Nolan Winking uploaded a video auditioning for the role of Cappy, the sentient hat from Super Mario Odyssey, and the internet decided he was perfect for the part. The audition, posted on Instagram in April 2026, quickly became a viral sensation, especially on TikTok and Instagram Reels, where users turned his performance into memes, brainrot edits, and a dance trend.
Winking, a content creator, posted the video as an unofficial attempt at landing a part in the Super Mario Odyssey movie, which has not been officially announced as a sequel to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Instead of landing the role, he landed a meme.
The Video That Started It All
The video is simple. Winking explains that he previously posted videos auditioning for the role of Yoshi in both Super Mario movies, but did not get the part. Then he proceeds to make several sound effects reminiscent of those heard from Cappy in the video game.
The video gained over 144,000 likes in five months, according to the source. On April 25th, 2026, it was uploaded to Instagram.
The First Major Response
The first major response came on August 30th, 2026, when TikToker @tanak.v2 posted a video reacting to Winking’s audition. In the video, he reacts with laughter, insisting he wholeheartedly supports Winking for the role and saying he can’t tell if Winking is trolling or not. He then does an audition for the role of the gold coin in the Mario Odyssey movie.
The reaction video gained over 2.2 million views in three weeks.
The Wave Of Memes
In September 2026, the video inspired a wave of memes and edits. On September 8th, 2026, TikToker @dublxml posted a brainrot edit of the video that gained over 2.7 million views in two weeks. On September 9th, 2026, TikToker @idkally_official posted a similar brainrot edit that gained over 950,000 views in two weeks.
On September 15th, 2026, TikToker @yuno_cc posted an edit comparing Winking to “sub-5” voice actors, meaning inferior voice actors. That video garnered over 3 million views in a week.
The same day, Instagram user livedwater_real posted a video parodying Winking’s video, in which he auditions for Cappy. That parody gained over 49,000 likes in a week.
Winking Responds With Comedy
On September 16th, 2026, Nolan Winking uploaded a comedy skit to Instagram addressing becoming a meme. The video gained over 17,000 likes in six days.
The Dance And Lip Dub Trend
The same day, September 15th, 2026, TikToker @bah7uz posted an edit of the Cappy audition video that remixes the audio of Winking’s Cappy noises with a beat. That video gained over 3 million views in a week.
The audio became the subject of a split-screen lip dub and dance trend, in which participants lip dub to the sounds while dancing in a split-screen. On September 19th, 2026, TikToker @spidernutss posted a video doing the trend that gained over 1.1 million views in three days.
More Edits Keep Coming
Several other TikTokers posted their own takes on the audition. @yuno_cc posted another edit titled “Nolan winking got the role 😭 song bluff nolan winking Cappy audition edit.” @offlineblitz posted an edit titled “mario cappie audition solos all actors SONG : BLUFF by DJ Javi26,SASORIIXPP.” @audreybrianne_ posted an edit titled “and then he got it edit : I meant cappy not crappy he did good.” Matheogoose commented with “i wish i had a Cappy hat 🥺 ib-” and brodeez posted “Nolan Winking Super Mario Odyssey Audition 😼.”
The Numbers Behind The Virality
The video’s popularity was tracked across multiple platforms. Here is a breakdown of the key numbers:
| Date | Creator | Platform | Views / Likes | Video Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2026 | Nolan Winking | 144,000+ likes in 5 months | Original audition | |
| Aug 30, 2026 | @tanak.v2 | TikTok | 2.2M+ in 3 weeks | Reaction |
| Sep 8, 2026 | @dublxml | TikTok | 2.7M+ in 2 weeks | Brainrot edit |
| Sep 9, 2026 | @idkally_official | TikTok | 950K+ in 2 weeks | Brainrot edit |
| Sep 15, 2026 | @yuno_cc | TikTok | 3M+ in a week | Sub-5 comparison |
| Sep 15, 2026 | livedwater_real | 49K+ in a week | Parody | |
| Sep 15, 2026 | @bah7uz | TikTok | 3M+ in a week | Remix / dance trend |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Nolan Winking | 17K+ in 6 days | Comedy response | |
| Sep 19, 2026 | @spidernutss | TikTok | 1.1M+ in 3 days | Split-screen dance |
The numbers show a consistent pattern of engagement across the summer of 2026. Each edit built on the last, with the dance trend emerging as a separate branch of the meme family tree.
What This Means For Winking
Winking’s response to the memes was positive. He addressed becoming a meme directly in his September 16th video, and he has since embraced the attention.
The trend shows how quickly a personal moment can become a shared cultural artifact. Winking’s quiet audition, intended as a genuine attempt at a part, became a joke that people wanted to join in. The fact that he responded with humor suggests he understands that distinction.
The Internet’s Filter Problem
The meme’s success is a reminder of how the internet operates. A single video can become a phenomenon within weeks, and the shape it takes is often beyond the control of the person who created it. Winking did not create a dance trend. The dance trend created itself around his video.
The brainrot edits, in particular, are absurd. They take Winking’s already exaggerated performance and push it further into surreal territory. The sub-5 comparison edit is a joke about talent, but it is also a joke about the absurdity of the whole situation.
The Dance Trend Continues
The dance trend emerged as a separate branch of the meme family tree. It spread through split-screen videos of people lip dubbing to the remix while dancing, a format that made the trend easy to replicate.
The trend’s persistence suggests it has legs. A dance trend lives or dies based on how easy it is to replicate, and this one offers a simple formula: take the existing audio, find a beat, and move your body.
The Final Word
The Cappy audition meme is a victory for the internet’s ability to find joy in earnestness. Winking put himself out there, and the internet responded with affection. The brainrot edits, the dance trend, and the comedy response all point to the same conclusion: people liked the video, and they wanted to share it.
The meme has no official end date. For now, Winking has a viral moment and a comedy routine to match it.
The internet has no filter, and sometimes that produces beautiful results.
Source material: “Nolan Winking Responds To His Unofficial 'Cappy' Audition Becoming A Brainrot Meme,” Know Your Meme.
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