The new voice behind Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder has been unveiled as Kevin Afghani, officially confirmed by Nintendo on Friday. Kevin Afghani takes over the roles from Charles Martinet, who had been the iconic voice of Mario for over 25 years.
Kevin Afghani announced his involvement with Super Mario Bros. Wonder on social media, stating, ‘Incredibly proud to have voiced Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Thanks to Nintendo for inviting me into the Flower Kingdom!’ Nintendo subsequently confirmed his role in an email.
Afghani, on his social media and personal website, describes himself as a ‘voice actor and big nerd’ and shares that his passion for animation and video games inspired his journey into voice acting. He expressed that these forms of art create uniquely immersive experiences, whether they are fun, lighthearted, dark, or emotional. Afghani’s previous voice acting credits include work on Genshin Impact (as Arnold) and animated shorts for the YouTube channel Mashed, making him a relatively new but promising addition to the world of video game voice acting.
According to Afghani, he “decided to become a voice actor for a single reason; my absolute love for animation and video games. They are some of the most genuinely exciting forms of art that I have ever seen. Characters that exist only within the context of their media allow this art to transform into a beautifully immersive experience like no other. Whether that experience is fun, bubbly, dark, or moving, this art form is truly amazing and I absolutely had to become a part of it.”
In August, Nintendo announced the transition from Charles Martinet as the iconic voice of Mario, although he continues to collaborate with Nintendo as the ‘Mario Ambassador,’ sharing the joy of Mario with fans worldwide. The change in Mario’s voice was first noticed by fans in trailers for Super Mario Bros. Wonder and WarioWare: Move It! earlier this year.
Charles Martinet had been the distinctive voice of Mario, as well as Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Baby Luigi, and Baby Mario. The torch was passed to actor Chris Pratt for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie, while Kevin Afghani now takes up the mantle for the video game series.
