Jul 28,2007 04:30 AM
LOS ANGELES- Hugh Laurie is only slightly taken aback when I accuse him of fronting a vast
conspiracy to steal bread from the mouths of Canadian actors.

The Oxford-born House hero is undeniably the vanguard of a new, more subtle "British Invasion"-
usurping the traditional role of imitating Americans that was once our almost exclusive domain.

It is hard not to imagine he and his English ilk secretly sipping tea in the back room of some
underground L.A. pub and laughing in their posh, superior way at all those poor Canadian actors whose
professional livelihood they have now claimed as their own.

Laurie, who was predictably honoured with an O.B.E. for his stellar service to Queen and country, does not even bother to muster a denial.

"Beautifully done, sir," he enthuses, dropping the American act. "You have your own answer. I can only apologize."

Undaunted, I press for an explanation. "I can only assume it's because we're cheap." he shrugs, knowing
full well this won't satisfy. "British actors coming over here.....if it's anything like my experience, what
drew me was an absolutely stunning script. It could have been a Latvian circus piece, or it could have
been in piece of American television-- it didn't really matter in that regard. It was just a stunning piece of writing. you know, it's sort of like sprinkling bread crumbs.. Actors will flock to stunning pieces
of writing. and I suspect that's what's happened with us."

No conspiracy, no secret tea-drinking cabal? "No, no." he laughs dismissively."Although it may happen,
We could form a cricket team or something/"

This isn't getting us anywhere. So I turn to David Nutter, a TV director and producer who has worked
extensively in Canada on American series like X-Files and Smallville, directed new faux-American
Damian Lewis(Life)in Band of Brothers, and is currently passing off300's Lena Heady as American icon Sarah Connor in his own series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

But he appears to have been conscripted too. "I think it's about getting the best product, " he offers noncommittally. "I think that with the advent of shows likeRome, and other HBO shows....they're
getting more notice.....People (in the industry) are able to see, 'Oh, look at this person. Look at that person. Let's try to get them on the show,'"

But then, just as I had about given up hope, one of the writers from House sidled up, took me aside and
conspiratorially confided, "I'm Canadian. In fact, there are four of us writing on the show, one of them
an executive producer."

And I had my answer. As adept as Hugh Laurie may be at aping Americans, it takes a team of Canadians
to put those words in his mouth.

Actors are relatively powerless. Even Laurie admits, it's all in the script. We aren't out of work, just
gone undercover, taking over the industry from within.