---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern…"
description: "\"You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.\" — Katy Mixon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg"
---

#  You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.

![“You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.” quote by Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg)

> “You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.”

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The line jokes that Shakespeare's language and style clash with a Southern accent, highlighting cultural and linguistic incompatibility.

**In simple terms:** Shakespeare doesn't fit a Southern accent.

Key Takeaway

Respect linguistic authenticity in performance.

Themes

culture language performance regional identity humor

Mood

humorous lighthearted

Type

theatrical cultural

When to use this quote

- theatre productions
- regional casting
- language coaching
- comedic writing

Key Concepts

dialect theatrical adaptation cultural stereotypes

Questions to Reflect On

- Can Shakespeare be performed in diverse accents?
- What makes an accent feel authentic in drama?

A Different Perspective

Accent choice can be creatively adapted; not a strict rule.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Southern accent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern-accent/)

## Related quotes

> [You know, so many people say TV makes you stupid. But it had the complete opposite effect on me. It kept me from having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-qualls/you-know-so-many-people-say-tv-makes-you-stupid-but-it-had-the-2/)

[DJ Qualls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-qualls/)

> [I, on the other hand, have a bit of a southern accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/i-on-the-other-hand-have-a-bit-of-a-southern-accent/)

[Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/)

> [You know, so many people say TV makes you stupid. But it had the complete opposite affect on me. It kept me from having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-qualls/you-know-so-many-people-say-tv-makes-you-stupid-but-it-had-the/)

[DJ Qualls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-qualls/)

> [A Southern accent is not a club in my bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/a-southern-accent-is-not-a-club-in-my-bag/)

[John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/)

> [They seem to be charmed by my Southern accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleo-moore/they-seem-to-be-charmed-by-my-southern-accent/)

[Cleo Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleo-moore/)

> [I learned how to get rid of the Southern accent when I was, like, 11 years old and living in New York for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-deloach/i-learned-how-to-get-rid-of-the-southern-accent-when-i-was-like-11/)

[Nikki DeLoach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-deloach/)

> [After 3 months of trying to learn a southern accent, it still comes out Jamaican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meller/after-3-months-of-trying-to-learn-a-southern-accent-it-still-comes/)

Meller

> [In the South we experienced, you know, some black kids who gave us a hard time because - cause 'you talk white.' We didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-scott/in-the-south-we-experienced-you-know-some-black-kids-who-gave-us-a/)

[Stuart Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-scott/)

> [I just developed my act way back in the late '80s. I went to college in Georgia, so I picked up the Southern accent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-the-cable-guy/i-just-developed-my-act-way-back-in-the-late-80s-i-went-to-college-in/)

[Larry the Cable Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-the-cable-guy/)

> [Tell me the truth - do you think I've lost my Southern accent? I feel it comes back to me only when I'm shouting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleo-moore/tell-me-the-truth-do-you-think-i-ve-lost-my-southern-accent-i-feel-it/)

[Cleo Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleo-moore/)

> [That could sound arrogant, I guess, but sometimes I feel like I have a bit of a Zelig thing. I'll blend in wherever. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/that-could-sound-arrogant-i-guess-but-sometimes-i-feel-like-i-have-a/)

[Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/)

> [I knew no one in New York City was going to hire me if I had a southern accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/i-knew-no-one-in-new-york-city-was-going-to-hire-me-if-i-had-a/)

[Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/)

> [Now, I don't know about my peers, but I get nervous - okay, I genuinely freak out - when an actor starts trying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/now-i-don-t-know-about-my-peers-but-i-get-nervous-okay-i-genuinely/)

[Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/)

> [If you talk with a Southern accent, it's perceived as though you are slow. That's not the case. I've met just as many dumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-peavy/if-you-talk-with-a-southern-accent-it-s-perceived-as-though-you-are/)

[Jake Peavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-peavy/)

> [I had a Southern accent but I had broken it so hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lucas/i-had-a-southern-accent-but-i-had-broken-it-so-hard/)

[Josh Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lucas/)

## More by Katy Mixon

> [I'm just not self-deprecating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-m-just-not-self-deprecating/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I'm loving 'We Are Young,' by Fun. Really gets the morning rockin' to a great start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-m-loving-we-are-young-by-fun-really-gets-the-morning-rockin-to-a/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [My whole thing is there is nobody else like you in this whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/my-whole-thing-is-there-is-nobody-else-like-you-in-this-whole-world/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I helped my mom raise so many little sisters. At 11, I was helping get them ready for school, watching over them, putting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-helped-my-mom-raise-so-many-little-sisters-at-11-i-was-helping-get/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [Out here in California, in the Pacific Ocean, the sharks have a bad attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/out-here-in-california-in-the-pacific-ocean-the-sharks-have-a-bad/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [If you're not getting it perfect, life is still going to go around. The world still turns. It's going to be OK. Tomorrow is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/if-you-re-not-getting-it-perfect-life-is-still-going-to-go-around-the/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [Sandy Bullock cast me in my first movie, 'All About Steve,' and I think I weighed 176, so that's just how I rock and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/sandy-bullock-cast-me-in-my-first-movie-all-about-steve-and-i-think-i/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> ['Eastbound &amp; Down' is giving you a rhythm. It's just a whole different vibe with improv. As an actor I just kind of exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/eastbound-down-is-giving-you-a-rhythm-it-s-just-a-whole-different/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I do life fearlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-do-life-fearlessly/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I came from the theater. It takes a team. We need everyone. It's not just No. 1 on the call sheet. I love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-came-from-the-theater-it-takes-a-team-we-need-everyone-it-s-not/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [It's just a whole different vibe with improv. As an actor I just kind of exercise within my environment and adjust depending on where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/it-s-just-a-whole-different-vibe-with-improv-as-an-actor-i-just-kind/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [You have to keep your eyes wide open and your head high and realize that you are going to be OK. I do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/you-have-to-keep-your-eyes-wide-open-and-your-head-high-and-realize/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I went to the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-went-to-the-carnegie-mellon-school-of-drama/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I am such a big fan of letting everyone know how special they are and what they contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-am-such-a-big-fan-of-letting-everyone-know-how-special-they-are-and/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

> [I grew up with six girls and one boy, so my innate instinct of who I am - I'm the third oldest, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/i-grew-up-with-six-girls-and-one-boy-so-my-innate-instinct-of-who-i/)

[Katy Mixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

[Explore all 32 Katy Mixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/)

## More Accent quotes

> [“It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/it-s-not-my-accent-but-my-brevity-makes-me-stylish/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [“Stop it,” Adrian ordered, his strange accent thicker with his vehemence. “I promise, I’m not going to hurt you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/stop-it-adrian-ordered-his-strange-accent-thicker-with-his-vehemence/)

[Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/)

> [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [“If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the north?' 'Lots of planets have a north!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/if-you-are-an-alien-how-come-you-sound-like-you-re-from-the-north/)

[Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/)

> [I'm a Yente and I have a terrible accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-m-a-yente-and-i-have-a-terrible-accent/)

[Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/)

> [My accent gets more pronounced when I've been talking to people from Derry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roma-downey/my-accent-gets-more-pronounced-when-i-ve-been-talking-to-people-from/)

[Roma Downey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roma-downey/)

> [I definitely am from Australia...you can tell by my accent!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-simpson/i-definitely-am-from-australia-you-can-tell-by-my-accent/)

[Cody Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-simpson/)

> [They made me use an accent, which I wasn't thrilled about because a lot of us, obviously, don't have them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/they-made-me-use-an-accent-which-i-wasn-t-thrilled-about-because-a/)

[Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/)

> [Now, I don't know about my peers, but I get nervous - okay, I genuinely freak out - when an actor starts trying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/now-i-don-t-know-about-my-peers-but-i-get-nervous-okay-i-genuinely/)

[Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/)

> [I had people who said I was a brilliant producer but I wouldn't get on the news because I was too northern. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-mcgovern/i-had-people-who-said-i-was-a-brilliant-producer-but-i-wouldn-t-get/)

[Steph McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-mcgovern/)

> [I'm a big fan of the Irish accent. After a couple of drinks, I start to get a bit of an Irish lilt, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-m-a-big-fan-of-the-irish-accent-after-a-couple-of-drinks-i-start-to/)

[Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/)

> [“The accent of one's birthplace persists in the mind and heart as much as in speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rouchefoucauld/the-accent-of-one-s-birthplace-persists-in-the-mind-and-heart-as-much/)

La Rouchefoucauld

> [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/)

[Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/)

> [Hey, I saw this old British movie, all the people spoke so different, you could hardly understand them. But everyone here speaks American as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/hey-i-saw-this-old-british-movie-all-the-people-spoke-so-different/)

[Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/)

> [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/)

[Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/)

Browse all 671 Accent quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Katy Mixon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern-accent-honey/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accent"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern-accent-honey/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/katy-mixon-19827_accent_you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern_1372226.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can't do Shakespeare with a Southern accent, honey.” — Katy Mixon",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Katy Mixon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-mixon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can't do Shakespeare with a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern-accent-honey/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-mixon/you-can-t-do-shakespeare-with-a-southern-accent-honey/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
