Iconic Mario voice actor "didn't know anything about video games" in his audition, so he did what anyone would do and "just made things up about food and started talking"

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After securing the role, Charles Martinet decided that Mario was "going to be optimistic, loving, respectful, and comedic"

Super Mario Odyssey screenshot of Mario and Cappy looking out of the ship window
(Image credit: Nintendo)

There's no doubt that legendary Mario voice actor Charles Martinet helped Nintendo's red-hatted plumber become as iconic and beloved as he is today, but in his original audition, he "didn't know anything about video games," so he opted for a slightly unconventional approach and "made things up about food," instead.

Speaking to GAMINGbible in a new interview, Martinet says that he "started off crashing an audition where I had never heard of the character or even Nintendo." He explains, "I was simply told to start talking, and when you run out of things to say, that's your audition." No pressure, then.

Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

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