People online have had ambivalent reactions since the announcement of Chris Pratt's involvement in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, especially because Pratt—an American—would be lending his voice to the infamous Italian plumber, Super Mario. The character, based on the Nintendo video game, has been the said company's face for centuries and a part of every Mario fan's childhood. But while the criticism online was understandable by any means, the Guardians of the Galaxy actor has been proving that he is the right choice for the part, with the film's directors – Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic – saying that Pratt helps bring authenticity to Mario. Just recently, while on a sit-down interview with the BBC's The One Show, the actor showcased his Mario impression, with Paris Hilton (no less) saying that both Mario and Luigi are "sliving."
Pratt, along with his The Super Mario Bros. Movie co-star, Charlie Day – who voiced Mario's brother, Luigi – joined Hilton and guest presenters Rylan and Jermaine Jenas to talk about various topics, including the upcoming animated film that will hit theaters on April 5. On his reason for wanting to deviate from Charles Martinet's vocal work as Mario, Pratt told BBC's The One Show: "There are only a handful of things we've ever heard Mario say. The 'wahoo!' A few things like… 'It's-a me! Let's go,' these types of things," Pratt said while adding his own Mario flair. "So we were trying to find a way to put that into the movie, but in a way that would be congruent with a storyline of these working class American guys from Brooklyn."
In Hilton's own words, the forthcoming film adaptation of the classic video game will be "so iconic and so nostalgic," and both Mario and Luigi will be "sliving" their best lives, which is a combination of the words "slaying" and "living" all at the same time. Days after the interview, Pratt tweeted a video of himself preparing for the BBC's The One Show while carrying his own Mario toy.
Super Mario Is a Nintendo Legacy Character
While some criticisms are uncalled-for, we can understand others who only want the best for the film adaptation, especially considering that Mario, since the 1980s, has not only been Nintendo's face and staple for the longest time but a part of many fans' core childhood memory. After his first appearance in Donkey Kong, Mario also got his own eponymous game with his brother Luigi called Super Mario Bros. in 1985, which has spawned various game iterations, including the 1996 Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine in 2002, Super Mario Galaxy in 2017, and the most recent Super Mario Odyssey in 2017. Now, the pint-sized Italian plumber will be getting the movie treatment – and based solely on the trailers released, the feature is looking like a wild, nostalgic ride not only for long-enduring fans of the Nintendo video game but also for the new generation of gamers. What's more, contrary to the game's usual narrative of Mario saving Princess Peach, Luigi will be the damsel in distress this time, showcasing the Princess Peach character in a much stronger and independent light.
Along with Pratt and Day playing the iconic brother duo, Anya Taylor-Joy joins the voice cast as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Jack Black as the monstrous turtle-like Bowser, with a dragon tendency. The rest of the cast includes Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Khary Payton.
You can witness Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the gang "sliving" their best lives when the film hits theaters on April 5. For the time being, check out Pratt's Mario impression below.