Summary

• Casting the right actress to play Velma in the live-action Scooby-Doo series is crucial for maintaining the character's essence.
• Actresses like Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Henwick, and Hailee Steinfeld all have the talent and experience to bring Velma to life on screen.
• Each actress brings something unique to the role, from comedic timing to action experience, ensuring a fresh take on the beloved character of Velma.

It was recently announced that Netflix will be developing a live-action Scooby-Doo series and the iconic characters must be well-cast, including the "brains" of the mystery gang, Velma Dinkley. The Scooby-Do franchise was started in 1969 by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears with the first installment of many Scooby-Do TV shows, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Since then, the beloved group of friends has been adapted into video games and films, both live-action and animated. Every new version of the characters, both in their design and characterization, has allowed them to evolve and adapt to whichever generation is the targeted audience.

However, it's still important that the essence of the well-known characters remains intact, regardless of whoever assumes the role. For Velma, she's known to many as the smartest in the group, utilizing her intelligence and problem-solving abilities more than the others. Velma can also be sarcastic at times, skeptical of the paranormal world, and some versions of Velma depict her as socially awkward. Details have yet to be revealed about the tone of Netflix's Scooby-Doo series, or of the age Velma and her friends are supposed to be, but there are a few actors whose previous work shows they'd be perfect for the role.

9 Haley Lu Richardson

Known for The White Lotus (2021-Present)

Known recently for having starred in the second season of HBO's The White Lotus as Portia, Haley Lu Richardson has another role in her filmography that shows she'd be a great fit for a live-action Velma. Richardson's character Veronica in Unpregnant shows the actress can tap into Velma's dramatic side. In the 2017 movie, Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown, there's a scene in which Velma panics over the choice of font on a website, equating the choice to the action of "putting salt in someone's eyes!"

Proving that she can also channel Velma's softer side, Richardson notably starred in the rom-com Love At First Sight alongside Ben Hardy.

Though less hyperbolic and more warranted due to her circumstance, Unpregnant's Veronica too goes on emotional rants, just like Velma. Richardson's combined work in Unpregnant and The White Lotus proves she has the talent to comedically express her frustration in an exaggerated manner that still warrants laughter without becoming clownish

8 Jessica Henwick

Known for The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Jessica Henwick is known for her action roles in films such as Love and Monsters and The Gray Man, but in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, a comedic performance was given as the character Peg, the assistant to the decadent former supermodel Birdie (Kate Hudson). Peg is intelligent and quick on her feet when it comes to helping her demanding boss. Henwick's portrayal of Peg's wit is similar to her character Bugs in The Matrix Resurrections, albeit the actress is working in two differing genres.

The ability to convincingly play Velma's intelligence is crucial for whoever takes on the beloved character and Henwick has the skill. Additionally, Henwick's experience in action films can bring something new to Velma. A one-on-one fight between Velma and a monstrous villain would be a fun surprise for the audience and characters within the series itself, as Velma isn't known for her physical strength.

7 Hailee Steinfeld

Known for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Stepping into an established and well-known franchise is not a challenge for Hailee Steinfeld. Having taken on the role of Gwen Stacy, Kate Bishop, and a fictionalized version of the famous poet, Emily Dickinson, Velma would be another fun character in pop culture for Steinfeld to play. Many of Steinfeld's most notable roles share a strong sense of independence and determination, as pointed out by Steinfeld when she compared the characters of Emily and Kate.

Hailee Steinfeld was only 13 when she landed her breakout role of Mattie in the Coen brothers' acclaimed neo-Western, True Grit (2010).

A comparable intellect, wit, and charm can also be found in Velma. As a beloved character for many years, audiences find Velma largely likable, which is part of why the response to Max's Velma series was considerably negative. However, if Netflix is to keep in tune with the classic amiable characters, Steinfeld's presence on the screen would have no issue getting audiences to admire her version of Velma.

6 Iman Vellani

Known for Ms. Marvel (2022)