Luigi Mangione 'Was Kind of Like Dan' From 'Gossip Girl,' Former Classmate Says

In the three months since Luigi Mangione’s arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, the 26-year-old has shared just one public statement. A new investigative piece from Rolling Stone aims to provide a more thorough picture of the Maryland-born figure charged in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare exec Brian Thompson.

In the piece, written by Lorena O’Neil, Mangione’s school years are discussed at length, complete with comments from a former classmate at Gilman, an all-boys private school in the Baltimore area. The classmate, credited in the piece under the pseudonym “James,” likened their shared education experience to the late 2000s CW hit Gossip Girl. Specifically, James compared Mangione to the character Dan Humphrey, played by Penn Badgley.

“It was very Gossip Girl, and Luigi was kind of like Dan,” James is quoted as saying in the piece, available in full here. “I don’t want to put words into his mouth, but I always got this feeling that he was really interested in having more of a social life than he had.”

The former student also pointed out that, while Mangione “had a lot of money,” this didn’t matter much at Gilman, nor was it unique. What set Mangione apart, at least according to James, was that he was “the only one” among those destined for Ivy League who “you could shoot the shit with.”

Mangione is facing federal and state charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson. The shooting took place in Manhattan in December, followed less than a week later by Mangione’s arrest in Altoona.

“As alleged, Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime,” Merrick B. Garland, then serving as U.S. attorney general, said in a press release last year.

Mangione’s legal team has set up an official site they say is aimed at answering frequently asked questions and sharing “accurate information” about their client’s cases, as well as dispelling “misinformation.” A statement shared to the cite, attributed otherwise Mangione himself, sees the potential 50 Cent documentary subject expressing gratitude for those who have written him letters.

“Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded MDC from across the country, and around the globe,” Mangione said, adding that he makes an effort to “read every one” he receives, even if he’s unable to individually respond.

This weekend’s Gossip Girl comparison, meanwhile, follows widespread talk of Dave Franco arguably being the preferred choice to play Mangione in a possible film or TV adaptation of his story in the future. While no such plans are officially in place, Franco himself has addressed such talk.