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Charlie Day Names Alleged Killer Luigi Mangione as His No. 2 "Luigi" in Tokyo Interview

The verified clip shows a kids-movie press stop colliding with a dark internet meme around a real criminal case.

Overview

  • During a Tokyo press interview for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Luigi voice actor Charlie Day joked that his second-favorite "Luigi" is Luigi Mangione.
  • Anya Taylor-Joy covered her face and Keegan-Michael Key laughed as Day delivered the line after first naming himself as number one.
  • The A.V. Club reported it tracked down the full interview to confirm the footage was real and not a prank edit before publishing.
  • Mangione is charged in the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City and was arrested days after the crime.
  • Online communities had already linked Mangione to Nintendo’s Luigi through memes and cosplay, a trend that now puts extra pressure on family-focused brands like Nintendo and Illumination during tightly managed promotions.