The game industry is overrun with talented voice actors who help bring characters to life, even if they have limited voice lines. Princess Peach is one example of such a characters, something that particularly shone through in the standalone game, Princess Peach: Showtime. A new Princess Peach and Toad voice actor is on the way, however, after Samantha Kelly was let go by Nintendo after 18 years in the role.
Playing Princess Peach and Toad in a whole host of games across the Nintendo DS, 3DS, Wii, Wii U and Switch since 2007, Kelly has provided some of the biggest voices in the world of Super Mario Bros. According to Kelly, the news that she would be replaced was delivered on the day the Nintendo Switch 2 launched.
The latest recast in the Mushroom Kingdom
On an Instagram post, Kelly wrote, “thank you for so many years of friendship and joy. I’m sad that it’s over, I truly would have wanted to voice Peach and Toad forever. Nintendo let me know yesterday that they decided to recast these roles. I’m grateful that I got to do these voices for so many years. Peach and Toad are such strong and beautiful characters that I pray they live forever no matter who voices them. So much love.”
In August 2023 Nintendo announced that Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario for over 25 years, would be stepping down from his position in favour of moving on to a new Mario Ambassador role. Kevin Afghani picked up the role of Mario and Luigi which began with Super Mario Bros. Wonder and is expected to continue for future related endeavours.
Nintendo is yet to acknowledge Samantha Kelly’s departure or announce who will voice these household names in the future.
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