Charles Martinet : la voix de Mario

Charles Martinet: the voice of Mario

1238 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

For over thirty years, only one voice brought Mario to life: that of Charles Martinet. That "It's-a me, Mario!" delivered with a cheerful Italian accent, it was him. A seasoned theater actor before becoming the most heard voice in video games, Martinet played the plumber from 1991 until his announced retirement in 2023.

Behind the character lies an astonishing journey: a narrow miss at an audition, a softened accent to please children, a handful of other heroes voiced along the way, and a world record to boot. Here is the portrait of the man who lent his voice to Nintendo's hero, before trading the microphone for an ambassadorial role.

Summary

A theater actor before Nintendo

Charles André Martinet was born on September 17, 1955, in San Jose, California, and grew up in Cupertino. As a teenager, he lived in Barcelona and then in Paris, where he graduated from the American School of Paris. Upon returning to the United States, he dropped out of history studies to devote himself to theater.

His training was solid: apprenticeship at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, a stint at Drama Studio London (where he discovered his gift for accents), then a founding member of the San Jose Repertory Theatre. He performed in over 75 stage productions. He would later cite the character of Gremio, in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, as one of the direct inspirations for his Mario voice.

The legendary audition of 1991

In 1991, Martinet received a call from a friend: a trade show was holding an audition where he had to "talk to people while embodying a plumber." He arrived at the last minute, as the casting team was already packing up their equipment. He simply asked: "May I please audition?"

The instruction: an Italian plumber from Brooklyn. Martinet started with a stereotypical Italo-American accent, then deliberately softened it to make it warm and friendly, suitable for children. He improvised non-stop until the recording tape ran out. It was from this improvisation that many of the character's cult interjections would be born.

From "Mario in Real Time" to Super Mario 64

His very first role was not in a game, but at a booth. Thanks to the Mario in Real Time (MIRT) system, developed by SimGraphics, a facial capture device reproduced Martinet's mouth movements live on a 3D Mario head. At trade shows, visitors would thus "converse live" with Mario.

His voice then appeared in games: Mario Teaches Typing (CD version, 1994), then Mario's Game Gallery (1995). But it was Super Mario 64 (1996) that definitively etched this voice into collective memory, with its "Wahoo!" and "Yahoo!" uttered with every jump.

Much more than Mario: all voiced roles

Martinet was never "just" Mario. With the same throat, he lent his voice to a large part of the Mushroom Kingdom family:

  • Luigi, the shy brother, as well as Wario and Waluigi, the rivals.
  • Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Baby Wario, the miniature versions.
  • Toadsworth (Peach's butler), Metal Mario, Shadow Mario, and Dr. Mario.
  • Several bosses from Super Mario Advance such as Wart, Mouser, Tryclyde, and Clawgrip.

This versatility earned him a Guinness World Record: for the most video game voiceovers for a single character, with over 100 appearances as Mario at the time of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

2023: Retirement and the role of ambassador

On August 21, 2023, Nintendo announced that Charles Martinet would no longer voice Mario and other characters in the franchise. However, he is not leaving the company: he is becoming "Mario Ambassador," a tailor-made role that involves traveling, meeting fans, signing autographs, and performing his voices at events.

His successor at the microphone is Kevin Afghani, who took over Mario and Luigi starting with Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023), Wario in WarioWare: Move It! (2023), Waluigi in Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024), then the babies in Mario Kart World (2025).

A little parting nod: in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), Martinet makes two cameos. He plays Giuseppe, a pizza parlor regular who exclaims "Wahoo!", but also Mario's father, with a voice "he had specifically chosen not to give Mario 32 years earlier."

Summary sheet

Full name Charles André Martinet
Birth September 17, 1955, San Jose (California)
Voice of Mario 1991 – 2023
First role Mario in Real Time (MIRT), Nintendo trade shows
Cult game Super Mario 64 (1996)
Successor Kevin Afghani (from Mario Bros. Wonder, 2023)
New role "Mario Ambassador" since 2023

🍄 Want to extend the adventure? Discover our Mario figurines in the shop.

FAQ

  • Does Charles Martinet still voice Mario?
    No. Since the announcement on August 21, 2023, he no longer lends his voice to Mario or other characters in the franchise. He now holds the role of ambassador ("Mario Ambassador"), dedicated to meeting fans and attending Nintendo events.
  • Who replaced Charles Martinet?
    Actor Kevin Afghani. He took over Mario and Luigi starting with Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023), Wario in WarioWare: Move It! (2023), Waluigi in Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024), then Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in Mario Kart World (2025).
  • What other characters has Charles Martinet voiced?
    Besides Mario, he has voiced Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Wario, Toadsworth, Metal Mario, Shadow Mario, and Dr. Mario, as well as bosses like Wart and Mouser in Super Mario Advance.
  • How did he get the role of Mario?
    In 1991, a friend told him about an audition to embody an Italian plumber from Brooklyn. Arriving at the last minute as the team was packing up, he asked to audition and improvised the voice until the tape ran out. He intentionally softened the accent to make it friendly to children.
  • Does Charles Martinet hold a world record?
    Yes. The Guinness World Records recognized him for the most video game voiceovers for a single character, with over 100 appearances as Mario at the time of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

 

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