Linda Cardellini responds after finding out Velma is a lesbian in new Scooby-Doo

‘It’s been hinted at so many times,’ actor told press

Linda Cardellini has shared her reaction to finding out that Velma is a lesbian in the new Scooby-Doo film.

The actor has portrayed the character on two occasions: in the 2002 live adaptation film, and its sequel, Monsters Unleashed, two years later.

Last month, the release of the latest iteration of the Scooby-Doo universe Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! canonised Velma as having an attraction to women – something that had long been suggested, but has never been addressed directly as part of her story.

As arguably the most recognisable representation of Velma so far, Cardellini was asked to weigh in on the development of the character in an interview released on Thursday (10 November).

After expressing her delight that the character was still so prominent in culture, the Dead to Me star added that she thought it was “great” for Velma’s sexuality to finally be acknowledged in a major way.

“Velma has been around since 1969; I just went trick or treating with my daughter and there were a lot of Velmas out there, so I love that she still has this place in culture that is sort of always active for decades,” Cardellini told EW.

“And I love – you know, I think it’s been hinted at so many times, and I think it’s great that it’s finally out there.”

In Trick or Treat: Scooby-Doo, Velma (voiced by Kate Micucci) becomes wide-eyed and speechless when encountering costume designer and villain, Coco Diablo.

James Gunn, who wrote the live-action films, shared in 2020 that he’d made attempts to make Velma a visible lesbian in those films, “but the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) and finally having a boyfriend (the sequel)”.

As well as this version of Velma, the famously bespectacled character will have her own HBO Max spin-off series in 2023 – this time, depicted as South Asian and voiced by Mindy Kaling.