I was actually surprised when Hugh Laurie was in House - the first write-ups that made me interested in the series didn't mention its actors at all. And at first, yes, I was driven nuts by Hugh's accents, but damn if he doesn't nail House so well. He's so convincingly different that whenever I see him interviewed as himself about the show, I think, Wait, why are they talking to Hugh Laurie? Surely they should be talking to someone from House? :)