After stepping down as the voice of Mario and preparing for his new role as Mario Ambassador, Charles Martinet has a message for fans. With help from creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the longtime voice of Mario took a moment to introduce his new role and gush about how much he loves all the people who have supported him as Mario over the years.
The video starts with a hearty, “It’s a-me, Charles!,” as Martinet effortlessly leaps into the iconic voices of multiple characters. It’s a bittersweet reminder that we’ll no longer hear him as Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. While he won’t be doing those voices in games, his new role will allow him to continue meeting with fans. Martinet calls this a “great, great honor” and says he’s looking forward to seeing folks at events around the world.
Miyamoto follows that intro with some reminiscing about the first time he met Martinet, who has been voicing Mario since Super Mario 64 in 1996. He fondly recalls filming videos with Martinet and how he prioritized putting smiles on faces. Check out the full message from Martinet and Miyamoto below.
Here’s a special video message from Shigeru Miyamoto and Charles Martinet regarding the change of Mario’s voice actor, announced on 8/21. pic.twitter.com/4mOpD2Cx3a
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 7, 2023
Leaping into a new era
During a recent appearance at Galaxy Con Austin, it seemed Martinet knew about as much about his new role as the rest of us. Miyamoto offered additional details, adding that the actor will meet with fans, perform familiar voices at events, sign autographs, and have a blast interacting with everyone. Martinet responded with a loving “Thank you so much, Papa!” emphasizing his unwavering enthusiasm for meeting Mario fans.
“All that I’m here to do is to touch your hearts, to make you smile and to make you laugh, and bring a little bit of that magic of happiness,” Martinet exclaimed. I think it’s safe to say he’s accomplished that mission.
As for what’s next, Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the new era of Mario voices. Miyamoto simply stated that, starting in October with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, “the voices of some Mario characters have become new.” Hopefully, we’ll find out more about who’s stepping into those timeless overalls soon. In the meantime, it sounds like Martinet is going to have plenty of opportunities to remind everyone that it’s still a-him who gave Mario his unforgettable voice.
