Chris Pratt
| Chris Pratt | |
|---|---|
| |
| Full name | Christopher Michael Pratt |
| Born | June 21, 1979 (age 44) |
| Super Mario–related role(s) | Voice actor for Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie |
- “I think that’s why they wanted me to voice the character of Mario. You can take the kid out of Lake Stevens, but you can’t take Lake Stevens out of the kid. That sensibility has really helped me when I’ve been playing these blue-collar heroes.”
- —Chris Pratt
Christopher Michael Pratt (born June 21, 1979 in Virginia, Minnesota) is an American actor prominently starring in both television and Hollywood films. His most well known roles include Peter Quill/Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Owen Grady in the Jurassic World trilogy, and Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation, and he has provided voice acting for Emmet Brickowski in The Lego Movie and its 2019 sequel (co-starring with Charlie Day), Barley Lightfoot in Pixar's 2020 film Onward, and Garfield in the 2024 film The Garfield Movie. 2014 is often cited as the turning point when Pratt became a leading actor in the American film industry.[1]
Casting as Mario[edit]
In a Nintendo Direct on September 23, 2021, Pratt was revealed as the voice actor of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie co-produced by Illumination. Mario's usual voice actor at the time, Charles Martinet, was announced in the same Nintendo Direct to make cameo appearances in the film.[2] After the announcement, Pratt stated that voicing Mario had been his childhood wish; in an Instagram video, he relates that he once stole a quarter from a wishing well in order to play a Super Mario arcade game at a nearby coin-operated laundromat, which he believes had an influence on his wish coming true.[3]
During a phone interview, Pratt mentions his childhood upbringing, as well as his time as a family man, that brought him to portray the role of Mario, and notices the similarities between him and the character with the "blue-collar American experience".[4]
On October 28, 2022, Khary Payton, who voices the Penguin King, described Chris Pratt’s voice for Mario at the time as a "New York, Italian guy" and similar to the "Sopranos".[5] However, Pratt stated that the accent was rejected by directors during production for sounding too similar to the character Tony Soprano.[6]
Following the film's release in 2023, film critics were generally critical of Pratt's performance, the Los Angeles Times described it as "so unremarkable that it could have been anyone at all" while Mashable wrote in its review that "whatever voice Pratt is doing isn't Brooklyn, and it isn't anything particularly specific, consistent, or exciting".[7][8]
Gallery[edit]
Pratt at The Super Mario Bros. Movie's premiere in Los Angeles
Pratt with co-star Charlie Day and the Super Mario Bros. Plumbing van
References[edit]
- ^ Chris Pratt: How He Went from Zero to Hero. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ September 23, 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation
- ^ Daily Movies Update (September 24, 2021). Chris Pratt on IG "It's-a me, Mario". YouTube. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Velasquez, Raul (December 31, 2022) The Super Mario Movie Voice Actor Defended Chris Pratt's 'New York Accent'. GameRant
- ^ Standford, Alesia (April 8, 2023) Chris Pratt says his first accent was rejected by The Super Mario Bros. Movie filmmakers because it sounded like 'Tony Soprano'. Daily Mail "Chris Pratt said he had some difficulty finding the voice for Mario in The Super Mario Bros Movie, which opened Wednesday ahead of the Easter holiday weekend. The 43-year-old actor, whose casting in the animated adventure has created some controversy, had his first attempt at an accent rejected after it hued too closely to James Gandolfini's accent for Tony Soprano on HBO's iconic crime drama The Sopranos"
- ^ Los Angeles Times Review: "Wahoo!" isn’t Quite Right for Mildly Amusing, Hectic "Super Mario Bros. Movie"
- ^ Mashable 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: What if Mario had Daddy Issues?
