Charles Martinet, the iconic voice actor behind Nintendo’s Super Mario, has confirmed that he is still allowed to perform his iconic voice.
On June 8, popular internet personality and comedian Ricky Berwick claimed that Charles Martinet wasn’t allowed to do the Mario voice. Following a meeting with the iconic voice actor, Berwick stated that: “Charles Martinet wasn’t even allowed to do the voice of Mario or any of his iconic characters’ voices either at the convention I attended over the weekend. It’s a f**king shame.”
The post quickly went viral and has sparked a lot of anger from the gaming community, with many directing their frustration towards Nintendo. “That’s f**ked up. They’re controlling his rights,” wrote one commenter.
“That is so ridiculous and stupid. Nintendo has nothing to gain by not allowing Charles to perform his character voices for fans on video,” replied another. However, Martinet has now responded to the claims that Nintendo has stopped him from doing the Mario voice.
Ex Mario VA is still allowed to do iconic voice
“Oh Ricky. I do the Voice for every Fan I meet. I just don’t improvise non-Mario phrases or dialogue. That’s my choice to be sure. I always maintain the integrity of the character. But come and visit me at any Comic Con or Fan expo and you’ll hear Super Mario for sure! #woohoo”
Martinet first took on the role of Mario in 1991 and worked with Nintendo for over 30 years, voicing the iconic plumber and other characters like Wario, Luigi, Waluigi, and many more. However, the beloved voice actor decided to step down from the role in 2022, handing over the reins to Kevin Afghani, who now takes on the role of Nintendo’s iconic plumber.
While Martinet may not voice Mario in the latest games, Nintendo has given him the role of Mario Ambassador, where he’ll “continue to travel the world sharing the joy of Mario and interacting with you all.”
So, there you have it, if you happen to bump into Charles Martinet, you’ll still be able to hear his iconic “It’s a Me, Mario!”
