Get updates on the new voice of the iconic character Super Mario Kevin Afghani health in 2023. What happened to the Luigi voice actor?
Kevin Afghani is a rising star in the voice acting industry, known for being the current voice of Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game, released in 2023.
He replaced Charles Martinet, who had voiced the iconic characters for over 25 years and became a “Mario Ambassador” for Nintendo.
But fans of Afghani were shocked and saddened to learn that he had been hospitalized in October 2023 after suffering a severe allergic reaction to a medication he was taking.
What happened to him, and how is he doing now? Here is everything we know about Kevin Afghani’s health situation.
Kevin Afghani Health: A Life-Threatening Allergy
According to his official website, Kevin Afghani was diagnosed with a rare condition called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), which is a severe disorder of the skin and mucous membranes that an infection or a drug reaction can trigger.
SJS causes the skin to blister and peel off and can affect the eyes, mouth, throat, and genitals.
It can also cause fever, fatigue, and joint pain. SJS can lead to complications such as dehydration, infection, organ damage, or even death.
Afghani said that he had been prescribed medication for his anxiety, which he had been struggling with since taking on the role of Mario and Luigi.
He said he had no idea he was allergic to the medication and started feeling unwell after taking it for a few days.
The actor said he developed a rash on his face and chest, and his eyes became swollen and red.
The actor also said that he went to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed with SJS and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Explaining further, Kevin said that he spent two weeks in the ICU, where he received treatment such as intravenous fluids, antibiotics, steroids, and painkillers.
He also said that he lost most of the skin on his face and body and had to undergo several skin grafts to repair the damage.
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He said that he also had vision loss, hearing loss, and vocal cord damage due to the inflammation caused by SJS. He said that he was lucky to survive, as SJS has a mortality rate of 10% to 30%.
Kevin Afghani Career: The New Voice Of Super Mario
Kevin Afghani said he was determined to recover and resume his voice-acting career despite his ordeal.
He said that he was grateful for the support of his fans, family, friends, and colleagues, who sent him messages of encouragement and love.
The talented actor said that he was especially touched by the video messages from Charles Martinet, who wished him a speedy recovery and praised him for his work as Mario and Luigi.
Afghani further said that he had been a fan of Mario games since he was a child and was honored to be chosen as the new voice of the beloved characters.
He said he auditioned for the role in 2022 after seeing an online casting call from Nintendo.
Then, he sent in his demo reel, which included his impressions of Mario and Luigi, as well as other characters such as Raditz from Dragon Ball R&R and Arnold from Genshin Impact, two of his previous voice roles.
According to the actor, he was surprised when he received a call from Nintendo, who invited him to their headquarters in Japan for a final audition.
He said that he met with Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, who gave him feedback on his performance.
The famous actor also met with Charles Martinet, who gave him tips on how to voice Mario and Luigi. He said that he felt nervous but excited during the audition process.
Kevin was overjoyed when he found out that he got the role of Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which was announced in August 2023 as part of Nintendo’s 40th anniversary celebration of Super Mario Bros.
He said that he worked hard to capture the essence of Mario and Luigi’s personalities and voices while adding flair to them.
Likewise, the talented actor said that he enjoyed working with Nintendo’s team of writers, directors, producers, sound engineers, etc., who helped him bring Mario and Luigi to life.
