John Leguizamo;The Super Mario Bros. Movie(2023).Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty; Nintendo and Universal Studios
John Leguizamohas doubled down on his criticism of the newSuper Mario Bros. Movie, confirming he won’t be among those seeing it.
Speaking withTMZon Wednesday in New York City, the 62-year-old actor answered “Hell no!” when asked whether he’d be seeing the new animated film, which comes just under 30 years since his live-action adaptation,Super Mario Bros., was released.
“No, I will not be watching,” he said, before posing for selfies with fans and speaking to the outlet while doing so. “They could’ve included a Latin character. I was groundbreaking, and then they stopped the groundbreaking.”
The 1993 film — which marked the first-ever U.S. theatrical release of a live-action movie based on a video game — starredBob Hoskinsand Leguizamo as the titular plumbers Mario and Luigi, respectively, with a supporting cast that includedSamantha MathisandDennis Hopper.
The newSuper Mario Bros. Movie’s voice cast featuresChris Prattas Mario,Charlie Dayas Luigi,Anya Taylor-Joyas Princess Peach,Jack Blackas Bowser,Seth Rogenas Donkey Kong andKeegan-Michael Keyas Toad, plusSebastian Maniscalco,Kevin Michael RichardsonandFred Armisenas Cranky Kong.
“They messed up the inclusion. They dis-included,” Leguizamo told TMZ on Wednesday. “Just cast some Latin folk. We’re 20 percent of the population — the largest people-of-color group, and we’re underrepresented. Over-represented in the worst kinda jobs, though.”
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John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins inSuper Mario Bros.(1993).Hollywood Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstoc
Speaking withIndieWirein November 2022, Leguizamo called the new movie’s casting “unfortunate” after his “breakthrough” representation in the 1993 version.
“The directors Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton fought really hard for me to be the lead because I was a Latin man, and [the studio] didn’t want me to be the lead. They fought really hard, and it was such a breakthrough,” theMenuactor said. “For them to go backwards and not cast another [actor of color] kind of sucks.”
He added, “A lot of people love the original. I did Comic-Con in New York and in Baltimore, and everyone’s like, ‘No, no, we love the old one, the original.’ They’renot feeling the new one. I’m not bitter. It’s unfortunate.”
Despite his criticism of the new film, the actor included it in a Wednesdaypost to his Instagram Storythat celebrated “Smb history,” spotlighting his movie and the new one plusThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which aired in the fall of 1989.
John Leguizamo.Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Meanwhile, Rogen, 40, recently spoke withVarietyat Saturday’s premiere of the animated film about how “disappointed” he felt as a kid watching the original live-actionSuper Mario Bros. movie.
“When I was 11, I saw the originalMario Bros.movie and I was so excited,” he recalled. “But it’sone of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed. I think it made me realize that movies, like, could be bad. That never occurred to me until that moment.”
And while the realization “really bummed [him] out,” Rogen added of his new film, “It’s nice to vindicate that moment. It’s nice to know that 11-year-olds out there won’t be disappointed in the same way that I was.”
The zany, darker film featured music fromOscar-nominated composerAlan Silvestriand was alsothe first movie to use Autodesk Flame, a CGI software that has since become an industry standard in digital effects, marking a historical jump from practical effects.
The Super Mario Bros. Movieis in theaters now.
source: people.com
