Former Luigi actor complains that all Mario movie characters are voiced by white people

Actor John Leguizamo, who played Luigi in Nintendo's 1993 Super Mario adaptation, says he thinks Illumination's upcoming CGI Super Mario Bros. movie is a "step backward" in terms of casting.

In an interview with IndieWire, Leguizamo recalled how the film's then-directors, Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton, "tried very hard to get him in the lead role because he was a Latino."

The actor said the studio didn't initially want him to play the lead role, but the directors' efforts to cast him eventually worked, with Leguizamo calling it a "huge breakthrough" in the industry.

As a result, Leguizamo said he thinks Illumination's decision not to cast another actor of color as the lead in the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie is "regressive" and "kind of bad."

This isn't the first time Leguizamo has expressed his feelings about the cast of the upcoming film. Earlier this year Leguizamo tweeted: "So excited for the Super Mario Bros. reboot! Obviously it's iconic."

"But too bad they're all white! There are no Latinos in the lead roles! The original was groundbreaking for its multi-ethnic cast! Plus, I'm the only one who knows how to make this movie work script-wise!"

In the delayed new film, Mario will be voiced by Chris Pratt, who played Star-Lord in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, while Luigi will be voiced by Charlie Day. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Peach, Jack Black plays Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key plays Toad, and Seth Rogen plays Donkey Kong.

Pratt's casting as Mario was controversial from the start, with many believing the role should have gone to Charles Martinet, Mario's voice actor in the games.