How Velma Has Been Portrayed Over the Years
Velma “Jinkies” Dinkley
In September 1969, CBS and Hanna-Barbera aired what would become an iconic television show spawning decades of sequels, prequels, and reboots. Created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” followed the spooky adventures of four teenagers and one food-loving, talking Great Dane. Inspiration was taken from the sitcom “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” with the gang led by the Dobie Gillis-like All-American boy Fred Jones. The beautiful Daphne Blake had similar attributes and interests as Dobie’s crush, Thalia Menninger. And hippie goofball Norville “Shaggy” Rogers was inspired by beatnik sidekick Maynard G. Krebs. Shaggy’s best bud Scooby-Doo was, of course, an original character, and then there was Velma Dinkley: the smartest of the bunch, much like brainy brunette Zelda Gilroy. Dressed in a frumpy orange turtleneck sweater, a red A-line skirt, orange knee socks and Mary Janes, Velma was the opposite of the fashionable Daphne. Her thick black-rimmed glasses and bowl-ish bob visibly defined her as a nerd with no time for appearances because she was too busy being a brainiac. While Daphne was repeatedly getting captured, Velma was leading the investigations. She was often the first to solve the mystery, unmask the villains, and explain in detail their master plans. Velma was also sarcastic, very opinionated, and well, a bit of a know-it-all. With each incarnation, the character of Velma changes a bit, particularly when it comes to voice and attitude. Nicole Jaffe was the first Velma Dinkley and is widely considered the essential voice of the character. She even happened to resemble the drawing a little, and is credited with ad-libbing Velma’s well-known expression, “Jinkies!” The actress also unintentionally coined her other signature phrase, “My glasses! I can’t see without my glasses!” Jaffe voiced Velma from 1969 to 1973 ending her tenure with “The New Scooby-Doo Movies,” though she made a brief return in 2003 for two animated direct-to-videos. Pat Stevens stepped into the role subsequently for “The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour” and the first eleven episodes of “Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo.” Marla Frumkin took over for Stevens soon after, and would go on to voice the character in a new, restored version of the previous show. While Jaffe and Stevens gave Velma a similar twang, Frumkin was noticeably different with a more mature-sounding tone. From 1988 to 1991, young Christina Lange voiced a more soft-spoken Velma in “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” which followed the gang as younger kids. The amateur sleuth was back to a version of her old self when B.J. Ward played her in the 1990s starting with crossover episodes of “Johnny Bravo.” She was oddly flirty and even had a fling with the titular Bravo. In 1998, “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” established Velma as a major skeptic when it came to anything supernatural. Ward also appeared in the controversial “The Scooby-Doo Project” in 1999 before going on to a string of direct-to-video movies throughout the early 2000s.
Velma Live & in Action
Mystery Inc. made their live-action debut in 2002’s “Scooby-Doo” written by James Gunn. Linda Cardellini delivered a spot-on portrayal of Velma, embodying the character’s distinct voice, mannerisms, and physicality, all while having her be just a little more assertive than her animated predecessors. In the film, she decides to quit the gang because she’s tired of being the primary case solver who receives the least credit. When they reunite, it turns out she’d been putting her genius to good use working at… literally, NASA. Her characterization would take a bit of a turn in the 2004 sequel “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.” She became strangely nervous and far less confident when it came to her love interest, Patrick Wisely. While it was kind of endearing to see her so flustered, we also have to admit we missed her trademark sweater and skirt combo, which she temporarily swapped out for a tight red jumpsuit and heels. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the last time we’d see Velma acting different around a guy.
A Modern Velma
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In 2002, over a decade after “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” ended, a modernized Scooby and the gang returned in “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?” with “Facts of Life” alum Mindy Cohn in the role of Velma. The series gave each character more personality and we learned that Velma, in this iteration, loves ice hockey and fears clowns. Still, it mostly kept with the original series format. The real departure came in 2010 with Cartoon Network’s “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” which included one of the most polarizing versions of Velma, still voiced by Cohn. Appearance-wise, she wore her classic colors but her orange turtleneck was more form fitting and her hair was styled with bows. Instead of the witty genius fans came to love, however, this show saw her as snarky, controlling, and easily upset. Most of this characterization unforunately surfaced when she was dealing with Shaggy, her secret boyfriend. Their relationship alone was rather bizarre but Velma’s unhinged behavior was even worse. She criticizes his clothes, speech, and eating habits, and aggressively tries to change him. An argument about attending prom ends in Velma kicking over headstones in a cemetery. At one point, she even gives Shaggy an ultimatum that consists of choosing between her and Scooby. Unsurprisingly, Shaggy sticks with his longtime pal. And, after they call it quits in episode 10, there’s some obvious tension in the group. Though her character arc would make her more likeable in the end, this is definitely an installment of Velma that takes a bit of getting used to.
From Coded to Canon
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It wasn’t until years after “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” ended when series producer Tony Cervone offered an explanation for Velma’s out-of-character behavior in her relationship with Shaggy. In 2020, he posted on Instagram saying that she was in fact written as a lesbian. However, the higher-ups had them water things down and her sexual orientation was ultimately left ambiguous. She developed an enemies-to-friends relationship with Marcie “Hot Dog Water” Fleach voiced by Linda Cardellini. Season two ended with the implication that Velma and Marcie were an item. It’s been long-speculated that Velma was queer-coded, especially with the way she’s styled to be the opposite of Daphne, not just in her appearance but also in her interests. In other words, she was never a boy-crazy fashionista. James Gunn’s script for the 2002 live-action film hinted at her sexuality but was significantly toned down with some scenes completely cut out by the studio. Velma’s inclusion in the LGBTQIA community was solidified in October of 2022 with “Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!” Before its release, a clip revealed that Velma – voiced by Kate Micucci, who’d been in the role since 2015’s “Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!” – would have a female love interest: criminal/undercover costume designer Coco Diablo. Fans were ecstatic with Velma’s long-anticipated “coming out.” Even Google celebrated the historical moment with a Pride-themed Easter egg when searching the character’s name.
All About Velma
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2022 proved to be a big year for Velma Dinkley. Not only is she now canonically lesbian but the long underappreciated character takes the spotlight in her own self-titled HBO Max series. The Mindy Kaling-led “Velma”, slated for January 2023, sees her on a journey of self-discovery including with her sexuality. Kaling and showrunner Charlie Grandy have also stated there’s some unresolved sexual tension among the quartet of mystery solvers. “The Office” and “The Mindy Project” star, who also acts as an executive producer, voices the first South Asian incarnation of the typically Caucasian character. Of course, this change in racial identity sparked plenty of backlash. Other notable non-white voices for the character include half-Japanese actress and musician Hayley Kiyoko who played Velma in 2009’s live-action “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” and its 2010 sequel “Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster”. Kiyoko is also a lesbian, which makes her an awesome and fitting choice. The 2020 animated feature “Scoob!” also cast “Jane the Virgin” actress Gina Rodriguez, who is of Puerto Rican descent. Velma Dinkley’s evolution since first appearing in 1969 is a result of changes in cultural norms and studio limitations. Every new chapter brings another unique aspect to the classic character, expanding her identity and adapting her to modern times. But, no matter what, one thing stays the same – she loves a good mystery.
