Actor Charles Martinet retires from 'Super Mario' voice role

Charles Martinet, the iconic voice of Mario, is stepping back from recording character voices for Nintendo after decades.

[{"selector":"#anim-2c8e6347-98bc-4da7-8f9f-76452900a57a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef9b99f5-19ff-4c5b-a0bb-9125157e5eeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5582e02b-6f7b-4632-86ed-64373cf83d08","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

He's now a "Mario Ambassador," traveling the world to engage with fans on behalf of Nintendo.

[{"selector":"#anim-610eb646-4f55-45d2-9351-64ec4c9d1066 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a22924d-9e37-4d1e-9a0f-87d2377aaa64","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d732c3e4-14af-42b7-9ffd-32e7082fd753","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

He began his Nintendo journey in 1991 and gained fame as Mario in Super Mario 64.

[{"selector":"#anim-5b688712-426f-4e3a-bf02-aea8e9436551","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ab8141f-f271-4fc4-ad0f-abd459fbbfe7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11d700ff-6750-438a-a6bb-1ee554f836ec [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Martinet voiced Mario and other characters in over 150 Nintendo games, leaving his mark on titles like Mario Kart and Super Mario Galaxy.

[{"selector":"#anim-8d5f0267-e9a1-44f2-bb1e-cff455faf083 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f8015233-9155-436d-9e4c-5ff3fc2245b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5086909b-6c05-483d-97f5-e359d5853b8f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

He made a cameo in the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie, where Chris Pratt took over as Mario.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f8269dc-e182-431a-bd9c-f83d5754bed2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6275ab56-88ea-40d3-a368-8c13ece37d9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-798f9cd9-ce9f-45fb-a166-381fa12f3240","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Nintendo expressed gratitude and announced his new role as Mario Ambassador.

[{"selector":"#anim-2cdcd3d2-eca0-4682-837a-193385d95f32 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4661c35f-8c42-47b3-a34f-e35ea37b17be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4f4203d-d5c5-4cf9-aab3-cd65adce10d3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Martinet shared his excitement about this new adventure on Twitter.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7507c37-f160-44db-8fd1-54116e662f79 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea3d4b14-ffdc-43f3-a0c8-a621f64cb93c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68968e07-77a9-46d4-be25-e70ca019d985","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Throughout his iconic portrayal, Martinet ingrained phrases such as "Mamma Mia," "Wahoo," "Let's-a-go," and "It's-a me, Mario" into Nintendo's identity

[{"selector":"#anim-d3ca1381-6fd1-4b9f-ac92-d6775de336bd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1670ff9-0d57-47a3-9587-0c9096ff86af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-362ff5bb-923c-45de-bd4a-5e9cee90c72f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.78249%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The successor for the role of Mario's voice remains undisclosed at this time.

[{"selector":"#anim-c5f90469-4fd2-45c7-9e23-1a60224157ba [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01f850dc-bcf5-4a43-b04f-c4a8242d5f21","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53aff49b-2a32-492b-84d3-d46e5dafd25e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 98.67092%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Check More Such Stories Now!

[{"selector":"#anim-1628a67a-7869-464a-81ee-f4acc74050e1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07221ece-5c85-4d8e-ad22-af3c387106e5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8efae4f7-d0c5-42b5-81f4-9be11a712fb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.65738%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]