The name Charles Martinet may not be familiar, but to millions of gamers — and even non-gamers — around the world, his voice is instantly recognizable. Martinet has been providing the voice of Mario since 1996, when the iconic Nintendo plumber first spoke in Super Mario 64.
Charles Martinet revealed his approach for voicing Mario:
“Once I got the role and started recording his voice, I began to do more things with Mario, and I cemented the idea that he’s going to be optimistic, loving, respectful and comedic. Mario has a positive impact on… pic.twitter.com/tTQgkbCQiN
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) February 4, 2026
In a recent interview, Martinet shared how he got the role and how he’s approached playing Mario.
Finding Mario’s Voice
As many gamers already know, the character of Mario made his debut in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. He later got his own game in 1983 and arguably became a household name with Super Mario Bros. in 1985. But Martinet admitted that when he went in to audition for Mario eleven years later, he “had never heard of the character or even Nintendo.”
A screenshot from Super Mario RPG (2023), Nintendo
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Perhaps going in without preconceptions about the character helped. “I didn’t want to do an Italian plumber sounding gruff, mean and nasty or scary to children, like a Mafia member,” Martinet recalled. “I didn’t know whether the audience would have children in it, but I have a principle of comedy of always being kind.”
Now, it would be difficult to imagine Mario gruffly saying “It’s a-me, Mario,” “Wahoo,” or “Let’s-a go!” like a mob boss.
More Than a Plumber
As Martinet spent more time voicing Mario, he helped shape how the character would be perceived. “I cemented the idea that he’s going to be optimistic, loving, respectful and comedic,” Martinet said. “Mario has a positive impact on children, and I think that’s the essence of his character.”
When Mario first arrived on the scene in Donkey Kong, few probably realized what a cultural impact the character would have. But in Martinet’s mind — and now for generations of gamers — Mario has come to represent something special and relatable.
Concept art for Super Nintendo World at Universal’s Epic Universe
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“Mario is a hero, but in a way, we’re all heroes,” Martinet said. “We begin life with such innocence. We have personal battles, difficulties, challenges, and gain new resources as we progress in life. And then you might realize at some point that you’re the hero of your own story.”
A Feeling of Joy
Martinet has a philosophy about his acting. “It’s all suspension of neuron disbelief — projecting that piece of yourself,” he said. “When you’re in the studio with a microphone for an animation or a video game, you pull the energy out of the ground and unleash it to the world and the cosmos.”
Mario and Luigi in the desert kingdom from the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer – YouTube, Nintendo of America
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In addition to Mario, he has provided the voice for many other Nintendo characters. But it seems that playing the plumber has been the highlight of his career. “Meeting Mario fans at conventions has been a wonderful experience for me,” he said. “When they tell me stories of growing up with Mario, and playing the games with their parents, grandparents and now their children, it gives me such a feeling of joy that cannot be described.”
Keen-eared fans may have recognized his voice in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, not as Mario — who was played by Chris Pratt — but as Mario’s dad, Giuseppe. Still, for millions of gamers worldwide, Martinet remains the definitive voice of the heroic plumber.
What’s your favorite Mario memory? Let us know in the comments!
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How much are Jewtendo paying you to shill for them, TPP?
mario has been unoriginal since the 90s.