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Glasgow TikTok sensation Tyler Collins nails Scottish accents and everyone loves it

Glasgow TikTok sensation Tyler Collins nails Scottish accents and everyone loves it <i>(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)</i>
Glasgow TikTok sensation Tyler Collins nails Scottish accents and everyone loves it (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Talking to Glasgow TikTok sensation Tyler Collins is like having a conversation with 12 different people from all over Scotland, with Richard Ayoade and Darth Vader thrown in for good measure.

The 33-year-old American actor, who is starring in the Tron Theatre panto this Christmas, is a hit on the social media platform, thanks to his eyewateringly funny and accurate Scottish accent videos.

The clips, in which Tyler nails Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Fife, Aberdeen and the Borders accents, have attracted hundreds of thousands of views, which has taken the Ibrox-based, Alaskan-born performer by surprise.

“It’s bonkers,” he laughs.

“I learned Scots when I was studying at drama school in Glasgow, and that helped me get my head around the language.

“And I’ve always been a mimic, so my goal when I got here was to learn how to speak with a Scottish accent so well that I would actually fool Scottish people themselves.”

He grins: “And I landed an Irn Bru commercial - so that felt like a real feather in my cap.”

Glasgow Times: Tyler appeared in an Irn Bru ad.
Glasgow Times: Tyler appeared in an Irn Bru ad.

Tyler appeared in an Irn Bru ad. (Image: Tyler Collins)

Audiences are marvelling at Tyler’s ability to not only get regional differences correct, but to distinguish between the many different accents within each city.

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In one short film, he switches effortlessly from “pure wee Glasgow ned” to middle-class Southside – “I’m going to a wee party at Martin’s” – and perfectly captures the Glaswegian tendency to come up with an entirely new vocabulary.

Glasgow Times: Tyler Collins
Glasgow Times: Tyler Collins

Tyler Collins (Image: Tron Theatre)

“In some parts of the city, most becomes ‘maist’, possible is ‘poassible’ and arms has two syllables – ‘arums’,” he says.

“It’s only living among people that you understand how they speak and an accent comes down to lots of different things, from age and class to personal experience. I think there’s about 12 accents in every city.”

It is all done with affection. Tyler loves his adopted city, which has been his home since he moved to Scotland in 2010.

“I do impressions too, although I usually find out I can do them when I’m just messing about,” he says.

“For example, I was recently talking through a trumpet and discovered I can do a passable Darth Vader.”

He launches into a speech by the Star Wars villain, swiftly followed with a spot-on depiction of comedian and TV presenter Richard Ayoade.

Glasgow Times: Tyler appears in CBeebies show Swashbuckle. Pic: BBC
Glasgow Times: Tyler appears in CBeebies show Swashbuckle. Pic: BBC

Tyler appears in CBeebies show Swashbuckle. Pic: BBC (Image: BBC)

His Scarecrow - he is playing one of Dorothy’s pals in the Tron’s version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz this Christmas - is a straightforward Fifer, however.

“I figured that was the best fit,” he says.

“It’s going really well, it’s great to be working with such an amazing bunch of people. And it’s lovely to be back at the Tron, as that is where I got my first job straight out of uni.”

He adds with a grin: “And I think I got that job because I could do a passable Scottish accent.”

Tyler was born in Anchorage in Alaska and he discovered his talent for mimicry when he was at school.

“I’ve always loved doing voices and accents. I was the kid running round the playground at school pretending to be Mike Myers,” he says.

“I started doing musicals in middle school, and did some community stuff, then auditioned for college.

“I don’t come from a showbiz family. My dad was in an army band, my mum was a teacher and she really encouraged me to do some acting. Stage school was a bit like Hogwarts for the arts, it was a great experience.”

Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:

During his studies at Interlochen Arts Academy in the US, Tyler learned about the then Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He came to Glasgow 12 years ago, and fell in love with the city.

“Glasgow people are brilliant, I love living here,” he says.

“My first job at the Tron was on the play Sea and Land and Sky, and it was a really big thing for me. The care and respect that everyone treats you with in this building is fantastic.”

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With few opportunities for American voices in Scottish theatre, Tyler decided to diversify.

“There are not many American plays done here, and I knew if I was going to get work, I would have to think outside the box,” he says.

“In this industry, you have to create your own work, your own opportunities. So I worked in a bar for five years after I graduated, and every so often did some comedy, or a short film, to keep me happy and sane.

“I think you have to keep an open mind, not turn your nose up at any kind of work.”

Tyler appeared in the Scottish indie feature Where Do We Go From Here?, for which he was nominated for Best Actor at the Sydney Indie Film Festival, and has had roles on hit TV show Outlander, River City and CBeebies show Swashbuckle.

He has also appeared in the CBeebies’ Christmas Shows in 2021 and 2022.

He adds: “It was really cool to be part of Outlander. I had a small role, just one scene, but it was such an exceptionally professional, slick show to see in action.

“It was the same with River City, which is a well-oiled machine. I played a caterer at a wedding that goes awry.”

He pauses. “And that was also my first on-screen kiss, which I had with Gary Lamont,” he grins.

“I know people who would never do kids’ television, but I saw the chance to work with CBeebies as a tremendous opportunity to work with world class artists.”

Appearing in the Christmas shows is good practice for the Tron panto, he laughs.

“Kids know what they like, and are not afraid to tell you what they think,” he says, with a laugh.

“It’s such a buzz to get that immediate reaction when you’re on stage, I can’t wait.

“After the panto, I have a few things in the pipeline, and I’ll definitely be doing some more TikTok stuff.

“I’m on a mission to get some more accents just right. It’s a lot of fun.”

He adds, with a laugh: “My favourite Scottish word is shattered. No word sums up a feeling so perfectly as that.”

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz runs from November 23 until January 8.