Samantha Kelly, the longtime voice behind Princess Peach and Toad, is officially stepping away from her iconic roles, not by choice, but by decision from Nintendo. The 57-year-old actress confirmed on Instagram that she\u2019s been recast, ending a run that began in 2007 with Mario Party 8.<\/p>\n
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In her emotional post, Kelly thanked fans for their years of support and expressed disappointment over the decision. \u201cThank you for so many years of friendship and joy. I\u2019m sad that it\u2019s over. I truly would have wanted to voice Peach and Toad forever,\u201d she wrote. \u201cNintendo let me know yesterday that they decided to recast these roles. I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelly has been a steady presence in the Mario universe, voicing Peach across dozens of titles from Mario Kart to Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy. Her portrayal helped define the modern version of Peach, sweet but strong, whimsical but wise.<\/p>\n
The news comes not long after Nintendo also made a major change with another legendary voice. Charles Martinet, who had voiced Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi for over three decades, stepped down in late 2023. Nintendo gave him a new title, \u201cMario Ambassador,\u201d and said he would no longer be voicing characters but would still appear at events and connect with fans.<\/p>\n
Martinet\u2019s departure was announced with a lighthearted video message. \u201cToday is a very big day for Nintendo, the Mushroom Kingdom and for me,\u201d he said. \u201cYou may know me from voicing characters from Nintendo\u2019s games like Super Mario, Luigi, Wario and Waluigi, and today I\u2019m happy to share with all of you that I\u2019m stepping into a brand new role as the Mario Ambassador.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike Martinet, Kelly\u2019s exit wasn\u2019t voluntary, which has sparked conversation among fans. Many are surprised that Nintendo chose to move on from such a well-loved voice, especially since Kelly herself made it clear she wanted to continue.<\/p>\n
Nintendo hasn\u2019t officially announced who will be replacing Kelly in the upcoming titles, but the move is clearly part of a broader shift in how the company handles its characters\u2019 voices. Whether it\u2019s to freshen up the cast or align with future plans, the decision to recast major roles like Peach and Toad is significant.<\/p>\n