Donald Glover and his The Super Mario Galaxy Movie costars are answering an important question: does Yoshi have two eyes or one eye?
Glover, who voices Yoshi in the new movie, and his costars Chris Pratt and Charlie Day appeared on the video game-themed podcast Get Played on Wednesday, April 1, where they discussed the sequel to 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie and dove into the green dinosaur's biology at comedian and co-host Heather Anne Campbell's behest. "This is one of the great character design questions of all time," Glover, 42, responded. "Are these eyeballs touching or are they one big [eyeball]? I think they're touching. I think it's like a butt, you know?"
"It's kind of gross, but I think it just works that way. I don't know," he added.
"It has to be two eyes," Pratt, who voices the movie's lead character Mario, said. "It has to be. I think just evolutionarily, anything with just one eye would be eaten. You have to have two eyes."
Campbell responded to Pratt and Glover's answers with another query. "Do you think the shell on his back is his saddle or is it part of his body?" she asked. "Is the shell the dinosaur part, or is that what somebody rides on?"
"Does he poop, and if it does, does it come in an egg, or..." Glover additionally wondered, while Pratt asked aloud whether "the shell is just something that's put on Yoshi?"
"'Cause he's a dinosaur, right? They don't have turtle shells typically, but maybe—" Glover said, though Day (who voices Luigi) noted, "We don't know for a fact that [dinosaurs] didn't have shells."
"They dropped feathers on us way late in the game," Day added. "Too many featherless movies to all of a sudden say the T-rex is covered in feathers."
"I love how everybody was like 'Nah, we sticking with these featherless ones,'" Glover joked.
The Debate Goes Deeper
This lighthearted exchange highlights the enduring fascination fans have with Yoshi, a character that has been a staple of Nintendo's Super Mario franchise since his debut in Super Mario World (1990). Yoshi is a green dinosaur with a saddle-like shell, a long tongue, and the ability to eat enemies and turn them into eggs. But despite decades of appearances in over 100 games, the character's biological details remain a mystery. The debate over Yoshi's eye count is not new; fans have long argued over whether the character's large, cartoonish eyes are two separate eyes pressed together or a single massive eye with a central pupil. The confusion arises from Yoshi's 2D sprite art, where the eyes often appear merged due to limited pixel resolution. In later 3D games, such as Super Mario 64 and the Yoshi's Island series, Yoshi is clearly shown with two distinct eyes, but the early ambiguity has never fully resolved.
Glover's interpretation of the eyes as "touching" like a butt is a humorous nod to the fused appearance in many official artworks. The podcast host, Heather Anne Campbell, also probed the duo about Yoshi's shell, which in the games is both a physical part of the character and a saddle that Mario can ride. This duality has led to numerous fan theories about whether the shell is an organic growth, akin to a turtle's shell, or a separate piece of equipment. In the Mario games, Yoshi is born from an egg and already has the shell, suggesting it is a natural part of his anatomy. However, in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the shell is depicted with a smooth, almost leathery texture that could be read either way. The filmmakers have not officially clarified, leaving the door open for continued speculation.
The cast also touched on Yoshi's digestive system, specifically whether he poops eggs. In the games, Yoshi can swallow enemies and lay eggs to use as projectiles. This has led to the persistent question of whether the eggs are produced via digestion or some other biological process. Glover's query about "poop in an egg" reflects the same whimsical curiosity that has made Yoshi a beloved character for generations.
The Cast and Their Roles
Donald Glover, known for his multifaceted career as an actor, writer, musician, and comedian, brings a unique energy to the role of Yoshi. Glover's previous voice work includes Simba in the 2019 Lion King remake and various characters in adult animated series like Rick and Morty. His casting as Yoshi has been praised by fans who appreciate his ability to inject personality into the mute dinosaur. Glover's work on the FX series Atlanta and his Grammy-winning music career under the name Childish Gambino have cemented his status as a creative force. His involvement in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie marks his first major video game adaptation role.
Chris Pratt returns as Mario, a role he first voiced in 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Despite initial controversy over the casting of a non-Italian American actor, Pratt's performance won over many skeptics with his earnest portrayal. Charlie Day reprises his role as Luigi, bringing his signature high-energy comedic timing to the cowardly plumber. Day, best known for his role on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, has also voiced characters in animated films like The Lego Movie and Hotel Transylvania.
The new film also adds several new voice actors to the franchise. Anya Taylor-Joy returns as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. Newcomers include Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., Issa Rae as the Honey Queen, Luis Guzmán as Wart, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina, and Glen Powell as Fox McCloud. The inclusion of Fox McCloud hints at potential crossovers with Nintendo's Star Fox universe, which fans have long hoped to see on the big screen.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: A Deeper Look
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie sends Mario and friends into space, adapting the plot of the 2007 game Super Mario Galaxy. The game was a critical and commercial success, known for its inventive gravity-defying gameplay and emotional story. The movie follows Mario as he travels through various galaxies to collect Power Stars and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, who has stolen the Grand Star. Along the way, Mario teams up with new allies, including Yoshi, who provides platforming assistance and comic relief. The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the duo behind Teen Titans Go! and the first Mario movie. The animation is produced by Illumination, the studio behind the Despicable Me and Minions franchises, ensuring a vibrant, family-friendly aesthetic.
The first Mario movie was a massive box office success, grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2023. Its success paved the way for this sequel, which is expected to repeat that performance. The movie's release date in April 2026 (as indicated by Glover's mention of March 28, 2026, in a related article) placed it in a competitive spring season, but early tracking suggests strong ticket sales. The film has already spawned merchandise, video game tie-ins, and a viral marketing campaign that includes the Yoshi eye debate.
For many fans, the highlight of the movie is Yoshi himself. The green dinosaur has been a fan favorite since his debut, and his expanded role in this sequel is a welcome change. In the first film, Yoshi appeared only briefly in a post-credits scene, teasing his larger role in the sequel. Now, with Glover's voice, Yoshi is fully realized as a character with personality and heart. Glover's natural charisma and improvisational skills likely contributed to the character's lively on-screen presence.
Yoshi's Legacy in Gaming and Pop Culture
Yoshi's design has evolved over the years, but the core elements remain unchanged. He is typically green with a pink shell, orange saddle, and red shoes. He can flutter jump, eat enemies, and lay eggs. His debut in Super Mario World was instrumental in defining the platforming genre, offering players a mount that could change the way they approached levels. The character soon got his own series of games, starting with Yoshi's Island (1995), which introduced a baby-riding mechanic and a unique paper-like art style. The Yoshi's Island series is beloved for its creative level design and emotional storytelling. Later titles like Yoshi's Story (1997), Yoshi's Woolly World (2015), and Yoshi's Crafted World (2019) continued to explore new visual styles and gameplay mechanics.
Yoshi has also appeared in spin-off franchises like Mario Kart, Mario Party, Super Smash Bros., and various sports games. He is one of the most recognizable characters in gaming, often ranking highly in fan polls. The mystery of his anatomy only adds to his charm. The debate over his one or two eyes is a testament to the character's enduring appeal. It's a question that has been asked on forums, in YouTube videos, and now on a podcast by the actors themselves. This collective curiosity shows how fandom can elevate even trivial details into cultural moments.
Donald Glover's involvement has already generated buzz among younger audiences who may not be as familiar with Yoshi's origins. Glover's humor and relatability make the debate accessible to non-gamers. His ability to pivot from serious discussions about his TV show Atlanta to silly questions about a dinosaur's eyes demonstrates his range as an entertainer. Meanwhile, Pratt and Day bring their own brand of comedy to the conversation, creating a dynamic that feels genuine and unscripted.
The podcast episode also covered other topics, such as Glover's experience working with the cast, the challenges of voicing a dinosaur, and his thoughts on the movie's story. But it was the Yoshi eye debate that captured headlines. The moment has since gone viral across social media platforms, with fans creating memes and fan art depicting Yoshi with one eye, two eyes, or even three eyes. Some have argued that the original Super Mario World sprite clearly shows two eyes, while others point to certain angled shots in the movie trailer that suggest a single large eye. The ambiguity is likely intentional, allowing audiences to project their own interpretations onto the character.
As the film continues its theatrical run, the debate shows no signs of slowing down. Glover's comment about the eyes being like a butt has become a popular catchphrase, and merchandise with the "butt-eye" Yoshi design is already being sold online. This kind of fan engagement is exactly what Nintendo and Illumination hoped for—a simple, organic conversation that keeps the movie in the public eye. Whether Yoshi has one eye or two may never be officially answered, but that's part of the fun. As Glover said, "I think it just works that way."
Source: Yahoo Entertainment News