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Angelina Jolie confuses everyone with 'ay up me duck' East Midland's greeting to Derby actor Jack O'Connell at awards show

Her attempt at an East Midland's accent was met by silence

Heather Saul
Wednesday 19 November 2014 09:11 EST
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Jolie's stab at an East Midlands accent was made as she presented O’Connell with an award at the Hollywood Film Awards
Jolie's stab at an East Midlands accent was made as she presented O’Connell with an award at the Hollywood Film Awards (Getty Images )

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Angelina Jolie left Hollywood confused when she greeted Derby-born actor Jack O’Connell with a friendly "ay up me duck", complete with an East Midlands accent, at a US awards ceremony this week.

Jolie's stab at O'Connell's accent was made as she presented him with an award at the Hollywood Film Awards.

The Oscar-winning actress showered praise on O'Connell, who stars in her upcoming war drama Unbroken, telling the audience: "It's hard to find a young man today with more fight, more fire."

Jolie then introduced him as "the least Hollywood artist I know, straight from Derby, ay up me duck, Jack O'Connell".

The phrase was met with silence from the baffled audience. Meanwhile, those living closer to O’Connell’s home town became quite excited by her reference.

It was then left for the actor to arrive on stage and greet them with “ay up me ducks”, showing Jolie what an East Midlands accent actually sounds like.

Unbroken follows the life of the late Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II. Jolie produced and directed the film and cast O'Connell as the protagonist.

Jolie said Zamperini himself approved of her casting O’Connell to play him before his death in April, saying: "As a director, to have Jack in front of your lens is a gift. He makes every moment honest.”

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