Editing Chris Pratt

{{person infobox
|image=[[File:Chris Pratt.jpg|225px]]
|full_name=Christopher Michael Pratt 
|born=June 21, 1979 (age {{age|June 21, 1979}})
|role=Voice actor for [[Mario]] in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]''
}}
{{quote|I think that’s why they wanted me to voice the character of Mario. You can take the kid out of Lake Stevens, but you can’t take Lake Stevens out of the kid. That sensibility has really helped me when I’ve been playing these blue-collar heroes.|Chris Pratt}}

'''{{wp|Chris Pratt|Christopher Michael Pratt}}''' (born June 21, 1979 in Virginia, Minnesota) is an American actor prominently starring in both television and Hollywood films. His most well known roles include {{wp|Peter Quill (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Peter Quill/Star-Lord}} in the {{wp|Marvel Cinematic Universe}}, Owen Grady in the ''{{wp|Jurassic World}}'' trilogy, and {{wp|Andy Dwyer}} in ''{{wp|Parks and Recreation}}'', and he has provided voice acting for {{wp|List of The Lego Movie characters#Emmet Brickowski|Emmet Brickowski}} in ''{{wp|The Lego Movie}}'' and its 2019 {{wp|The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part|sequel}} (co-starring with [[Charlie Day]]), Barley Lightfoot in {{wp|Pixar}}'s 2020 film ''{{wp|Onward (film)|Onward}}'', and {{wp|Garfield}} in the 2024 film ''{{wp|The Garfield Movie}}''. 2014 is often cited as the turning point when Pratt became a leading actor in the American film industry.<ref>[https://ew.com/article/2014/07/11/how-chris-pratt-went-zero-hero/ Chris Pratt: How He Went from Zero to Hero]. ''Entertainment Weekly''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>

==Casting as Mario==
In a Nintendo Direct on September 23, 2021, Pratt was revealed as the voice actor of [[Mario]] in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' co-produced by [[Illumination]]. Mario's usual voice actor at the time, [[Charles Martinet]], was announced in the same Nintendo Direct to make cameo appearances in the film.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9fAtmYdlM&t=2s September 23, 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation]</ref> After the announcement, Pratt stated that voicing Mario had been his childhood wish; in an Instagram video, he relates that he once stole a quarter from a wishing well in order to play a ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' arcade game at a nearby coin-operated laundromat, which he believes had an influence on his wish coming true.<ref>Daily Movies Update (September 24, 2021). [https://youtu.be/hLgl9m3xTSo Chris Pratt on IG "It's-a me, Mario"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>

During a phone interview, Pratt mentions his childhood upbringing, as well as his time as a family man, that brought him to portray the role of Mario, and notices the similarities between him and the character with the "blue-collar American experience".<ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/chris-pratt-channels-wa-upbringing-in-the-super-mario-bros-movie/]</ref>

On October 28, 2022, [[Khary Payton]], who voices the [[Penguin King]], described Chris Pratt’s voice for Mario at the time as a "New York, Italian guy" and similar to the "''{{wp|The Sopranos|Sopranos}}''".<ref>Velasquez, Raul (December 31, 2022) [https://gamerant.com/super-mario-movie-chris-pratt-voice-reaction-khary-payton/ The Super Mario Movie Voice Actor Defended Chris Pratt's 'New York Accent']. ''GameRant''</ref> However, Pratt stated that the accent was rejected by directors during production for sounding too similar to the character Tony Soprano.<ref name="accent">Standford, Alesia (April 8, 2023) [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11952811/Chris-Pratts-Super-Mario-Bros-Movie-accent-rejected-Tony-Soprano-similarities.html Chris Pratt says his first accent was rejected by The Super Mario Bros. Movie filmmakers because it sounded like 'Tony Soprano']. ''Daily Mail'' ''"Chris Pratt said he had some difficulty finding the voice for Mario in The Super Mario Bros Movie, which opened Wednesday ahead of the Easter holiday weekend. The 43-year-old actor, whose casting in the animated adventure has created some controversy, had his first attempt at an accent rejected after it hued too closely to James Gandolfini's accent for Tony Soprano on HBO's iconic crime drama The Sopranos"''</ref>

Following the film's release in 2023, film critics were generally critical of Pratt's performance, the ''Los Angeles Times'' described it as "so unremarkable that it could have been anyone at all" while ''Mashable'' wrote in its review that "whatever voice Pratt is doing isn't Brooklyn, and it isn't anything particularly specific, consistent, or exciting".<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-04-04/super-mario-bros-movie-review-chris-pratt-voice ''Los Angeles Times'' Review: "Wahoo!" isn’t Quite Right for Mildly Amusing, Hectic "Super Mario Bros. Movie"]</ref><ref>[https://mashable.com/article/the-super-mario-bros-movie-review ''Mashable'' 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: What if Mario had Daddy Issues?]</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Super Mario Movie premiere 2023 Chris Pratt.jpg|Pratt at ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''{{'}}s premiere in Los Angeles
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day.jpg|Pratt with co-star [[Charlie Day]] and the [[Super Mario Bros. Plumbing]] van
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{People}}
[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Voice actors]]
[[it:Chris Pratt]]