Charles Martinet

"Ah, that Charles Martinet. Nice Italian boy."

- Mario

Charles Martinet (last name pronounced mar-tin-AY), born September 17, 1955 in, , United States of America, is a prominent voice actor of the Mario games. He voices several major characters, including Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Wario, Metal Mario, Toadsworth, and many other characters. Martinet portrayed the male bosses in Super Mario Advance as well. Martinet plays the vast majority of the male characters in the Mario series. The Internet Movie Database attributes over 150 works to Martinet in total. Martinet speaks fluent French, English and Spanish, but, ironically, not much Italian. His first voice over work at Nintendo was voicing the announcers, boxers and the referee in  for the SNES.

Martinet originally was not invited to audition for the role of Mario. He crashed the auditions, and was asked to do an Italian accent. His recordings left so much of an impression that they were the only one sent to Nintendo. A former Shakespearean actor, Martinet has stated that Mario's voice was based on his voice for Gremio, a character from .

Martinet first officially voiced Mario in the Super Mario Bros. pinball machine in 1992, though he was uncredited in the game. The next time he portrayed Mario, and the first time as several other characters, was for Mario in Real Time in 1994, when he had motion sensors hooked to his face, which transposed his facial movements to a computer-generated Mario head on a screen. Martinet watched people passing by the screen through a surveillance camera and talked to them as Mario. This is used rather often by Nintendo when attending trade shows. An altered form of Mario in Real Time appeared in 1995's Mario's Game Gallery (later reissued as Mario's FUNdamentals), which is the first video game to have Mario portrayed by Charles Martinet.

Portrayals (Mario-related media)

 * Super Mario Bros. as Mario
 * Mario in Real Time as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Donkey Kong / Mama Mario / Papa
 * Mario's Game Gallery as Mario
 * Super Mario 64 as Mario
 * Mario Kart 64 as Mario / Luigi (English) / Wario (English) / Thwomps (English) / System Voice
 * Mario Teaches Typing as Mario
 * Mario Teaches Typing 2 as Mario
 * Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium as Mario
 * Mario's FUNdamentals as Mario
 * Mario Party as Mario
 * Super Smash Bros. as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Golf as Mario / Luigi / Baby Mario / Wario / Metal Mario
 * Mario Party 2 as Mario
 * Mario Tennis as Mario / Luigi / Baby Mario / Wario / Waluigi / Announcer
 * Mario Party 3 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Super Mario Advance as Mario / Luigi / Clawgrip / Tryclyde / Mouser / Fryguy / Wart
 * Dr. Mario 64 as Dr. Mario / Wario / Metal Mario / Vampire Wario
 * Mario Kart: Super Circuit as Mario
 * Wario Land 4 as Wario
 * Luigi's Mansion as Luigi / Mario
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee as Mario / Luigi / Dr. Mario
 * Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Mario Sunshine as Mario / Toadsworth / Male Piantas / Pianta prosecutor
 * Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 as Baby Mario / Baby Luigi
 * Mario Party 4 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Nintendo Puzzle Collection as Mario / Dr. Mario / Wario / Metal Mario / Vampire Wario
 * WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! as Wario
 * Wario World as Wario
 * Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Shadow Mario
 * WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! as Wario
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as Mario / Luigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas
 * Mario Party 5 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Golf: Advance Tour as Mario / Luigi / Waluigi / Wario
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong as Mario / Mini Mario
 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as Mario / Doopliss (when impersonating Mario)
 * Mario Pinball Land as Mario
 * WarioWare: Twisted! as Wario
 * Mario Power Tennis as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Party 6 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Super Mario 64 DS as Mario / Luigi / Wario
 * WarioWare: Touched! as Wario
 * Yoshi Touch & Go as Baby Mario
 * Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Superstar Baseball as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Toadsworth / Male Piantas
 * Mario Tennis: Power Tour as Mario / Luigi / Waluigi / Whisker / Sass / Toadsworth
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Robo Mario
 * SSX on Tour as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Princess Peach as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Party 7 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Toadsworth
 * Mario Kart DS as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas
 * Super Mario Strikers as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time as Mario / Luigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi
 * New Super Mario Bros. as Mario / Luigi / Wario
 * Mario Hoops 3-on-3 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis as Mario / Mini Mario
 * Yoshi's Island DS as Baby Mario / Baby Wario
 * WarioWare: Smooth Moves as Wario
 * Wario: Master of Disguise as Wario
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Robo Mario
 * Super Paper Mario as Mario / Luigi / Mr. L
 * Mario Strikers Charged as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Party 8 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas / Big Top
 * Super Mario Galaxy as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Party DS as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Kart Wii as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Male Piantas
 * Mario Super Sluggers as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Toadsworth / Male Piantas
 * Wario Land: Shake It! as Wario
 * WarioWare: Snapped! as Wario
 * Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story as Mario / Luigi
 * WarioWare: D.I.Y. as Wario
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! as Mario / Mini Mario
 * Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Mario Galaxy 2 as Mario / Luigi / Male Piantas
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! as Mario / Mini Mario
 * Mario Sports Mix as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas
 * Super Mario 3D Land as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Fortune Street as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Kart 7 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Metal Mario
 * Mario Party 9 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas
 * Mario Tennis Open as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Metal Mario
 * New Super Mario Bros. 2 as Mario / Luigi
 * New Super Mario Bros. U as Mario / Luigi
 * Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon as Luigi / Mario
 * Game & Wario as Wario
 * Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move as Mario / Mini Mario
 * New Super Luigi U as Luigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Dream Team as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP DX as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Fire Mario / Tanooki Mario / Ice Luigi / Metal Mario / Gold Mario
 * Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Party: Island Tour as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Super Mario 3D World as Mario / Luigi
 * Yoshi's New Island as Baby Mario
 * Mario Golf: World Tour as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Gold Mario
 * Mario Kart 8 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Metal Mario / Tanooki Mario / Male Piantas
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Dr. Mario
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars as Mini Mario / Mario / Mini Luigi
 * Mario Party 10 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Mario Maker as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Cat Mario / Gold Mario / Silver Mario / Builder Mario / Mario Trio
 * Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Male Piantas
 * Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge as Mini Mario / Mini Luigi
 * Paper Mario: Color Splash as Luigi
 * Mario Party: Star Rush as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as Mario
 * Super Mario Run as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Sports Superstars as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Metal Mario
 * Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Metal Mario / Gold Mario / Tanooki Mario / Male Piantas
 * Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Mario Odyssey as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Party: The Top 100 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario Tennis Aces as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * WarioWare Gold as Wario
 * Super Mario Party as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi
 * Luigi's Mansion (Nintendo 3DS) as Luigi / Mario / Gooigi
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as Mario / Luigi / Dr. Mario / Wario / Waluigi
 * Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey as Mario / Luigi
 * New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe as Mario / Luigi
 * Super Mario Maker 2 as Mario / Luigi
 * Mario Kart Tour as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi / Baby Mario / Baby Luigi / Metal Mario / Musician Mario / Gold Mario / Hakama Mario / Santa Mario / Happi Mario / Ice Mario / Penguin Luigi / Classic Mario / Classic Luigi / Bus Driver Waluigi / Hiker Wario
 * Luigi's Mansion 3 as Luigi / Mario / Gooigi
 * Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as Mario / Luigi / Wario / Waluigi

Trivia

 * At the time of his audition, Charles Martinet had never heard of Mario or Nintendo.
 * In Mario Party, Super Smash Bros., Mario Golf, and Mario Party 2, as well as the Japanese version of Mario Kart 64, his surname is misspelled "Martinee", like how it is pronounced.
 * According to an interview in 2009, Charles Martinet told Shigeru Miyamoto that he wanted to voice Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, though Miyamoto told him that Link would remain without a speaking voice. In the final game, his grunts and yells were portrayed by.
 * Charles Martinet's favorite Mario game is Super Mario Maker. He is also a fan of the Mario Kart series, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario 3D World.
 * Martinet has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as providing the "most video game voiceover performances as the same character" (at least 100 as Mario, as of the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate).
 * Prior to doing voicework for the Mario franchise, he voiced the character Arnie the Dinosaur, a parody of Barney the Dinosaur, in the movie Nine Months, with Arnie coincidentally resembling Yoshi, one of Mario's friends.