, Top Buzzer

“I have known Gaby since 2006, when I trained alongside her in Meisner Technique in London. We then co-starred in David Mamet’s UK Premiere of Chekhov’s Three Sisters.Gaby also co-founded the salon:collective with me; a company which offers ground-breaking actor training, events, theatre productions and new writing.

I heartily recommend Gaby in many areas of expertise; she is a top acting coach. Her coaching is detailed, sensitive and impactful; she is missed by many students in the UK. She has an impressive work ethic, her professionalism and drive mean that a project/student get complete attention: beyond 100%.

I recommend my students to work with her via Skype, to get a polished American accent, and when they visit LA, I order them to make their first stop Gaby Santinelli.”
~ DOMINIC KELLY, Artistic Director the salon:collective, London

‘I worked with Gaby after a friend recommended her. I’d just landed the lead part in a film. However, the role was in an American accent. Gaby was wonderful. Not only did she work through the entire script, picking out and recording the tricky words and phrases, she taught me to think like the American girl I was playing, and introduced me to ways of analysing the script from that perspective. It was a truly great experience. The work Gaby did with me made the character real, and the accent exercises she gave me allowed the accent to sit comfortably within my tummy – it didn’t feel alien anymore, which gave me back the freedom to play with the part and commit to the scenes without worrying what I sounded like. Gaby has the unique gift of being a solid all-rounder.

I have been using Gaby’s Text Analysis System ever since she first gave me the sheets. It’s invaluable to me as an actress, whether I’m going for auditions and need an in-depth but easily accessible way into the character, or whether I’m on the job. I worked on Holby City, and like most TV, it’s a fast-paced show, with very little time to learn the dialogue, never mind spend time committing to an overall arch for your character, and then individual scene objectives. However Gaby’s system allows me to do my job thoroughly in a hectic, ever-changing situation. Increasingly, an actor’s job is becoming more about late scripts, and scenes changing on the day, and we need a way of adapting our creativity to those demands in order to succeed. The Text Analysis System enables me to do that. I do it all the time, whether watching TV or even reading a book: I’m constantly applying the principles. Friends even come for advice on scene analysis now, because after a while, the system becomes engrained and part of your tool belt as an actor. An invaluable source for any actor.’
~ EMMA CATHERWOOD, London & Los Angeles: Holby City (84 episodes as Penny Valentine)

‘Gaby is an amazing accent coach.  Her technique is simple and specific.  As an Australian actress studying acting in London, I started off training with Gaby to improve my American Accent for class work.  She had been highly recommended by various actors I had worked with.  I instantly warmed to her teaching technique and admired her skills as a teacher and actress.  I then continued with Gaby, studying her unique Text Analysis System, which really connects the imagination with the heart.  When leaving London to return to Australia, I was touched to have Gaby’s support in continuing classes via Skype.  We now work on my American Accent and upcoming auditions over the internet, which I find to be just as rewarding as classes face to face.  I would recommend Gaby to all Australian actors, as she has a clear understanding of how to work with the Australian Accent.’
~ CLARE DEA, Melbourne: Neighbours

‘Working with Gaby on Text Analysis for my roles in the BBC’s Waterloo Road and on the feature film The Baseline, I found her to be to be extremely helpful, not only in unearthing what was happening in the scenes, but also some of the options I had as an actor that I could look into exploring with the character. I would recommend Gaby highly, and think it would be impossible to work with her and not gain something from the experience!’
~ SHERAIAH LARCHER, London, Actor Waterloo Road; Actor, Writer & Producer of Award-winning feature The Baseline

‘I recently got an audition that required a Standard American accent, which I hadn’t done a lot of. I went immediately to Gaby, and although she was in the USA herself, she coached me over the phone in London. Not only did Gaby help me achieve a ‘flawless’ American accent, her advice, understanding and insight into the scenes were spot on! I went into the audition full of confidence and came out having ‘nailed it’. I couldn’t recommend Gaby highly enough, and I can’t wait to work with her again!’
~ TORQUIL DEACON, London

‘Gaby is an inspiration to me and she is my first port of call, especially when I am cast as an American. She always works an authentic, centered, resonant accent with me. She works with my strengths, and figures out which way I’ll learn best. She also importantly brings that specific area of America alive; her knowledge on American life and the wide range of dialects always amazes me. She’ll then hone in with fantastic Text Analysis, which enables me to simply and freely bring the story to life. Things just seem so much easier with her technique. My playing of Laura Wingfield in Tennesee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie would not have lived as she did without Gaby’s excellent guidance. With Gaby involved in my process, I know I am going to be confident, connected and alive on stage. I trust her 100%.’
~ JOYIA FITCH, London: Hippy Hippy Shake, Bright Star, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Stage Beauty, The Bill, Midsomer Murders, The Green Wing, Little Britain

‘I print off a copy of Gaby’s Text Analysis sheet and use it for every single audition I do.’
~ MICHELLE MACERLEAN, London, Los Angeles & New York

‘The Olivier Award winning, extraordinarily talented (if you act: beg, steal or slaughter to work with her) GABY SANTINELLI! {jazz hands}.’
~ JAMES KENWARD, London