Charles Martinet, longtime voice of Mario, retires after 27 years

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Charles Martinet, the voice actor behind Nintendo’s video game character Super Mario, is retiring after 27 years. The American voice actor, 67, first appeared in the role of the plucky Italian plumber in the 1996 instalment Super Mario 64, and also provided the voices for Mario’s twin brother Luigi and villain Wario. And enjoy this new adventure!” “You know, there's something kind of beautiful about @CharlesMartinet concluding his time as Mario's voice actor with his final performance literally being the FATHER of Mario,” wrote another, referencing Martinet’s role in the recent animated film adaptation, The Super Mario Bros Movie. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free However, Martinet did play Luigi and Mario’s father Giuseppe in the Universal Pictures movie, which grossed more than $1bn, according to studio estimates.