Super Mario Bros. Movie: Keegan-Michael Key Reveals How He Maintained Toad’s High-Pitched Voice

While Chris Pratt and Seth Rogen practically use their regular voices for Mario and Donkey Kong in the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie, Keegan-Michael Key developed his own interpretation of Toad’s classic high-pitched voice for the CG-animated film. 

“It was a fun challenge. It just took like, you know, a gallon of Earl Grey tea with some honey and some lemon and some really tight pants. That’s what it [takes] to get up there,” Key told IGN with a laugh during a recent interview.

The actor then revealed his technique for maintaining Toad’s voice. 

“What I had to do is just literally use my imagination and tell myself, all right, I am sucking on a helium balloon and that is how I’m going to impersonate what I thought I would sound like if I was on helium,” he said. “And then that just helped me stay up there and stay up there, and I [kept] reminding myself, ‘Helium helium, helium, helium.’” 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie brings many beloved Mushroom Kingdom characters to life on the big screen. In addition to Key as Toad, the star-studded cast includes Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Rogen as Donkey Kong, Jack Black as Bowser, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek. 

When asked why Toad is the best ride or die, Key said, “I think it’s because he’s been waiting for an adventure like this his entire life, and he had no idea that bumping into Mario was gonna be the adventure that it became. And I think that’s why he also loves the Mushroom Kingdom so much. He has so much civic pride in where he’s from, that what he wants more than anything is to be able to defend his land, or at least show how much he loves his land. And so that’s why he’s like gung ho, ready to go on the adventure.”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie premieres in theaters April 5.

Michaela Zee is a freelance news writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @michaelakzee.