30 years after the rather dreadful live-action Super Mario Bros movie, Nintendo and Illumination have produced an animated movie that closely resembles the iconic video game franchise that has sold over 826 million copies worldwide. When it comes to the new Super Mario Bros Movie, no expense has been spared as a who’s who of Hollywood stars have been cast to voice the characters. And speaking of the characters, all of the legendary figures make an appearance, including Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong.
The Super Mario Bros Movie is packed full of Easter Eggs and nods to the gaming franchise, so if you have played any of the titles, you will recognize many of the tributes that have been added to the movie. When you watch the movie, you will hear many voices that you instantly recognize but might not know where you know them from. Here is the Super Mario Bros Movie cast and what they look like in real life.
Mario – Chris Pratt
Many people wanted and expected Charles Martinet to take on the role of Mario in the Super Mario Bros Movie, but Chris Pratt was cast instead, much to the disappointment of many. Pratt is one of the most successful Hollywood actors today, so it would make sense that Nintendo would look to snap up a huge name for the movie, but he isn’t an experienced voice actor, with just a few voice acting credits to his name. One of the biggest issues with Pratt as a voice actor is he sounds like himself dubbing over a character; it is hard to become immersed because it can be jarring at times. Outside of voicing Mario, Chris Pratt is best known for his role as Star-Lord in the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy series of movies.
Luigi – Charlie Day
Charlie Day voices Mario’s younger brother Luigi, which is a much better fit, with him being very believable in the role. Alongside Pratt, Day voiced Benny in The Lego Movie and was featured in movies such as Pacific Rim. But, his defining and most well-known role is as Charles Kelly in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a show that he also co-created, produced, and wrote for.
Princess Peach – Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy is widely known for her role as Gina Gray in Peaky Blinders and her starring role in The Queen’s Gambit, which became Netflix’s most-watched scripted miniseries in 2020. The Super Mario Bros Movie is her largest role to date, and with her winning numerous ‘Rising Star’ and ‘Breakthrough’ awards, along with being an ambassador for brands such as Tiffany & Co, the young actor has very bright future ahead of her.
Bowser – Jack Black
When it was announced that Jack Black was set to portray Bowser in the Super Mario Bros Movie, fans were notably excited as the actor is know give everything he has to the role to make it the best it can be. Black really needs no introduction either; he has conquered both the movie and music industries. His band Tenacious D cemented him as a comedy icon, and he has starred in many major movies, including Shallow Hal, Ice Age, School of Rock, King Kong, Kung Fu Panda, and Jumanji.
Giuseppe – Charles Martinet
It was very surprising to hear that Martinet would not be taking on the role of Mario for the blockbuster movie, especially considering he has voiced the iconic plumber since Mario Teaches Typing in 1994. Although it isn’t the starring role, Martinet does appear in the movie as Giuseppe, who looks a lot like Jump Man from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, with the character eventually morphing into Mario. So in a way, Martinet is voicing Mario in the Super Mario Bros Movie, just not the version of the character he’s known for.
Toad – Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key is one of the more accomplished voice actors in the Super Mario Bros Movie. Before taking on the role of Toad, Key starred in many animated movies, including The Lego Movie, the Hotel Transylvania series, Toy Story 4, and Pinocchio. In addition to his movie career, Key has appeared on many popular TV shows, including The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation, Key & Peele, Rick and Morty, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Donkey Kong – Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen is one of the top Hollywood comedians with a strong history of voice acting, so it is no surprise that he is starring in the Super Mario Bros Movie. Some of his voice acting credits include movies such as Shrek the Third, The Lion King remake, and Kung Fu Panda. Outside of voice acting, Rogen has appeared in movies such as Donnie Darko and Steve Jobs, as well as produced and written films including Superbad and The Green Hornet; he is a very busy man and very accomplished in the entertainment industry.
Kamek – Kevin Michael Richardson
Although most of his live-action roles have been minor characters, the amount of voice acting credits in major productions that Kevin Michael Richardson has is astonishing. We can only begin to scratch the surface when it comes to detailing them. He has voiced numerous characters in various Star Wars animated TV shows and video games, including Jabba The Hutt and Mace Windu. He has appeared in other franchises, including Mortal Kombat, Rugrats, Transformers, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Scooby Doo. His acting credits are so vast that it would be astounding if you hadn’t heard his voice before.
Penguin King – Khary Payton
Like Kevin Michael Richardson, Khary Payton has an extensive list of voice acting credits in TV shows, movies, and video games. Some notable franchises include Teen Titans, Scooby Doo, and Ben 10. But, on-screen, he is probably most recognizable from The Walking Dead, where he portrayed King Ezekiel, the leader of The Kingdom from Seasons 7-11.Star-Lord
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