HBO Max’s “Velma” is the latest incarnation of the “Scooby-Doo” mythology. and this is the version Very Separate.
Rather than your typical Saturday morning fare, “Velma” is a hard-R animated series strictly for adults. The main character is Velma (Mindy Kaling), a teenage girl whose mother has disappeared and who is best friends with Daphne (Constance Wu). Fred (Glenn Horton) is a toxic man-child and goes by Shaggy Norville (Sam Richardson), in love with Velma and most surprisingly, doesn’t smoke.
TheWrap spoke to Richardson and Howerton about what it was like to re-create these classic characters, what new elements of these characters they’re most excited about, and what they wanted to see in the world of “Scooby-Doo” before signing on to “Velma.” How familiar were you with Plus Richardson spoke of getting the seal of approval from former Shaggy (in live-action and animation) Matthew Lillard.
What was your level of “Scooby-Doo” fandom before “Velma”?
Sam Richardson: very big. I’ve seen all the iterations of “Scooby-Doo”, from “Scooby-Doo” to “What’s New Scooby-Doo” to “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” and all the “Scooby-Doo” movies. I’m a big fan of Mystery Inc. Even new shows from the last 10 years have come out. I was excited to be a part of it, which is very different from all those things.
Glen Horton: I would say that everything I know about “Scooby-Doo” is from the original cartoon. I was looking it up, I was about to say from the 80s, but it wasn’t from the 80s, was it?
richardson: Since the 70s.
Howerton: The seventies, yes. I would say that’s where my knowledge of the show comes from. That’s what I think. Although I still saw a lot of them. I saw “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo”. I watched all the cartoons that were around when I was a kid. I was definitely super into it.
How were you offered the show? Obviously, “It’s an R-rated ‘Scooby-Doo'” is a pretty good logline.
Howerton: Well, they didn’t tell us. I didn’t know it was going to be an adult animated show. When I found out about it, it just came to me because they were offering me the role and I was like, Oh my god, this is amazing. I finally have a show I can watch with my kids and my kids are like “my dad is on TV”. And this “Scooby-Doo” was such an iconic character, so I was very excited about it. When I read the script, I was like, “Oh, no. My kids can’t watch it.” I was like, “This is… wow.” I loved it but I didn’t expect it when I read the script.
richardson: Yes. Same. I knew this was an adult take and I would be Norville. And I was like, “Oh yeah, sure.” I think by adults you mean there were adults. But then reading the script, “Oh yeah, okay.” It’s really just outside the gates, but a lot of fun. I didn’t know what to expect. And then reading a script, I really loved him and really loved what he did and was doing. Where was this going, just the idea that I was on board.
Sam, I wanted to ask you, how much did it mean to get Matthew Lillard’s seal of approval?
richardson: I know. big deal. big deal.
Howerton: I don’t know about this. What happened?
richardson: Yes. He’s such a good friend. When they announced the breakup of characters, a lot of people, believe it or not, had a problem with being a Black Shaggy. But in reality they would probably be like that, why aren’t the old voices the same? But they are different. were different. It’s all different. Matthew Lillard said, “Oh, he’ll be a great Shaggy.” He tweeted it. It was really cool. He didn’t want to do that. But I really do appreciate it.
Howerton: I haven’t heard of him.
Because I think he was more skeptical of “Scub” Shaggy (voiced by Will Forte).
richardson: Yes. I think so.
It’s a huge quest and has a lot in store for both of your characters. What is your favorite new aspect of the characters?
Howerton: For me personally, the thing I really got stuck on was that I felt from the script that he was the classic popular kid who was a bully, but what was different was that he didn’t seem to Turns out he was absolutely a bully. There was an innocence there. I have been calling him an innocent bully. A bully who has no idea that the things he is saying are extremely rude and mean and potentially offensive. And apparently, she is the embodiment of entitlement. And so those were the features that I grabbed onto and I really enjoyed it. And I was like, well, what’s the vocal manifestation of this? That was the funniest thing for me.
richardson: New aspect of the character, yes. It’s the fact that he’s a self-confident nerd. I really appreciate that he’s not totally intimidating, but he’s got this confidence at this level of maturity, but then immaturity here and there and his selfishness. I really appreciate that. And how does he get from here to there. I’m very curious to see how this plays out and his composure. He is a quiet shaggy.
“Velma” is streaming now on HBO Max.
