If you’ve played a Mario game in the last thirty years, you know the sound. That high-pitched, joyful "It's-a me!" isn't just a catchphrase; it’s a childhood memory. But things have changed. Recently, the most famous voice in the world went through a massive transition that left a lot of people scratching their heads.
Honestly, it’s kinda surreal. For decades, one man was the Mushroom Kingdom. Then, suddenly, he wasn't.
So, who is the voice of Mario right now? If you're looking for the short answer: it’s Kevin Afghani. But if you want the full, messy, and surprisingly touching story of how we got here, you have to look at the guy who built the throne and the young actor who just sat down in it.
The Passing of the White Gloves: Kevin Afghani Takes Over
In late 2023, the gaming world felt a collective tremor. Nintendo dropped a bombshell: Charles Martinet, the legendary voice behind Mario since the mid-90s, was stepping back. He wasn't just leaving Mario; he was also vacating the roles of Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi.
Enter Kevin Afghani.
He’s a young voice actor from California who basically won the lottery of the VO world. His first big outing was Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the Nintendo Switch. People were listening with magnifying glasses (if you can do that with your ears). They wanted to know if the magic was gone.
The verdict? He’s good. Really good.
Afghani brings a slightly more energetic, crisp tone to the character. It’s not a 100% carbon copy of Martinet, but it’s close enough that most casual players wouldn't even notice the swap. He’s since voiced the brothers in Mario & Luigi: Brothership and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
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The Legend of Charles Martinet: Why He Left
You can't talk about the voice of Mario without paying respects to Charles Martinet. The guy is a treasure.
He didn't even mean to get the job back in 1991. He crashed an audition, was told to talk like an Italian plumber from Brooklyn, and instead of doing a gravelly "Hey, I'm walkin' here!" voice, he decided to be soft and kind. He thought a gruff voice would be too scary for kids.
He was right.
What happened to Charles?
He didn't just disappear. Nintendo gave him a title that sounds like something out of a fantasy novel: Mario Ambassador.
Basically, he travels the world, meets fans, signs autographs, and does the voices at conventions. He’s the face of the franchise without having to spend ten hours a day in a recording booth yelling "Wahoo!" at the top of his lungs. At 70 years old, who can blame him?
Interestingly, Martinet’s final "new" performance in the Mario universe wasn't even as Mario. In the 2023 The Super Mario Bros. Movie, he played Mario’s dad. He used a deeper, more traditional Italian-American accent—the very voice he rejected back in 1991. It was a poetic full circle.
The Movie Question: Wait, Isn't it Chris Pratt?
This is where people get confused. If you’re asking who is the voice of Mario in the movies, that’s Chris Pratt.
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Hollywood loves "star power." When Illumination and Nintendo teamed up for the big-screen adaptation, they wanted a name that would sell tickets to people who don't even own a console. Pratt’s performance was controversial at first—mostly because he just sounded like, well, Chris Pratt—but the movie made over a billion dollars.
So, we now live in a world with two Marios:
- The Game Mario: Voiced by Kevin Afghani. This is the classic, high-energy, "Whoopee!" version.
- The Movie Mario: Voiced by Chris Pratt. This is a more grounded, conversational version of the character.
It’s a weird split, but it works for different mediums.
A History of Different Voices (It Wasn't Always One Guy)
Before Martinet solidified the role in Super Mario 64, Mario sounded different every time you saw him.
In the 80s, Peter Cullen (the voice of Optimus Prime!) voiced him in the Saturday Supercade cartoons. Then you had Lou Albano in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, who gave us the classic "Do the Mario" dance. Bob Hoskins played him in the live-action 1993 movie with a thick Brooklyn accent.
Basically, the character has always been a bit of a chameleon.
Every Notable Voice of Mario
- Kevin Afghani: Current game voice (2023–Present).
- Charles Martinet: The GOAT (1991–2023).
- Chris Pratt: The Movie voice (2023–Present).
- Walker Boone: The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World cartoons.
- Lou Albano: The Super Mario Bros. Super Show.
- Bob Hoskins: 1993 Live-action film.
Why Kevin Afghani is a Big Deal
Taking over for a legend is terrifying. Ask anyone who had to follow Steve Carell on The Office.
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Afghani was relatively unknown before this. He’d done some work in Genshin Impact (voicing Arnold) and some Nintendo commercials, but this is a different beast. Fans were worried Nintendo might use AI to replicate Martinet’s voice. Thankfully, they didn't.
They chose a human being with real lungs and a real heart.
One thing that’s really cool? In Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Afghani has to do a lot of "gibberish" dialogue. It’s that fake-Italian babbling the brothers do when they're arguing. It requires a lot of improv and personality, and Afghani nailed it. He’s proving that he’s not just an impressionist; he’s an actor.
What’s Next for the Red Plumber?
As we head deeper into 2026, we’re seeing Afghani’s voice everywhere. He’s recently been heard in Mario Kart World on the new Nintendo hardware.
The transition is essentially over.
If you’re a fan, the best thing you can do is support the new era while celebrating the old. Charles Martinet isn't going anywhere; he’s just "ambassading" now. And Kevin Afghani is clearly putting in the work to make sure Mario stays the most joyful character in gaming history.
Next Steps for Mario Fans
- Listen Closely: Boot up Super Mario Bros. Wonder and compare it to Super Mario Odyssey. You’ll notice Afghani’s Mario has a slightly higher pitch in his "Wahoos."
- Watch the Cameos: Go back and watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie and listen for Giuseppe in the punch-out bar. That’s Charles Martinet using the original Mario voice one last time.
- Follow the Actors: Both Martinet and Afghani are active on social media and frequently appear at gaming expos. They are genuinely nice guys who love the character as much as you do.