ABOUT ERIC THAL

My work as an accent coach developed naturally from my background as an actor and my lifelong focus on speech. I’ve worked with actors preparing for film, television, and theater, as well as professionals in a range of industries, helping them refine their spoken English for clarity, authenticity, and impact.

My own study of speech began early. As a child, I had difficulty pronouncing certain sounds—including my own last name. I was one of only three students in my elementary school required to take speech lessons, and after the first year, I was the only one who had to continue. While others might have found that discouraging, I found it interesting. Speech work became something I enjoyed.

Years later, as a teenager studying acting, a respected theater professional observed my work in class and made a direct recommendation: Eric must work on his speech. She suggested Good Speech for the American Actor by Edith Skinner. That suggestion shaped my future. I studied the book and accompanying cassette, and in the years that followed, I worked with some of the most renowned dialect coaches in film and theater, including Sam Chwat, Timothy Monich, and Lilene Mansell.

Acting led me to deepen my understanding of speech, and speech work, in turn, opened up new possibilities in my acting career. I saw firsthand how even subtle shifts in pronunciation, rhythm, and tone could completely transform a character—and how mastering those details could be the key to unlocking a role.

I didn’t plan on becoming a teacher. But one day, a student placed an ad looking for help with pronunciation, and I answered it. We met in a coffee shop in Greenwich Village. I didn’t think of myself as a coach at the time, but I knew I had the knowledge to help her, and I explained the mechanics of sounds in a way she had never been taught before. As I was leaving, another woman followed me out. She had overheard our lesson and asked if she could study with me as well.

That moment shifted everything. One student led to another. Then another. Eventually, I stopped acting for a time to focus on teaching, working with students from around the world. Years later, I returned to acting with an even deeper understanding of speech and how it shapes communication, character, and presence.

Today, I continue both my work as an actor and as a coach, always refining my approach. I’ve seen how speech training—when done with precision and the right kind of drilling—can create real, lasting change. I’ve seen how actors gain confidence when their speech aligns effortlessly with their roles. I’ve seen professionals move through the world with greater authority when they know they’ll be understood exactly as they intend.

Every student I’ve worked with has brought something unique to the process, and I’ve learned as much from them as they have from me.