Charles Martinet
The joyful, exuberant voice behind gaming's most recognizable plumber, giving Mario his infectious spirit for over three decades.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American actor·Birthday: September 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Charles Martinet didn't just voice a character; he gave a digital icon a soul. Trained as a stage actor, he stumbled into the role in 1991 at a trade show demo, asked simply to voice a cartoonish Italian plumber. His improvisation—a buoyant, warm, "It's-a me, Mario!"—became instant legend. For over 30 years, Martinet was the constant, cheerful heart of the Mario universe, voicing not just the hero but his brother Luigi, rivals Wario and Waluigi, and even their infant selves. He approached each recording session with the energy of a live performance, often physically jumping to hit the high notes of Mario's trademark "yahoo!" His work transcended technical voice acting; he embodied a spirit of pure, uncynical joy that defined the franchise for generations of players. In 2023, he transitioned from the recording booth to the role of Mario Ambassador, becoming the official global emissary for the character he helped make a beloved friend to millions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Charles was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the official voice of Mario in video games from 1991 until 2023, spanning hundreds of titles.
- Voiced multiple core characters in the Mario franchise, including Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi.
- Guinness World Record holder for the longest career as a video game voice actor for the same character.
- Appointed the official 'Mario Ambassador' for Nintendo in 2023.
Did You Know?
He is a trained stage actor and studied at the Drama Studio London.
He initially auditioned for the part of Mario by improvising lines in a booth at a trade show.
He provided the voice of Paarthurnax in the video game 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'.
His catchphrase "It's-a me, Mario!" was a spontaneous creation during his first recording session.
“My job is to bring joy. That's what Mario is all about.”
