Pauline

Pauline (originally known as Lady or the lady and the Beautiful Girl) is the damsel-in-distress in the arcade game Donkey Kong, the installment that marked her debut in both the Donkey Kong and Super Mario franchises, along with Mario and her titular kidnapper (confirmed in later games to be a younger Cranky Kong). She was Mario's first love interest. After a long absence, Pauline reprises her damsel-in-distress role in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. In Super Mario Odyssey, she plays a prominent supporting role, being the mayor of New Donk City, as well as singing the theme song of the game, "Jump Up, Super Star!" She has since appeared as a playable character in various Mario spin-off games, such as Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Golf: Super Rush, Mario Strikers: Battle League, Mario Kart Tour, and Super Mario Party Jamboree. Pauline is named after Polly James, wife of Nintendo of America's warehouse manager, Don James, a fact later confirmed by Don James himself at Nintendo's E3 2018 Treehouse Live event. The name was chosen by Nintendo of America's president, Minoru Arakawa, who mistakenly thought James' wife was actually called "Pauline". Pauline is currently voiced by Kate Higgins, since Super Mario Odyssey. She has been voiced in games prior to this, though her voice actors remain unknown.