The HBO Max miniseries “Task” may seem familiar to residents of Delaware County. Indeed, much of the series’ principal shooting was done in Delco and Philadelphia, and the creator, Brad Ingelsby (who also created “Mare of Easttown”), is from the area. A recurring theme among actors and staff from both shows is the difficulty of the “Delco accent.” English actress Kate Winslet even said it’s one of the few accents that’s made her “throw things” over its difficulty. So, what makes it so challenging?

Both the Delco and closely related Philadelphia accents are heavily nuanced and don’t seem as prominently portrayed in media as a New York accent, for instance. Yet, the Philadelphia accent remains one of the most studied because of its unique sound. Additionally, there are slight differences in the accent by area and neighborhood. In an interview in Variety, “Task” dialect coach Susanne Sulby said “…North Philly sounds a little different than Delco or South Philly.” Sulby, who is from Doylestown, also served as a dialect coach for “Silver Linings Playbook,” another piece of media set in Delco, so her experience gives her credibility. In that same interview, Sulby mentioned the idea of Delco pride, saying people “love Delco” and cited actress Emilia Jones as someone who has fallen in love with the area.

So, does love or affection for a place influence your ability to perform an accent? I think there is a degree of merit here, as genuine interest often leads to wanting to “do right” by that place. The “doing right,” in this case, would be studying the Delco accent and its nuances.

In the end, what makes the Delco accent so difficult to master might be the same thing that makes it so beloved: It’s deeply tied to a sense of place and identity. To truly embody it, actors have to understand the people who speak it. That blend of technique and emotional connection is what brings authenticity to stories set in Delco and why audiences continue to be drawn to them.