Charles Martinet, born on September 17, 1955, in San Jose, California, is an American actor and voice actor renowned for his iconic contributions to the video game industry.
Best known for voicing Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and their baby counterparts in Nintendo’s Super Mario franchise from 1991 to 2023, Martinet has left an indelible mark on gaming culture.
Of French-American descent, he spent much of his youth in Europe, living in Barcelona and Paris, where he became fluent in French and Spanish, with some proficiency in Italian.
His early aspirations leaned toward international law, but a pivotal shift toward acting, sparked by a friend’s suggestion to overcome his fear of public speaking, led him to a storied career in voice acting.
After stepping down from voice acting in 2023, he transitioned into the role of Mario Ambassador for Nintendo, continuing to engage with fans.
Siblings
Charles has one sibling, an older brother named John.
Despite being the younger of the two, Charles was taller than John during their youth, a detail that stands out in their family dynamic.
While Charles was shy and anxiety-driven as a child, John was notably extroverted, creating a contrast in their personalities.
However, little is publicly known about John, as Charles’s public persona and career have largely overshadowed personal family narratives.
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Career
Martinet’s journey into voice acting began unexpectedly in 1991 when a friend invited him to audition for a role as an “Italian plumber from Brooklyn” at a trade show.
Arriving just as casting directors were packing up, Martinet secured the opportunity to voice Mario using a facial motion capture system called Mario in Real-Time (MIRT).
Concerned that a stereotypical raspy Italian accent would be too harsh for children, he crafted the soft, cheerful voice that became Mario’s signature.
This role debuted in the 1994 CD version of Mario Teaches Typing and solidified in 1995’s Mario’s Game Gallery, with his voice becoming globally recognized in 1996’s Super Mario 64.
Over three decades, Martinet voiced multiple characters across the Super Mario series, including Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and minor roles like Mouser and Wart.
His work extended beyond Nintendo to games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Paarthurnax), Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (Magenta), and various Star Wars titles, showcasing his versatility.
Martinet also made cameo appearances in films like The Dead Pool (1988) and Nine Months (1995) and voiced characters in non-Mario projects, such as Anastasia (1997).
In 2023, he voiced Mario and Luigi’s father and Giuseppe in The Super Mario Bros.
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