Charles Martinet, the legendary voice of Mario for nearly three decades, has cleared the air following fan confusion after a recent convention appearance.
Now officially dubbed the ‘Mario Ambassador’ by Nintendo, Martinet is still very much the voice behind the beloved plumber – just with a few personal boundaries in place.
The mix-up began when internet personality Ricky Berwick posted online that Martinet wasn’t “allowed to do the voice of Mario” at Phoenix Fan Fusion 2025. The post quickly sparked outrage and speculation, especially as it followed news that Samantha Kelly, the voice of Princess Peach and Toad, had been replaced on the very day Mario Kart World launched on Switch 2 – without prior notice from Nintendo.
Martinet swiftly responded to clarify that while he does still greet fans with the classic Mario voice – “Wahoo!” and all – he refrains from improvising new dialogue as Mario or any of his former characters like Luigi, Wario, or Waluigi.
“Oh Ricky, I do the voice for every fan I meet,” Martinet posted. “I just don’t improvise non-Mario phrases or dialogue.”
He emphasized that the decision wasn’t imposed by Nintendo but came from his own desire to protect the integrity of the character. “That’s my choice,” he said. “I always maintain the integrity of the character.”
Martinet’s dedication to Mario’s identity aligns with his love for the role and deep respect for the fans. He remains a popular figure at conventions, spreading joy with his iconic voices even after Kevin Afghani took over the official role in games, and Chris Pratt lent his pipes to the Hollywood version of Mario.
In the age of AI-generated voices and rumors spinning out of control, Martinet’s commitment to keeping Mario pure is refreshingly human. Whether it’s Comic Cons or fan expos, the voice behind “Let’s-a go!” still shows up, still smiles, and still sounds like the hero we all grew up with – just with a little more intention and a lot of heart.