Charles Andre Martinet (born September 17, 1955) is an American actor and voice actor. He is best known as being the voice of Mario in the Mario series of video games since 1995. He also voices Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and others. He was born in San Jose, California.

Career 
Working for Nintendo since 1994, Martinet started voicing Mario at video game trade shows in which attendees would walk up to a TV screen displaying a 3-D Mario head that moved around the screen and talked. This system was called "Mario in Real-Time" or "MIRT". Martinet could see the attendees by means of a hidden camera setup, and a facial motion capture rig recorded his mouth movements in order to synchronize Martinet's mouth movement with the on-screen Mario mouth movement. This digital puppetry, with Martinet's comic performance, was a novelty at the time.

Martinet was told by his friend that there was going to be an audition at a trade show in which you "talk to people as a plumber". He went to the audition at the last minute as the casting directors were already putting away their equipment. Charles Martinet walked in and asked, "Can I please read for this?". The directors let him audition and told him, "You're an Italian plumber from Brooklyn". At first Martinet planned to talk like a stereotypical Italian American with a deep, raspy voice (which is how Mario sounded in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Worldcartoons). He then thought to himself that it would be too harsh for children to hear, so he made it more soft-hearted and friendly, resulting in what Mario's voice is today. Martinet has also stated that he kept on talking with his Mario voice until the audition tape ran out.[1]

Martinet's video game voice over debut was as Mario in the 1995 Windows release of Interplay's game Mario's FUNdamentals. However, most were first exposed to Mario's voice in the landmark 1996 game Super Mario 64. He has voiced Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, Metal Mario, Shadow Mario, Donkey Kong,[2] MC Ballyhoo, Mini-Mario Toy, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi and Baby Wario in most games wherein these characters speak. He also voiced the enemiesWart, Mouser, Tryclyde, and Clawgrip in Super Mario Advance. His voice work appears in the English and Japanese-language versions of the games, although his work is always in English (regardless of the Italian references whenever he voices Mario and related characters).

Martinet provided voiceover acting for the boxers and the announcer in the Super NES title Super Punch-Out!!. He voiced the character Vigoro in Sega's Dreamcastand Nintendo GameCube role-playing video game, Skies of Arcadia. He did the voice of Homunculus in the Konami PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows game Shadow of Destiny, and provided voices for Reader Rabbit and The ClueFinders games.

In addition to videogame voice overs, Martinet has worked as a voice actor in commercials, cartoons, and promotions. At the E3 trade show in 2005, Charles (as anAnimal Crossing character) could be found roaming the virtual village featured in the playable demo of Animal Crossing: Wild World. Martinet did Mario's voice as the voice announcer for Pac-Man Vs. on the Nintendo GameCube.

Other than the Mario series, Charles has also done work for the video game Cel Damage as the voice of Fowl Mouth, as well as the primary voice work in several educational game series such as LeapFrog.[2] He also voiced the dragon Paarthurnax in the 2011 video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and narrated the cutscenes and menus for the 2013 video game Bit.Trip Presents Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien.[3]

Filmography

Film 
 Brotherhood of Justice (1986) (TV) .... Deputy
 Hard Traveling (1986) .... Dist. Atty. Cobb
 The Dead Pool (1988) .... Police Station Reporter #1
 Mom (1990) .... Mr. Hernandez
 The Last of His Tribe (1992) (TV) .... Assistant Museum Director
 Criminal Hearts (1995) (as Charles Martinez) .... Juan
 Nine Months (1995) .... Arnie
 Death in Granada (1997) .... Gravedigger
 The Game (1997) .... Nicholas' Father
 A Thousand Men and a Baby (1997) (TV) .... Seattle cab driver
 Sheer Passion (1998) .... Lou
 The Californians (2005) .... City Councilman

Television 
 Midnight Caller .... Mark Heller (1 episode, 1989)
 Matlock .... Bo Edmunds (1 episode, 1989)
 Reasonable Doubts .... Bartender (1 episode, 1992)
 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (1993) .... Pilot B
 Fourways Farm (1994) .... US Narrator
 Compromising Situations .... Sal (1 episode, 1995)
 Nash Bridges .... Hermsdorf (1 episode, 1996)
 Air America .... David Dixon (1 episode, 1998)
 ER .... Eddy (1 episode, 2002)
 NYPD Blue .... Court Officer (1 episode, 2003)

Video games 
 Super Punch-Out!! (1994) .... Announcer, Referee, Boxers
 Mario's Game Gallery (earlier released as Mario's FUNdamentals) (1995) .... Mario
 Space Quest 6: The Spinal Frontier (1995) .... Pa Conshohocken/Ray Trace/P'Tooie
 Solar Eclipse (1995) .... Spinner
 Super Mario 64 (1996) .... Mario
 Mario Kart 64 (1997) .... Mario, Luigi (Overseas version), Wario (Overseas version), Donkey Kong
 The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid (1998) .... Sir Alistar Loveless III
 Mario Party (1999) .... Mario, Donkey Kong
 Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman (1999) .... Master Suzuki
 Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance (1999) .... Adm. Holtz
 Super Smash Bros. (1999) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario Golf (1999) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Baby Mario, Donkey Kong
 Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time (1999) .... William Shakespeare/Ludwig van Beethoven
 Dr. Seuss Toddler (1999) .... The Cat in the Hat
 Dr. Seuss Preschool (1999) .... The Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle
 Dr. Seuss Kindergarten (1999) .... The Cat in the Hat
 Slave Zero (1999) .... Old One, Sangonar
 Mario Party 2 (1999). Mario, Donkey Kong
 Mario Tennis (2000) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Donkey Kong
 Skies of Arcadia Legends (2000) .... Vigoro
 Mario Party 3 (2000) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong
 Shadow of Destiny (2001) .... Homunculus
 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (2001) .... 2-1B, AT-AT driver/OOM-9
 Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001) .... Mario, Donkey Kong
 Wario Land 4 (2001) .... Wario
 Super Mario Advance (2001) .... Mario, Luigi, Wart, Clawgrip, Tryclyde, Fryguy, Mouser
 Forever Kingdom (2001) .... Darsul
 Luigi's Mansion (2001) .... Luigi, Mario
 Mad Dash Racing (2001)
 Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) .... Mario, Luigi, Dr. Mario
 Cel Damage (2001) .... Fowl Mouth, Various
 Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2002) .... Mario, Luigi
 Jet Set Radio Future (2002) .... Gouji Rokkaku
 Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (2002) .... Bespin guard 2/Civilian Male/Imperial Officer 2/Rebel Shock Trooper 3 .... Voice
 Super Mario Sunshine (2002) .... Mario, Toadsworth, some Piantas
 Mario Party 4 (2002) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong
 Shinobi (2002) .... Voice
 WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (2003) .... Wario
 Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Shadow Mario
 Gladius (2003) (voice) .... Additional Voices
 WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! (2003) .... Wario
 Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi
 Wario World (2003) .... Wario
 Mario Party 5 (2003) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong
 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003) .... Mario, Luigi
 Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003) .... Mario, Luigi
 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) .... Easterling Soldiers
 Mario Golf: Advance Tour (2004) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004) .... Mario, Mini-Mario Toy
 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004) .... Mario
 Mario Pinball Land (2004) .... Mario
 Mario Power Tennis (2004) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Super Mario 64 DS (2004) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario
 Mario Party 6 (2004) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong
 WarioWare: Touched! (2005) .... Wario
 Yoshi Touch & Go (2005) .... Baby Mario, Baby Luigi
 WarioWare: Twisted! (2005) .... Wario
 Mario Superstar Baseball (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth
 SSX on Tour (2005) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario Kart DS (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi
 Super Mario Strikers (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Party 7 (2005) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, Donkey Kong
 Super Princess Peach (2006) (voice) .... Mario, Luigi
 New Super Mario Bros. (2006) (voice) .... Mario, Luigi
 Yoshi's Island DS (2006) - Baby Mario, Baby Wario
 Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006) .... Mario, Mini-Mario Toy
 WarioWare: Smooth Moves (2007) .... Wario
 Super Paper Mario (2007) .... Mario, Luigi
 Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (2007) (voice)
 Mario Strikers Charged (2007) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Wario: Master of Disguise (2007) .... Wario
 Mario Party 8 (2007) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, MC Ballyhoo
 World in Conflict (2007) (voice)
 Super Mario Galaxy (2007) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007, 2008) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Party DS (2007) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2008) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Kart Wii (2008) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi
 Mario Super Sluggers (2008) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Toadsworth
 Wario Land: Shake It! (2008) .... Wario
 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again (2009) .... Mario, Mini-Mario Toy
 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (2009) .... Orvus
 New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) .... Mario, Luigi
 Resonance of Fate (2010) .... Lagerfeld
 WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase (2010) .... Wario
 Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) .... Mario, Luigi
 Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) .... Cranky Kong
 Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem (2010) .... Mario, Mini-Mario Toy
 Mario Sports Mix (2011) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Super Mario 3D Land (2011) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011, 2012) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Kart 7 (2011) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Metal Mario
 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) .... Paarthurnax
 Mario Party 9 (2012) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Tennis Open (2012) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Metal Mario
 New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012) .... Mario, Luigi
 New Super Mario Bros. U (2012) .... Mario, Luigi
 Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013) .... Luigi, Mario
 Game & Wario (2013) .... Wario
 Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (2013) .... Narrator (himself)
 Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013) .... Mario
 Super Mario 3D World (2013) .... Mario, Luigi
 Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Mario Party: Island Tour (2013) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi
 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) .... Cranky Kong
 Mario Kart 8 (2014) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Metal Mario
 Mario Golf: World Tour (2014) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Gold Mario
 Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Dr.Mario, Waluigi
 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) .... Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Dr. Mario

References

Other websites
 CharlesMartinet.com
 

Actors from Santa Clara County, California
American voice actors
1955 births
Living people
Nintendo people