More Australians with a stutter are seeking professional help - possibly thanks to the Hollywood film The King’s Speech, according to Speech Pathology Australia.

SPA spokesperson Joanna Wood said since the release of the film, starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, the association had anecdotal evidence of an increase in the number of referrals of people who stutter.

"The association has noticed a rise in referrals of people who stutter, although we are hopeful The King’s Speech will encourage more people to seek treatment for any communication difficulties they might have, as well as stuttering," she said.

The Academy Awards favourite tells the story of King George VI’s work with unorthodox Australian speech pathologist Lionel Logue to overcome his debilitating stutter and lead Great Britain through the Second World War.

Ms Wood said the film had thrust stuttering, a communications disorder that affects at least one percent of Australians, and speech pathology into the limelight.

"And most importantly, provided a positive portrayal of someone living and managing a speech disorder," she said.

"It also brilliantly highlights the frustration felt by many people living with a communication disorder, and the life-long impact an impairment of this nature has on the person and the people around them."

Ms Wood said she hoped the film would encourage more people to visit speech pathologists if they have difficulty communicating.

She said the movie was also expected to generate a greater interest in the number of people considering speech pathology as a career path.

"The portrayal of speech pathology, although in its infancy, in mainstream media is a wonderful way of demonstrating the positive impact, challenges and job-satisfaction a career in speech pathology brings," she said.