Chris Pratt reveals 'Super Mario Bros' creators didn't like his 'Tony Soprano' accent
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Chris Pratt took a few hiccups before finding the right voice for Mario in 'The Super Mario Bros' which premiered ahead of the Easter holiday weekend. The 43-year-old actor's initial attempt at an accent for the animated adventure was rejected since it resembled James Gandolfini's accent for Tony Soprano on HBO's renowned crime drama, 'The Sopranos', and was deemed unsuitable. Pratt's casting in the film has been a source of controversy. Chris Pratt revealed that he had very little guidance in creating the voice for Mario in The Super Mario Bros Movie for Entertainment Weekly.
'Are they Italian? Are they American? We know a little bit about Charles Martinet's voice that he's sprinkled in there with the "Wahoo!" and "It's-a me!" and these Mario things, but how do you craft a 90-minute narrative with an emotional through-line and create a living, breathing person about whom you'll care?', Pratt said.
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'That's a little New Jersey'
According to Chris, he had some idea of Charles Martinet's voice for Mario and the iconic phrases he says like "Wahoo!" and "It's-a me!", but he was unsure about how to build a complete character with a 90-minute story arc and emotional depth that would make the audience care about him. "For a minute, I walked in and they were like, 'That’s a little New Jersey. You’re doing a Tony Soprano thing,'" he recalled. "[The voice] was a really exciting and daunting challenge. Talking to these guys, they say, 'You wanna do the Mario movie?' I think both [Charlie Day and I] said yes. Didn’t even ask, 'What’s the deal? What’s the story?' ‘Yes, I’m in.’ And then we had to really dig in and figure out...are they Italian? Are they American?"
What is 'Super Mario Bros' about?
As enthusiasts of the game know, 'Super Mario Bros' revolves around the journey of two Italian plumbers who embark on an adventure to rescue their beloved Princess Peach from the fire-breathing villain, King Koopa or Bowser. However, the movie may portray scenes beyond Bowser's lair and Princess Peach's palace, exploring a wider world.
'The Super Mario Bros', directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic who previously worked on 'Teen Titans Go!' and 'Teen Titans Go! To the Movies', features a star-studded cast. The screenplay was written by Matthew Fogel who also wrote for 'The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part' and 'Minions: The Rise of Gru'. The movie stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.