Mindy Kaling addresses 'Velma' casting backlash: 'There are Indian nerds'

Mindy Kaling really doesn't need to defend herself, but she does it so well.

The acclaimed actress, writer and producer unpacked the racist backlash that arose from the sewer (also known as the internet) around Velma, the forthcoming HBO Max animated series for which she will voice the titular character and executive produce.

"When it was announced that I was going to do the voice of Velma, people were very supportive and happy on Twitter, and so I felt great, because these are really intense fans, you know?" Kaling told Seth Meyers on Thursday's (July 23) episode of Late Night. "Cartoon, comic book, those are huge fans. You know well. You've produced animated shows before. And especially a legacy show like this."

"And then it was announced about a month ago that the Velma character would be reimagined as South Asian," the 42-year-old continued. "And people were not happy. ... First of all, I didn't know that she elicited such strong reactions in either direction. ... She's such a great character. She's so smart. And I just couldn't understand how people couldn't imagine a really smart, nerdy girl with terrible eyesight and loved to solve mysteries could not be Indian. Like, there are Indian nerds. That shouldn't be a surprise to people."

WarnerMedia announced the Scooby Doo spinoff in February:

"Velma is an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. An original and humorous spin that unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers, executive producer Mindy Kaling will voice the titular character. Charlie Grandy, Howard Klein and Sam Register also serve as executive producers. VELMA is produced by Warner Bros. Animation."

Kaling is plenty busy while that is still in early development.

The Office and Mindy Project alum debuted the second season of her hit coming-of-age Netflix series Never Have I Ever last Thursday (July 15), which was preceded by Disney Plus animated series Monsters at Work debuted (she voices Val), and her HBO Max creation The Sex Lives of College Girls is expected sometime this year. That is all before even mentioning she is writing the screenplay for—ehem—Legally Blonde 3, which will find Reese Witherspoon reprising her iconic role of Elle Woods.

Watch Kaling's Late Night appearance below.