Voice actor Samantha Kelly learned her 18-year journey voicing Super Mario's Princess Peach and Toad had concluded unexpectedly - through the Nintendo Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World's credits that excluded her name.

While not a mainstream celebrity, Kelly has lent her vocal talents to these iconic characters across 70+ Nintendo titles since 2007's Mario Strikers Charged, spanning multiple console generations from DS to Switch.

From core Mario titles to spinoffs like Luigi's Mansion and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Kelly has been the definitive voice of these Mushroom Kingdom staples - even headlining last year's Princess Peach: Showtime!

Kelly's contributions extended beyond first-party games, voicing the characters for Ubisoft's Mario + Rabbids series and Sega's Olympic crossover games. Her performances also featured in Lego's interactive Mario toys, Super Nintendo World attractions, and even Nintendo's blockbuster Super Mario Bros. Movie as various Toad characters.

The Mario Kart World credits omission sparked fan speculation, which Kelly confirmed on Instagram: "Thank you for so many years of friendship and joy... Nintendo informed me yesterday they decided to recast these roles." She expressed hope the characters would continue thriving regardless of who voices them.

This situation reflects Nintendo's increasing secrecy surrounding credits information - typically withheld until launch day. Even the actor herself wasn't made aware of the recasting decision until public release.

The mystery extends to Donkey Kong's voice, where 21-year veteran Takashi Nagasako is also missing from credits. Fans note the Japanese Mario movie's DK voice actor Koji Takeda is listed instead, suggesting potential brand alignment across media.

This follows Nintendo's 2022 decision to retire Charles Martinet after three decades voicing Mario and related characters. While appointed "Mario Ambassador," Martinet acknowledged uncertainty about the role's responsibilities.