Mina Patel is the voice behind Velma in an upcoming Scooby Doo spinoff, and some fans are unhappy about the character’s new South Asian portrayal. It seems to be another instance of adults expressing frustration over the reimagining of a classic character as non-white. Earlier this year, HBO announced that the new series would focus on Velma’s origin story, with the incredibly talented Mina Patel not only voicing the character but also producing the show. According to Patel, everything was going smoothly until it was revealed that Velma would be depicted as South Asian.
“When it was announced that I would be voicing Velma, the support on Twitter was overwhelming,” Patel recounted during an appearance on Late Night with Chris Jones. “I felt really positive about it.” She recognizes the passionate nature of the fandom surrounding the beloved character. “These fans are incredibly dedicated—especially those who love a legacy show like this,” she noted.
However, when the news broke about Velma’s reimagining, Patel observed a significant shift. “After the announcement a month ago, people were not pleased,” she said. “There were numerous tweets saying things like, ‘That’s not Velma!’”
Patel continued, “I didn’t realize the character sparked such strong feelings in either direction.” She emphasized that Velma is an intelligent and quirky character, and she couldn’t fathom how anyone could struggle to envision a smart, nerdy girl with poor eyesight who enjoys solving mysteries as South Asian.
“It’s not surprising that there are South Asian nerds,” Patel added, reinforcing the need for diverse representation. This situation brings to mind the reaction to Halle Bailey’s casting as Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, where similar negative sentiments arose over “their” Ariel needing to be white. It’s crucial to remember that Ariel is a fictional character, and it’s about time we see more diversity in our beloved stories.
Thankfully, Patel believes that the backlash represents only a small fraction of the audience, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were zero? It’s 2021, and the call for characters of all colors, backgrounds, and abilities has never been more urgent.
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In summary, Mina Patel has addressed the backlash from some Scooby Doo fans regarding Velma’s new South Asian identity in an upcoming spinoff. She highlights the passion of the fandom while advocating for more representation in media, reflecting on similar reactions faced by other iconic characters in the past. It’s time to embrace diversity in storytelling.
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