Killing Eve : Villanelle’s Best Accents & Multilingual Moments (Ranked)

Killing Eve has not only provided us with TV’s most fashionable assassin, but also a flawlessly multilingual one. Villanelle, played by Emmy Award-Winning Actor Jodie Comer, is a character full of surprises with a flair for extravagance and a certain brilliance which accompanies her job as a professional killer. This has not only made her lovable but also showcased her multilingual skills. 

Much of Villanelle’s character development relies on her skill as an assassin which includes her traveling around the world and infiltrating people’s lives and languages. As a result, she has graced us not only with some killer looks but also some multilingual moments. 

10 American

When she joins Eve and Carolyn to help uncover the workings of Aaron Peel in season 2, Villanelle takes on the character of Billie to try and infiltrate Peel and his sister’s life. She first sports this persona in Peel’s sister AA meeting in season 2 episode 6 “I Hope You Like Missionary!”

Villanelle is so good in this role that she not only convinces the AA members but also Eve (who were listening on the recording device) that she is, in fact, Billie. This was a classic example of how easily Villanelle is able to morph into new characters with just a simple accent change. 

9 Australian 

Before deciding on the American accent for the character of Billie in season 2, Villanelle first ‘ had a go’ at the Australian accent. Villanelle vouched for the undercover character to be a “sunscreen heiress from Sydney.”

While the Australian accent is often confused for the English accent, Comer’s skillfulness allowed for the distinction to be made. Villanelle’s Australian accent was impressive and it would be nice for audiences to hear again should she need to use it again in the future.

8 Mandarin

When Villanelle kidnapped Konstantin’s daughter Irina in the first season, the two compete on how many languages they can speak. Villanelle mentions Spanish and German but also shows the viewers her Mandarin skills for the first time.

Though it is only a few words, it did inform the audience of just how vast her language skills are. Given that she can speak the language, it would be nice to see Villanelle exercise her Mandarin skills in upcoming seasons. 

7 Spanish

While being stationed for work in Spain, audiences got a glimpse of  Villanelle’s excellent Spanish. Not only was she able to pose as a Spanish delivery woman in S3E1’s “Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey” but she also acted as some sort of Spanish music connoisseur in S3E3’s “Meetings Usually Have Biscuits.”

As usual with her kills, Villanelle likes to spark up a conversation with her targets before killing them, which she is able to do in this episode through the use of her knowledge of Spanish.

6 French

Viewers know that for the majority of season 1, Villanelle lived in Paris. Hence, there were many times where she not only spoke French but sported a French accent when speaking English.

French is difficult to speak and master, requiring close and attentive listening when it is spoken. Nevertheless, Villanelle’s French was not only effortless, but Comer is also quite confident in speaking the language, which made it easier for her. 

5 German 

When Villanelle meets Bill (Eve’s now deceased  MI5 partner) in  S1E3’s “Don’t I Know You,” we find out that she is also fluent in  German.  Though Bill knew who she was and was aware of exactly how dangerous and skillful she could be, to the audience, it seemed like Villanelle was just another Berlin resident striking up a conversation with Bill.

She does this so well that the only suspicion she arouses is from Bill. Evidently this didn’t work in Bill’s favor, which showed exactly how skilled and knowledgeable she is when it comes to language. 

4 Italian

One of the first languages we see Villanelle speak is Italian, as she does in the pilot episode. Perfecting Italian was imperative for her in this mission, as she needed to be able to blend in, in order to lure her prey in for the kill.

In true Villanelle style, she does this playfully, again allowing herself to strike up a conversation with her target and his young grandson before she kills him. This was the first time the audience was introduced to Villanelle’s multilingual abilities, alongside her cunning assassin skills. 

3 English 

There have been quite a few instances where Villanelle has had to utilize the traditional English accent. Most notably, it was at her first meeting with Eve in S1E5’s “I Have a Thing About Bathrooms,” where she really showcases her talent for the latter. After she threatens and scares Eve, she turns back around to tell her that her food was “dee-licious” in the most English way possible.

Again, Comer is so good at this accent (given that it is she is from England, after all) that as it was easy to forget that just minutes earlier, she was scaring Eve with a threatening Russian Accent. Not only was the audience shocked, but so was Eve, showing just how good Villanelle is at switching up her accents. 

2 Scottish

Another accent that Villanelle has shown to be quite good at is the Scottish accent. Back in S2E3’s “The Hungry Caterpillar,” Villanelle puts on a Scottish accent to strike up a conversation with a businessman who she later assassinates.

Villanelle’s candor and innocence captured through the accent was so convincing and natural that she is able to do this again in S3E7’s “Beautiful Monster,” when checking into a hotel in rural Scotland. Again, Villanelle convincingly takes on an accent to morph herself into any new character she wants and does so successfully.

1 Russian

Of course, being Russian, Villanelle speaks with a Russian accent. From time to time, she speaks Russian to both her handlers and former work associates. Many have praised Jodie Comer’s Russian accent on Killing Eve and Russian native speakers, themselves, have commented that Comer is so good at this accent that they thought she was a Russian native trying to speak English.

Many have also been quite surprised when they hear Comer’s real “scouse” accent (accent from Liverpool in the U.K.), which shows just how good she is with her Russian accent. 

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