Universal and Nintendo have a massive hit on their hands with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but now part of the press tour is being overshadowed by a grotesque viral stunt that never should have happened in the first place. During a recent interview, Mario Galaxy star Charlie Day, who plays Luigi in the film was asked a loaded question that was clearly designed to bait him into referencing Luigi Mangione, the man accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
But instead of shutting it down, Day played along.
That alone is bad enough. But the bigger disgrace may be the interviewer who set the whole thing up.
A Disgusting Setup From the Start
The exchange wasn’t subtle, accidental, or some innocent bit of wordplay that accidentally wandered into dark territory. It was a deliberate attempt to force a cast member from a family-friendly Nintendo movie into making a joke-adjacent reference to one of the most infamous criminal cases in the country.
this is sending me so bad😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/99YTiMoSie
— ً (@bloodanya) April 1, 2026
The interviewer asked Day, “I have a question for you Charlie — you play Luigi, a great Italian guy. Who’s your favorite Luigi in recent American history?”
Come on. Everybody in that room knew exactly where that was going. Co-Star Keegan Michael Key even starts loudly laughing to the point where it was almost a scream.
This wasn’t a question about Nintendo or the film. It wasn’t even a question about Charlie Day’s performance as Luigi. It was a trap built for virality, outrage, and social media clipping. A cheap little ambush dressed up as banter.
And somehow that was allowed to become part of a major studio press junket.
Charlie Day Should Have Known Better
Day’s reply made the moment worse.
He responded, “In recent American history?! Ah, well, me first of all, number one … Luigi Mangione, number two.”
That answer is now everywhere, for obvious reasons.
Screenshot from the Luigi’s Mansion 3 Nintendo Switch Trailer – Nintendo of America
Let’s be clear: the interviewer deserves heavy criticism for setting up the moment, but Charlie Day is not helpless here. He could have declined. He could have laughed it off. He could have said Luigi from the games. He could have moved on. He had a dozen exits.
Instead, he took the one path guaranteed to turn a press stop for a Nintendo blockbuster into a sick little online controversy.
That is not clever, nor is it edgy. It’s not harmless fun, It’s reckless, and it hands critics of the movie’s marketing exactly the kind of distraction Nintendo and Universal almost certainly don’t want.
This is Not a Meme, It’s a Murder Case
What makes this so tasteless is that the internet has spent months turning Mangione into a meme. That alone has already been ugly enough. But when that kind of online poison spills into a studio interview for a movie built around one of the most recognizable family brands on Earth, it crosses a line.
Mangione is not some fictional punchline. He is the defendant in a high-profile criminal case tied to the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He has pleaded not guilty, and his state and federal trials are currently scheduled for later this year.
Mario and Luigi in the desert kingdom from the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer – YouTube, Nintendo of America
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That is real life. Real death. Real consequences. Real family members left behind.
Yet this interviewer decided that the best use of Charlie Day’s time was to steer him into referencing that case because, what, the names match? Because it would get clipped and shared? Because some corner of the internet thinks it’s funny?
That’s rotten.
The Interviewer Got Exactly What He Wanted
The ugliest part of this may be what happened next.
The people conducting the interview made clear that this was the answer they wanted all along. In other words, this was not an awkward misunderstanding. It was the goal.
He literally says, “That’s what he wanted, thank you.”
(from left) Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
This is nothing more than clout chasing with a corpse in the background. And once you see it that way, the whole thing becomes even more embarrassing for everyone involved.
Press junkets are already carefully managed environments. So how does a question like this make it through? Who thought it was a good idea to let a family film’s promotional cycle get dragged into the orbit of a murder case for a few seconds of viral attention?
Because that’s what happened here. Someone wanted a headline more than they respected the property, the cast, or the basic decency owed to a real-life tragedy.
This is Not What Nintendo or Universal Should Want Near This Movie
Nintendo has spent years guarding its characters and brand image with near-obsessive care. Universal knows exactly what kind of audience shows up for a Mario movie. The target is families, kids, nostalgic fans, and general audiences looking for a fun night out.
Do we really think either company wants the words “Charlie Day,” “Luigi,” and “Mangione” showing up in the same headline cycle around a major theatrical release?
Of course not.
Universal Experiences CEO Mark Woodbury and Mario/Donkey Kong Creator Shigeru Miyamoto in Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe – Photo Credit: NBC Universal
That is what makes this so mind-numbingly stupid. The movie should be dominating conversation because audiences are showing up for it in huge numbers. Instead, this interviewer managed to inject one of the dumbest and most tasteless scandals imaginable into the discourse.
And Charlie Day, whether through bad judgment or a desire to play along with the room, helped make it happen.
A Family Brand Deserves Better
The lesson here is simple. The interviewer should be ashamed for asking the question. Charlie Day should be ashamed for answering it and issue an apology for it.
And any outlet or personality pretending this was just harmless fun should take a long look at why turning an alleged killer into a punchline has become acceptable in the first place.
The title card for The Super Mario Galacy Movie – YouTube, Illumination
Nintendo’s characters have endured for decades because they represent escapism, fun, and timeless entertainment. They should not be dragged into internet-brained murder meme culture because someone in an interview chair wanted a viral clip.
This was gross. It was avoidable. And it never should have happened.
How do you feel about Charlie Day referencing Luigi Mangione? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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