Kevin Afghani, the current voice of Mario, is setting the record straight about how he started working with Nintendo. He’s also sharing his thoughts on the honor of voicing beloved characters like Mario and Luigi and continuing their history.
Kevin Afghani became the new voice of Mario, Luigi, and Wario in 2023 with the game Super Mario Bros. Wonder on Nintendo Switch. He took over from Charles Martinet, the well-known voice actor who had played the characters for many years. Despite what some people online believe, Afghani recently confirmed he didn’t begin working with Nintendo until 2023 and has never narrated the Nintendo Direct videos.
He told USA Today, ‘Let me clarify: I was never involved with Nintendo Direct presentations.’ There’s a rumor going around online that I hosted or narrated them, but that’s not true. I didn’t work for Nintendo at all before I started voicing Mario.’
Kevin Afghani Has Nothing But Respect For The OG Mario, Charles Martinet
He says landing this role is a dream come true, especially because he’s been a longtime fan. However, he has immense respect for the original voice of Mario, Charles Martinet, whom he still considers the definitive Mario.
Honestly, to me, Charles is Mario. He built something truly iconic and did it with incredible skill. I’m definitely nervous about this – if I weren’t, I wouldn’t be the right person for the job! I’m only the second person to work on Mario, Charles is the original and the best. Everyone has so much respect for him; he’s phenomenal.
Kevin Afghani is returning to voice Mario, Luigi, and Wario in the new Mario Tennis Fever game, which is scheduled to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 in February 2026. You can find more details about the game here.
What are your thoughts on Kevin Afghani voicing Mario? And what are you hoping to see in the next 3D Mario game? Share your opinions on our Discord server! Plus, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates.
Robert DeFelice
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2026-01-16 04:18