| Velma Dinkley | |
|---|---|
| Scooby-Doo character | |
 | |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Joe Ruby Ken Spears |
| Designed by | Iwao Takamoto |
| Voiced by |
|
| Portrayed by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Private investigator |
| Significantothers | |
| Children | Frederick Rufus Rogers-Dinkley (Scooby Apocalypse)[2] |
| Relatives | see below |
Velma Dinkley is a fictionalcartoon character in theScooby-Doo franchise.[3] She is usually seen wearing a baggy orangeturtlenecksweater, a short red pleated skirt,knee high socks,Mary Jane shoes, and a pair of black squareglasses, which she frequently loses and is unable to see without. She is seen as the "brains" of the group and also serves asFred Jones' third-in-command.[4][5]
Throughout her various incarnations, Velma is usually portrayed as a highly intelligent young woman with an interest in the sciences. She is also often portrayed as being very well-read on obscure fields such asNorse writing (as in the thirdScooby-Doo series,The Scooby-Doo Show). Due to her intelligence and problem-solving abilities, Velma is typically the first one to solve the mystery and, likeSherlock Holmes and many other fictional detectives, often keeps her conclusions secret till the end of the story. Velma Dinkley was inspired by the brainysweater girlZelda Gilroy, as played bySheila Kuehl, from the late 1950s/early 1960s American sitcomThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.[6]
Arunning gag inScooby-Doo, Where Are You! andThe New Scooby-Doo Movies is Velma's severemyopia and her ability to repeatedly lose her glasses (often the result of them falling off her face while she is being chased by avillain), saying "My glasses! I can't see without my glasses!" whenever she accidentally misplaces them.[7] Another running gag occurs when other frightened characters leap into her arms.
Velma is characterized as the most skeptical of the gang and is most likely to discount anyparanormal explanations to their mysteries. This is particularly evident in the filmsScooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost andScooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island, in which she discounts ghosts and zombies (which are real within the context of the franchise) that could not be unmasked by claiming they arehallucinations.[8]
Like all of theScooby-Doo kids, laterret-conned as Mystery Incorporated members, Velma has a differing personal backstory and origin in different series.
In the original seriesScooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Velma is shown to attend the same high school as the rest of the gang (as stated in the inaugural episode "What a Night for a Knight"). However, byThe New Scooby-Doo Movies, Velma is said to have graduated from a different high school (as stated in the episode "Spirited Spooked Sports Show"). In the filmScooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, it is revealed that her middle name is Daisy.
According toScooby-Doo: Behind the Scenes, before she said "Jinkies!" she used to say "Oh, my!" but it wasn't as catchy. Her parents are depicted to have pushed her from an early age to excel in her studies, resulting in hundreds of awards for outstanding achievement. Because of this, she is more vocal than her comrades would like. Of course, she also does her share of sweet-talking too.
During the first season of the 2010–2013 seriesScooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Velma is in aromanticrelationship with Shaggy, much to the distaste of Scooby-Doo.[9] Their relationship ends in "Howl of the Fright Hound" (season 1, episode 10). This series' incarnation of Velma is shown to be secretive and controlling.[8][10][11] In the second season ofMystery Incorporated, Velma is shown secretly working for the series' overarching villain, Mr. E, alongsideMarcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach who is Velma's former rival in science fairs. The two become friends after Velma returns to the gang and by the time of theseries finale, Velma and Marcie are teammates at the Tri-state Olympiad of Science.[12] This version of Velma frequently uses the expressions "Oy" and "Oy gevalt", and is also shown listening toKlezmer music, hinting at aJewish identity.[13][14][15]
Daphne Blake: You'repregnant?!
Velma Dinkley: You sound horrified.
Daphne Blake: Not horrified... Just surprised. I never thought you wereinterested in men.
Velma Dinkley: But Shaggy and I have been together for months!
Daphne Blake: Proving my point.
Shaggy Rogers:Hey!
Velma Dinkley is usually shown in relationships with men such asShaggy Rogers (with whom she has a son inScooby Apocalypse),[2]Johnny Bravo, Patrick Wisely,Sam Winchester, Ben Ravencroft, and many other male characters, although since the 2010s, she has been depicted as also being romantically interested in other women, such asCoco Diablo.
In 2020,James Gunn, the screenwriter of the 2002Scooby-Doo film, stated that Velma was written "eyeballing Daphne" in early drafts of the script in accordance with the film's original intent as anR-rateddeconstruction of theScooby-Doo canon (with Shaggy meant to be depicted as astoner, and Fred agangster, the latter also ambiguously portrayed in the final film byFreddie Prinze Jr. as "[closeted]gay orbisexual because of theascot"),[16][17][18] although the final film would see Velma have a romance with a malewaiter, with the film's 2004 sequelScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed further depicting Velma in a full romantic relationship withSeth Green's character, Patrick Wisely.
While addressing comments on hisInstagram page in 2020 aboutMystery Incorporated's episode director labelling its version of Velma as beingbisexual, producerTony Cervone confirmed in response that his intention was for this iteration of Velma's relationship withMarcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach to be depicted—as clearly as would be permitted at the time—as aromantic one, following her previous failed relationship with Shaggy, with the characters subtly implied to be in a relationship in theseries finale, with Marcie referring to Velma as "my girl".[12][19] In the 2022 animated filmTrick or Treat Scooby-Doo!, Velma is depicted as "crushing big time" on femalesupportingantagonist Coco Diablo,[20] which was widely reported by online news media as confirmation of the character'slesbianism.[21] However, right after the release ofTrick or Treat, it was revealed that Velma would have a "secretcrush" on Fred in theHBO Maxadult-oriented andmetafictionalstreaming television seriesVelma,[22] pitched as a "love quadrangle",[23] in which both Shaggy and Daphne would be depicted as having crushes on a South Asian version of Velma.[24][25][26] The show received overwhelmingly negative reception. It gathered criticism for its characterization and departures from Scooby-Doo such as removal ofScooby-Doo.[27][28] On October 8, 2024, the show was cancelled.[29][30]
.jpg)
From 1969 to 1973,Nicole Jaffe voiced Velma. From 1976 to 1979,Pat Stevens voiced the character. From 1979 to 1980, Marla Frumkin provided her voice. After the character's absence from the 1980 to 1983 series, Frumkin reprised the role of Velma as a guest star inThe New Scooby-Doo Mysteries. Velma was absent again untilA Pup Named Scooby-Doo, when Christina Lange voiced the role.B.J. Ward voiced Velma in aJohnny Bravo crossover episode, then reprised her role in all films fromScooby-Doo on Zombie Island on throughScooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase as well as an episode of theAdult Swim animated series,Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.[31]Nicole Jaffe returned temporarily to voice Velma in the direct-to-video filmsScooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire andScooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico.
From 2002 until 2015, Velma was voiced byMindy Cohn ofThe Facts of Life fame. InScooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map, Velma is voiced byStephanie D'Abruzzo. On July 8, 2015, it was announced thatKate Micucci would take over the role of Velma in the then-upcoming seriesBe Cool, Scooby-Doo!. Trisha Gum voiced Velma inThe Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Velma was voiced by Ariana Greenblatt as a child andGina Rodriguez as a teenager in the animated filmScoob!,[32][33] with Greenblatt being set to reprise the role of her younger self inScoob! Holiday Haunt before the film was canceled in August 2022.[1] She makes a silent cameo in her aforementioned form (like the rest of the gang) as a spectator inSpace Jam: A New Legacy.
On February 10, 2021, it was announced that Velma will have her ownstreaming television series onHBO Max in January 2023 withMindy Kaling voicing her while executing producing withCharlie Grandy,Howard Klein andSam Register. TitledVelma, the series follows anadult-oriented andmetafictional "love quadrangle"Mystery Inc.[34][35][36][37][23] with Velma portrayed as being ofIndian descent.[38] On July 11, 2022, the trademark for the series was listed as abandoned,[39] only forHBO Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys to confirm the series to still be in production in August,[40] with it previewing atNew York Comic Con on October 6, 2022.[41] The first two episodes of the series debuted on HBO Max on January 12, 2023; the other eight were released within the following months.[42] Velma was cancelled after two seasons and a special as a result of negative reviews.[27][28][29][30]
In the 2002 and 2004 live-action films, Velma is played byLinda Cardellini, who then voiced her for theScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed video game andRobot Chicken. Lauren Kennedy portrayed young Velma in a flashback sequence inScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Velma is portrayed byHayley Kiyoko in the 2009 live-action filmScooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins and its 2010 sequelScooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster.Sarah Gilman portrayed the young Velma in the 2018 direct-to-video filmDaphne & Velma.
Relatives of Velma's shown or mentioned during the series include:
Velma appears in theTeen Titans Go! episode "Cartoon Feud", theJellystone! episode "Frankenhooky", andSupernatural episode "Scoobynatural". Velma also appears in the 2021 filmSpace Jam: A New Legacy, with her SCOOB design. She appears as an NPC inLego Dimensions, a playable character inMultiversus, and appears as a skin inFortnite.[56]
Velma appears in many otherScooby-Doo videogames, books, comics, and other merchandise.
Hey Matt, loved you inScream. I heard thatScooby-Doo was originally scripted and shot as a much more adult-oriented movie, but then got edited to be more family friendly. If that's true, any chance you could give some details on the stuff that got cut out?u/matthewlillard gladly answer. It was after the heat ofSHREK and the studio was all for a above the kids head line of comedy... they brought inJames Gunn (SUPER?SLITHER? He's the best ever, love him) and he delivered that version of the script. Yes to all the things you think it is. Smokey van. Velma eyeballing Daphne. Fred beinggay because of theascot. When we tested the parents flipped their lids and Warners got sca[r]ed. It['s] one of the crown jewels in their library and couldn't risk a back lash. also the demons were really sca[r]y... they were softened.
Velma Dinkley: "DearHBO Max. I just learned you intend to make a genre bending comedicorigin story ofJudy Jetson. When I heard this new version of Judy Jetson wouldn't be "boy crazy", the only word I had to describe my disgust is Jinkies! If there is ONE thing the internet agrees on, it's that you should never change anything ever!I hope you die! Sincerely, Velma ❤️️"...Well, at least Judy's stillwhite.
