Charles Martinet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Martinet
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Martinet at GalaxyCon Richmond 2024
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Charles Andre Martinet
September 17, 1955 San Jose, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor Voice actor |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Title | Mario Ambassador |
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Charles Andre Martinet (born September 17, 1955) is an American actor. He is super famous for being the original voice of Mario in the Super Mario video games for over 30 years! He also voiced other popular characters like Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi.
In 2023, Charles Martinet stopped being the main voice actor for Mario and his friends. Now, he has an exciting new role: he's the official "Mario Ambassador" for Nintendo. This means he'll continue to share his love for Mario with fans around the world!
Early Life and Acting Journey
Charles Martinet grew up speaking both French and Spanish fluently. When he was 12, his family moved to Barcelona, Spain, and later to Paris, France. He finished high school in Paris in 1974.
He first went to the University of California, Berkeley to study law. But he soon realized that wasn't for him. A friend suggested he try acting classes to help with his fear of public speaking. He loved it! He joined the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and later studied acting in London. There, he discovered he was really good at doing different accents and voices. After returning to California, he even helped start the San Jose Repertory Theatre.
Becoming the Voice of Mario
Charles Martinet got the job as Mario's voice in a very interesting way. One day in 1991, he got a call about an audition. He rushed to the audition just as the casting directors were packing up. He asked if he could still try out. They told him, "You're an Italian plumber from Brooklyn!"
At first, he thought about using a deep, rough voice. But then he realized that wouldn't be friendly enough for kids. So, he made Mario's voice soft, kind, and cheerful, which is the voice we all know and love today! He kept talking as Mario until the audition tape ran out.
Before video games, Charles Martinet voiced Mario for a special system called "Mario in Real-Time" (MIRT). At trade shows, people could talk to a 3D Mario head on a screen. Charles was hidden, watching them through a camera, and his facial movements made Mario's mouth move. It was like digital puppetry!
His first time voicing Mario in a video game was in Mario Teaches Typing in 1994. Then, he fully debuted in Mario's Game Gallery in 1995. But most people first heard his famous Mario voice in the classic 1996 game, Super Mario 64. He worked closely with Mario's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, to bring Mario to life. Many of Mario's famous phrases were created during these recording sessions!
After Super Mario 64, Charles Martinet went on to voice many other characters in the Mario universe. These include Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, and Baby Luigi. He even voiced some enemies like Wart in Super Mario Advance. He holds a Guinness World Record for voicing the same character (Mario) in over one hundred different video games!
In 2023, Charles Martinet announced he would no longer be the main voice actor for the Super Mario games. He became the "Mario Ambassador" instead. Now, Kevin Afghani voices Mario and Luigi in new games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Other Voice Roles
Besides the Mario games, Charles Martinet has voiced many other characters. He was the voice of the wise dragon Paarthurnax in the popular game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. He also voiced Orvus in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time.
He narrated the Netflix show High Score, which is about video game history. In the 2022 anime movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, he voiced the character Magenta in the English version. He even had a small cameo in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) as Mario and Luigi's father and a character named Giuseppe.
Meeting the Fans
Charles Martinet loves meeting his fans! He often attends big video game events like E3 and Gamescom. At these events, he signs autographs, takes pictures, and chats with people who love the characters he voices. He's known for his friendly personality and for always bringing joy to fans.
Personal Life
Charles Martinet has lived in Europe for a big part of his life. He speaks French and Spanish fluently, and he knows some Italian too. He currently lives in the Netherlands with his partner.
Notable Roles
Here are some of Charles Martinet's most well-known voice roles:
- Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi in the Super Mario series (1991–2023)
- Announcer and Boxers in Super Punch-Out!! (1994)
- Vigoro in Skies of Arcadia (2000)
- Homunculus in Shadow of Memories (2001)
- Paarthurnax in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
- Orvus in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (2009)
- Narrator in Runner2 (2013) and High Score (2020)
- Magenta in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)
- Mario and Luigi's father, Giuseppe in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Images for kids
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Martinet at SacAnime 2014
See also
In Spanish: Charles Martinet para niños
