Jill McCullough has worked in the film industry for over 30 years, in every part of it—from drama schools including RADA, Central and LAMDA, to her time as Adjunct Professor at Yale University. She has done small-scale theatre all over the United Kingdom and hundreds of plays and musicals in the West End, as well as work for the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company. She has worked on tiny independent films and the biggest film franchises in the world, teaching countless brilliant actors.

Parallel to her work in the arts, Jill also works internationally teaching communication and leadership skills. She has presented her own talk show on BBC1, and her work with leaders in the business world greatly informs her work with actors and vice versa.

Jill started The Dialect Agency to expand the way the profession views dialect coaches. She envisioned a space where coaches could not only grow and develop their craft but also thrive as part of a supportive, collaborative team—something rare in the industry and a key element of the agency’s unique approach. When you hire one of them, you gain the expertise and insights of all of them.

Coaches can be a hugely beneficial asset to any production, using their skills to empower and support actors whatever their needs: whether it be learning a new accent, exploring text, increasing vocal range, running lines, or earwigging.

In the next ten years, Jill would like directors and producers to feel so confident in the range of support they provide that they request a coach for every job.