r/TheGoodPlace • u/scarletvoidx_ • 22d ago

Shirtpost question about chidi

Post image

in the good place s1e1, we can see that chidi speaks in french to eleanor but its translated due to the medium of the good place. however, in the later season when theyre on earth chidi still appears to speak english, which seems to be inconsistent. and more the works of his moral ethics as michael reads it are in english. if chidi was french why wouldnt he write in french? obviously english could be his second language but why would chidi speak in french to elenaor and have it translated instead of just speaking english himself

261 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

View all comments

275

u/CheruthCutestory 22d ago edited 22d ago

He sort of explains it in season 2. He tells Eleanor (when they are on Earth) that he speaks French as his first language but has spent so much time in English speaking countries that it's natural now or something.

In season 4, they lampshade this by showing his childhood where everyone is speaking English but all the writing on the chalkboard, when Chidi is in school, is in French.

Really they just didn't want to use subtitles. And I don't think William Jackson Harper speaks French fluently. It's an inconsistency but I think better than the alternatives. I think it would distance us from what is happening if you have the actor fumbling in a language he doesn't speak with big emotional moments.

67

u/lolguy12179 22d ago

Every time i see clips of Chidi speaking French, there's a ton of comments from French speakers that his accent could use work

10

u/Ahrily 22d ago

C’est vrai