Charles Andre Martinet[lower-alpha 1] (born September 17, 1955) is an American actor. Martinet created the voices of both Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario video game series, portraying them from 1992 to 2023. He also voiced other characters in the series such as Wario, Waluigi, and the baby equivalents of Mario and Luigi, prior to stepping down as voice actor to become an official brand ambassador for the series.
Charles Andre Martinet[3] was born on September 17, 1955,[4] in San Jose or Cupertino, California[1]:337 to father Jacques René Pierre Martinet.[5] The younger of two children, he has an older brother, John, though he was taller than him despite being the younger sibling, and while his brother was extroverted, Charles was shy and more anxiety-driven than him in his youth. [6]:20:16–20:18[7] His mother's family had been in the country since the Mayflower voyages,[6]:20:26–20:36 while his father grew up in Paris, France,[7] and Martinet's paternal grandfather served in World War I under General Pershing in order to get eligibility for American citizenship; they then came to the US when Martinet was a child. This makes him French-American.[6]:20:37–20:51
Martinet auditioned for and won an apprenticeship at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.[1]:338 After training with the Berkeley Rep for several years, Martinet went to London to attend the Drama Studio London,[1]:338[10] where among other skills, he discovered his talent for accents and dialects.[8] Upon returning to California he joined the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He went on to become a founding member of the San Jose Repertory Theatre for four years.[10]
Career
Martinet earned the job as Mario's voice at Nintendo when one day in 1991, he was on the beach and received a call from a friend who told him that there was going to be an audition at a trade show in which auditioneers "talk to people as a plumber". He went to the audition at the last minute as the casting directors were already putting away their equipment. Charles Martinet walked in and asked, "Can I please read for this?". The directors let him audition and told him, "You're an Italian plumber from Brooklyn". At first Martinet planned to talk like a stereotypical Italian American with a deep, raspy voice. He then thought to himself that it would be too harsh for children to hear, so he made it more soft-hearted and friendly, resulting in what Mario's voice is today. Martinet has also stated that he kept on talking with his Mario voice until the audition tape ran out. He says that Gremio from William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew was an inspiration for his portrayal of Mario.
Working for Nintendo since 1991, Martinet started voicing Mario at video game trade shows in which attendees would walk up to a TV screen displaying a 3-D Mario head that was designed to move around the screen and hold full conversations with them.[9] This system was called Mario in Real-Time or MIRT and was developed by Pasadena based SimGraphics.[9] Martinet could see the attendees by means of a hidden camera setup, and a facial motion capture rig recorded his mouth movements to synchronize Martinet's mouth movement with the on-screen Mario mouth movement. This digital puppetry, with Martinet's comic performance, was a novelty at the time.[11] Martinet also voiced Mario in the 1992 Super Mario Bros.pinball arcade machine.[12]
Martinet's first video game appearance as Mario was in the 1994 CD version of Mario Teaches Typing and formally debuted in the 1995 release of Mario's Game Gallery, where he spoke full dialogue as Mario for extended periods of time to the player.[13][14]
Most were first exposed to Mario's voice in the landmark 1996 game Super Mario 64.[15] During his time working through MIRT, Martinet became acquainted with Mario series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Seeking a professional voice actor for Super Mario 64, Miyamoto had Nintendo contact Martinet to inquire about voicing Mario in the game.[16] An opportunity he was not expecting, Martinet agreed immediately, making the trip from Sausalito to Bad Animals Studio in Seattle to record for the game. Mostly unscripted, Martinet was given examples of what the teams in Japan were looking for by the producers, in addition to improvisation which lead to the creation of many of Mario's catchphrases. During the recording session, it was wondered what Mario would do when the player leaves him alone. In the end, Martinet came up with the idea that Mario would dream of pasta during his sleep.[citation needed] In the final game, Mario says "night nighty. Ahhh spaghetti, ahhh ravioli, ahhh mamma mia" when in his second sleeping position.
Following Super Mario 64, he would go on to additionally voice Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Metal Mario, Shadow Mario, Mini-Mario Toys, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi and Baby Wario in most games wherein these characters speak. He also voiced the enemies Wart, Mouser, Tryclyde, and Clawgrip in Super Mario Advance. His voice work appears in the English and Japanese language versions of the games. With his work as Mario in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Martinet for having performed the same character in one hundred different titles, the most of any video game voice actor.[17]
In February 2021, Martinet said the possibility of reprising his role in the animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie would be a "marvelous thing" and that if he were asked to voice Mario he would "go in and play with great joy and happiness".[18] Despite this, Chris Pratt was cast as Mario instead, and Martinet appeared briefly for cameo voices of Mario's father and a Brooklyn citizen named Giuseppe.
In addition to video game voiceovers, Martinet has worked as a voice actor in commercials, cartoons, and promotions. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show in 2005, Martinet remotely interacted with players from New York in a playable demo of Animal Crossing: Wild World.[20] Martinet did Mario's voice as the announcer for Pac-Man Vs. on the Nintendo GameCube.[21]
Other than the Mario series, Martinet has also done work for the video game Cel Damage as the voice of Fowl Mouth, as well as the primary voice work in several educational game series such as LeapFrog.[22] He also voiced the dragon Paarthurnax in the 2011 video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Orvus in 2009's Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, and narrated the cutscenes and menus for the 2013 video game Runner2[23] and Runner3, appearing as a hidden playable character in the latter. Martinet also narrated for the 2020 Netflix docuseries High Score.[24] Martinet provided the voice of Magenta in the English dub of the 2022 anime film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.[25]
Martinet had stated in 2021 that he wanted to voice Mario for the rest of his life, and also said that he would ask Nintendo to find a successor in the case he would think that he won't be able to do it anymore.[12] On August 21, 2023, Nintendo of America announced on Twitter that Martinet would be retiring from providing voice acting for the Super Mario games but would continue to work with Nintendo as "Mario Ambassador".[26][27]Kevin Afghani subsequently took over the role of Mario and Luigi starting with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, as well as Wario beginning with WarioWare: Move It![28][29] and Waluigi beginning with Super Mario Party Jamboree.[30]
Public appearances
As the former voice of Mario, Martinet has become a well-known personality and has made public appearances at several video game related events where he meets fans for chat, photographs, and autographs. He has made regular appearances at game events such as Electronic Entertainment Expo, Gamescom, and the Eurogamer Expo, and at launch events of games like Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel.[31]
Personal life
In 2013, Martinet was evicted from his home in Sausalito, California following a legal dispute with the family of the recently deceased landlord. Dissatisfied with other homes in his price range, Martinet remained homeless for the next five years, focusing his time on game events.[32]
Martinet, having spent a large portion of his youth in Europe, speaks fluent French and Spanish, as well as some Italian. He resides in the Netherlands with his partner.[32]
Luigi is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Part of Nintendo's Mario franchise, he is a kind-hearted, cowardly Italian plumber, and the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario. Like his brother, Luigi's distinctive characteristics include his large nose and mustache, overalls, green hat, and high-pitched, exaggerated Italian accent.
Mario is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the Mario franchise, a recurring character in the Donkey Kong franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario is an Italian plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom with his younger twin brother, Luigi. Their adventures generally involve rescuing Princess Peach from the villain Bowser while using power-ups that give them different abilities. Mario's distinctive characteristics include his large nose and mustache, overalls, red cap, and high-pitched, exaggerated Italian accent.
Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in Super Mario World (1990) on the SNES as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Throughout the mainline Super Mario series, Yoshi typically serves as Mario's trusted steed. With a gluttonous appetite, Yoshi can gobble enemies with his long tongue, and lay eggs that doubly function as projectiles. Yoshi is the title character of the Yoshi series and a supporting character in the Mario franchise. He has appeared in Mario Party and Mario Kart, as well as many Mario sports games. He also appears as a playable character in the crossover fighting game series Super Smash Bros. Yoshi is a member of the same-named species, which is distinguished for its wide range of colors.
Princess Peach is a character in Nintendo's Mario franchise. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original Super Mario Bros. game as Princess Toadstool. She is the princess regnant and head of state of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in her castle along with Toads. Since her debut, she has appeared in the majority of Mario video games as the main female character and the romantic interest of Mario. She has been voiced by Samantha Kelly since 2007.
Waluigi is a character in the Mario franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main Mario series, often for the sake of causing mischief. He was created by Camelot employee Fumihide Aoki and was voiced from 2000 to 2022 by Charles Martinet, who described Waluigi as someone with a lot of self-pity. Waluigi's design is characterised by his tall stature, thin and lanky frame, and his purple and black outfit with purple hat, which displays an inverted yellow "L".
Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario franchise that was designed as an archnemesis to Mario. Wario first appeared as the main antagonist and final boss in the 1992 Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. His name is a portmanteau of the name Mario and the Japanese word warui, meaning "bad". He is usually portrayed as a greedy treasure hunter who routinely loses the treasure or artifacts he ultimately finds. Since his debut, he has appeared in the majority of Mario video games. Hiroji Kiyotake designed Wario, and Charles Martinet voiced the character from 1993 to 2023.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is a 1992 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It is the sequel to Super Mario Land. In Super Mario Land 2, the player assumes the role of the protagonist Mario, whose main objective is to reclaim his personal island, Mario Land, from the clutches of his greedy rival Wario. The gameplay builds and expands on that of its precursor with innovations carried over from Super Mario World.
Super Mario 64 DS is a 2004 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was a launch game for the DS. Super Mario 64 DS is a remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64, with new graphics, characters, collectibles, a multiplayer mode, and several extra minigames. As with the original, the plot centers on rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser. Unlike the original, Yoshi is the first playable character, with Mario, Luigi, and Wario being unlockable characters in early phases of the game.
Mario & Wario is a 1993 puzzle video game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Super Famicom. Mario & Wario requires the Super Famicom Mouse accessory to play. Despite being a Japanese-only release, the game is entirely in English.
Super Mario is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario franchise. At least one Super Mario game has been released for every major Nintendo video game console. However, there have also been a number of Super Mario video games released on non-Nintendo gaming platforms. There are more than 20 games in the series.
Wario is a video game series, a spin-off of the Mario franchise. It comprises various video games created by Nintendo, starring the character Wario. The series began with Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, the first game to feature Wario as a playable character. The Wario series includes mostly platforming video games and minigame compilations, but also includes other genres.
Toad, known in Japan as Kinopio, is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo's Mario franchise. A prominent red Toad serves as one of Princess Peach's handlers and appears consistently as a supporting character in the franchise.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a 2023 American animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo, and distributed by Universal, it was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel. The ensemble voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen. The film features an origin story for the brothers Mario and Luigi, Italian-American plumbers who are separated after being transported to a fantasy world and become entangled in a battle between the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach, and the Koopas, led by Bowser.
WarioWare: Move It! is a party video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the eleventh installment in the WarioWare series, the second WarioWare game to be released on the Nintendo Switch, after Get It Together (2021), and the first direct sequel in the WarioWare series, being a follow-up to the 2006 Wii game, WarioWare: Smooth Moves. It was released on November 3, 2023.
Kevin Zachary Afghani is an American voice actor. He is best known for being the current voice actor for Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi, beginning with the Nintendo Switch games Super Mario Bros. Wonder, WarioWare: Move It!, and Super Mario Party Jamboree, following Charles Martinet's retirement as the characters' voice role and transition to Mario official brand ambassador. Prior to his current voice roles, Afghani provided voiceover work for Nintendo Switch commercials and Arnold in the English dub of Genshin Impact.
Super Mario Bros. is a 1992 four-player pinball machine developed by Gottlieb and licensed by Nintendo. It was released on April 25, 1992, and a total of 4,200 units was manufactured. Taito handled the machine's Japanese release and showed it off at JAMMA '92. It became one of America's top ten bestselling pinball machines of 1992, receiving a Gold Award from the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA). A second pinball machine in the Super Mario Bros. series was released two months later in June, named Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World.
↑ redmcmxxcii (September 4, 2007). Super Punch-Out!! End Credits. Event occurs at 2m31s. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023– via YouTube. SPECIAL THANKS TO Charles Martinet
↑ "Mario Golf (1999 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
↑ "Shinobi (2002 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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