With the casting for the new Mario movie having just been revealed, all the attention, naturally, has been on Mario. That’s partially because he’s the star and partially because Charles Martinet is right there, but it’s mostly because the role is being filled by Chris Pratt. I’d rather side-step all that chatter and simp over- sorry, I mean discuss - Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.
First, a brief rundown of Chris Pratt and the issues people have with him. To some, he seems like the perfect casting. He’s funny, wholesome, and is the face of both Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, as well as the leading voice in The Lego Movies. The latter is the most interesting, as it proves he’s fit to step into a voice role.
Unfortunately, Pratt’s star-power has diminished in recent years. Following his divorce from Anna Faris, Pratt joined the Evangelical Hillsong Church, which has ties to conversion therapy. After being publicly criticised by Elliot Page, Pratt stated that he and the church support everyone, “regardless of sexual orientation, race, or gender.” The Church itself has previously noted it “welcomes all people,” but does not support “the gay lifestyle.”
He’s also been seen sporting the Gadsden Flag (don’t tread on me) which is popular on the further right of politics, and opted out of attending a Marvel event in which Joe Biden and Kamala Harris appeared.
Plus, again, Charles Martinet exists. The legendary voice of Mario is due for a cameo in the upcoming flick, but it feels like Pratt has been chosen as a recognisable name to plaster on a billboard rather than for his suitability to the role.
That’s a brief rundown of Chris Pratt. That’s over. That’s done. That’s forgotten. Let’s get to the real business - Anya. Taylor. Joy.
Taylor-Joy is best known as the lead in The Queen’s Gambit, and is a phenomenal pick to be Princess Peach. Casting is good elsewhere too - Jack Black as Bowser, Charlie Day as Luigi - but it feels a little obvious. There’s nothing wrong with obvious, which is why I’ve just argued why Martinet, the obvious choice, should be Mario, but Taylor-Joy feels like a curveball sent right over the Green Monster.
Anya Taylor-Joy is having a bit of a moment right now, similar to Jennifer Lawrence eight or so years ago. That may mean she’s in everything for a while, then fades, then returns as a more selective actress. Right now though, she is firmly in the ‘being in everything’ stage of her career. As well as The Queen’s Gambit, which sadly looks to be one and done, Taylor-Joy has made a name for herself in Split and its sequel Glass, as well as being the best thing - read, only good thing - in The New Mutants.
She’s also graced Peaky Blinders, The Dark Crystal, and the Playmobil movie, though let’s not any of us pretend we’ve seen that last one. Of course, this all started with her breakout role in The Witch, which you are free to call The VVitch if you hate SEO. Aside from Mario, she’s due to appear as the titular Furiosa in the Mad Max prequel, and the compelling Last Night in Soho from Edgar Wright.
Anya Taylor-Joy is incredible in The Queen’s Gambit. Though she lost at the Emmys to Kate Winslet - in a stacked category that also included Elizabeth Olsen and Michaela Coel - she put in one of the performances of the season. Yes, it’s weird that she initially plays a 15-year-old girl who apparently passes for 13 in the show’s reality (Taylor-Joy was 24 at the time), but a few quick time skips get everything nice and believable again. Taylor-Joy is confident and meek, intelligent and clueless, charismatic and awkward all at once as Beth Harmon. There’s not too much Princess Peach in her (Split and New Mutants bring her closer to that), but she’s a rapidly rising star and feels like a huge get for Nintendo.
Seth Rogen, Jack Black, Charlie Day, and, yes, Chris Pratt are all better known, but I can’t imagine anybody at Nintendo was sweating over getting them. You need the budget, sure, but the rest of the cast (let’s throw Fred Armisen and Keegan-Michael Key in there too) all seem like natural choices for a movie like this. Taylor-Joy, who has her pick of any role in Hollywood right now, feels like the most impressive casting, even if many moviegoers will know her as ‘the girl from that chess thing’ - if they even know her at all.
It remains to be seen how well all this translates to a voice role. Playmobil doesn’t count, because the only people on the planet who’ve seen it like to stick crayons up their nose. Still, Taylor-Joy is a fantastic addition to the cast. She is by far the most surprising and interesting pick.
It’s also just… nice. Anya Taylor-Joy is pretty, but she’s not conventionally beautiful. With her long neck and big eyes, she’s spoken before about being told she’s “weird looking” and “not beautiful enough to be in movies.” I know ‘The Beautiful People’ often use false modesty over their looks to earn further praise, but it feels sincere here. I can imagine someone telling Taylor-Joy, pre-Netflix money and Hollywood makeover, that she’s too weird looking to be a superstar. Now she’s Princess Peach. As I said, that’s just kinda nice.
Pratt is terrible casting. We all think that, and those of us who don’t either don’t know or don’t care about his turn for the worse since his divorce. Either way, let’s not go on about it. The rest of the cast is tremendous, but none are as special as Anya Taylor-Joy.