“Maybe A Little Less GoodFellas” – Super Mario Bros. Movie Stars Chris Pratt and Charlie Day Share How Their Initial Voices Were Not Good Enough for the Movie

Super Mario Bros not only stomps on turtles but also the global box office! Despite the initial poor critic reviews, the Italian plumber duo (voiced by Chris Pratt and Charlie Day) managed to win the hearts of moviegoers all over the world, breaking records and becoming one of the most successful movies of the year in only the first week of its release. 

Being the adaptation of the iconic gaming series, the weight of expectations was terribly high for the movie. As protective fans criticized every aspect of it, especially the cast. Many were concerned about Chris Pratt’s role as the title character, as they expected his American dialect may not be appropriate for the role. 

But the producers and the directors had their faith in the actor’s skills, and eventually, the fans also fell in love with his rendition of Mario. However, in a recent interview with Entertainment, Pratt and his co-actor Charlie Day shared that both of their initial renditions for the characters were rejected. 

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day explain why their first voice was rejected for the audition of Super Mario Bros.

Both of the actors tried a personal rendition of the iconic characters, trying to give a fresh touch to the roles. However, they both got rejected at first. Because they brought too much “Italian mobsters” into the roles. “We tried different things, different voices,” said Charlie Day. “Every now and then they would say, ‘Charlie, maybe a little less Goodfellas in this one’ — I’m like, ‘Alright! I think you’re wrong, but fine!’ — until they landed on something they liked,” he added.

While Day was busy making Luigi a Goodfella, Pratt had taken a similar yet very different path. He tried to imitate James Gandolfini’s iconic Italian mobster role, Tony Soprano, for his Mario voice. “For a minute, I walked in and they were like, ‘That’s a little New Jersey. You’re doing a Tony Soprano thing,'” said Pratt about his experience voice acting for the movie. 

Read More: Nintendo’s Unseen Sketches: Super Mario Bros. Movie Introduces Mario and Luigi’s Family, Thanks to Nintendo’s Unused Designs

Currently, the Super Mario Bros. Movie has successfully crossed $368 million in the opening week, making it the biggest opening for any animated movie, previously held by Frozen 2 with $358 million. With the movie’s performance and the love from the audience, experts believe the movie has the potential to enter the billion-dollar club. 

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