Collider Behind the Scenes

Super Mario Galaxy: Luis Guzmán Reveals The Toughest Part of Voice Acting | Set Stories

Luis Guzmán breaks down the craft behind his voice performance in Super Mario Galaxy, revealing how he builds a character from tone to emotion inside the recording booth. In this Collider interview, Guzmán walks through his unique approach to voice acting for animation, from “finding the tone” in early takes to layering emotional depth once the character clicks. He explains how recording often starts with experimentation—comparing it to musicians warming up mid-song—before refining those first lines with intention and clarity. Guzmán also dives into the collaborative process with directors, sharing how notes like “accentuate this word” help shape the final performance. He discusses striking the right balance for a villain like Ward—keeping him menacing without going over the top, while still allowing moments of humor to come through. Plus, he highlights the key differences between voice acting and on-camera work, why vocal care (tea and honey included) is essential, and how imagination fills in the gaps when animation is still in progress. A thoughtful look at animation performance, collaboration, and craft from one of the industry’s most recognizable voices. 0:00 Introduction – Luis Guzmán on Super Mario Galaxy 0:31 Finding the Character’s Voice Tone 1:00 Building Emotion Through Voice Acting 1:50 Collaboration with Directors in the Booth 2:22 Balancing Menace and Humor in Animation 2:46 Shaping “Ward” as a Complex Villain 3:35 Voice Acting vs On-Camera Performance 3:58 Vocal Prep and Recording Routine Our Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/collider/ www.x.com/Collider Our Website https://www.collider.com Video By Michael Zimmermann & Joaquin Rodriguez Carvalho For copyright matters, please contact us at: [email protected] #supermariogalaxy #luisguzman #collider