Daphne Blake

Daphne Blake is a fictional character in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. She is a core member of Mystery Incorporated and is depicted as coming from a wealthy family. She is noted for her beauty, fashion sense, and her knack for getting into danger, hence the nickname "Danger-Prone Daphne".

Character description

Daphne Blake is a core member of Mystery Inc., working alongside Fred Jones, Velma Dinkley, Shaggy Rogers, and Shaggy's Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, to solve various mysteries. In the first series, she is depicted as a beautiful, enthusiastic, and eager-to-help character, though she is occasionally clumsy and prone to getting into dangerous situations, earning her the nickname "Danger-Prone Daphne." She sometimes follows her intuition and, at times, takes on the role of the damsel in distress, occasionally being kidnapped, tied up, and imprisoned. However, as the franchise progressed, her character evolved into a more independent and capable investigator. Daphne is also known for frequently using the exclamation "Jeepers" to express surprise, first appearing in the ''Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'' episode ''What the Hex Going On?''.

The character of Daphne Blake was inspired by Thalia Menninger, a sophisticated teenage character portrayed by Tuesday Weld, in the late 1950s and early 1960s American sitcom '' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis''.

Character background

In most cases, Daphne is from the fictional town of Coolsville and met the rest of Mystery Incorporated at a young age. She is often depicted as being from a wealthy family. According to '' Scooby-Doo: Behind the Scenes'', Daphne aspired to become both a supermodel and a detective from a young age, though her interest in detective work disappointed her parents. Her father provided the initial funding that enabled her and her friends to begin their investigative pursuits.

In Mystery Incorporated, Daphne is from Crystal Cove, where she attends school. This version lives with her parents Nan and Barty Blake, and has five sisters.

In the fourth incarnation of the series, '' Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo'', several episodes focused on Daphne.

When the original Mystery Inc. group took a hiatus from the franchise in the 1980s, Daphne was initially absent too, with the series focusing on the comedy antics of Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy. However, when the "Whodunnit?" aspect returned to the series with '' The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show'' (later retitled ''The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries)'', Daphne returned, now an accomplished investigator assisted by Shaggy and the two dogs, investigating supernatural occurrences. She continued to help Scooby battle evil forces of the supernatural in the '' 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'' series.

In the film '' Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island'', Daphne had a very successful investigative TV series called ''Coast to Coast with Daphne Blake'' on a fictional channel called "Americana", which the show had aired on for two seasons. The producer of the show was Fred Jones.

Following the first live action Scooby-Doo film Daphne next appeared in '' What's New Scooby-Doo?''. This incarnation, as well as in the animated films of the time, gave Daphne a more active role within the team, reflecting the live action incarnation of the character. She would take on many new attributes, such as being an accomplished surfer, martial artist, and using her knowledge on makeup and fashion for tactical purposes.

In '' Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!'', Daphne develops a kooky personality and performs multiple hobbies such as doing hand puppets, beards, sleepovers, vampires, and even mascot costumes.

Love interests

Throughout the various incarnations of the character, there has been speculation that Daphne and Fred had an attraction toward each other. This is emphasized in many of the direct-to-video films and the TV series '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated''. By the time of the second season, they are shown to be actively dating, showing more of their feelings toward each other. In the first live-action ''Scooby-Doo'' film, the two initially are not involved but they begin to develop a romantic interest in each other and briefly kiss after saving Spooky Island. In the sequel '' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'', they are in a relationship.

Daphne would sometimes show attraction to other male characters throughout the series, sometimes to Fred's jealousy. This was reflected in Daphne with characters such as Jessica making Daphne protective of Fred.

Initially, the 2002 ''Scooby-Doo'' would have had Velma "eyeballing" Daphne, but this was later scrapped.

Performers

* Stefanianna Christopherson (1969–1970; '' Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'' (season one))
* Heather North (1970–1997, 2003; ''Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'' (season two), '' The New Scooby-Doo Movies'', '' The Scooby-Doo Show'', '' Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo'', '' The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show'', '' The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'', '' Johnny Bravo'', '' Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire'', '' Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico'')
* Norma MacMillan (1971; Kenner Talking Show Projector record)
* Robyn Moore (1981; Pauls commercial)
* Kellie Martin (1988–1991; '' A Pup Named Scooby-Doo'')
* Mary Kay Bergman (1998–2000; '' Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island'', '' Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost'', '' The Scooby-Doo Project'', '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery of the Fun Park Phantom'', '' Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders'')
* Grey DeLisle (2000–present)
* Rachel Kimsey (2001; ''Scooby-Doo! in Stagefright - Live on Stage'')
* Carmen Llywelyn (2001; lookalike in '' Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'')
* Sarah Michelle Gellar (2002–2005, 2012, 2018; ''Scooby-Doo'', '' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'' (live-action), ''Robot Chicken'' (voice))
* Emily Tennant (2004; ''Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'' (young Daphne in a flashback sequence))
* Adrienne Wilkinson (2004; '' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed: The Video Game'')
* Cree Summer (2005; ''Drawn Together'')
* Selina MacDonald (2009; ''Scooby-Doo! and the Pirate Ghost - Live on Stage'')
* Kate Melton (2009–2010; '' Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins'', '' Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster'')
* Rachel Ramras (2011, 2013; '' Mad'')
* Melissa Rapelje (2013; ''Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries'')
* Julia Cave (2014; ''Scooby-Doo Live! The Mystery Of The Pyramid'')
* Erin Cottrell (2015; ''Robot Chicken'')
* Charlie Bull (2016; ''Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries'')
* Sarah Jeffery (2018; '' Daphne & Velma'')
* Amanda Seyfried (2020; '' Scoob!'')
* Mckenna Grace (2020–2022; ''Scoob!'', '' Scoob! Holiday Haunt'' (both as a child))
* Samantha De Benedet (2020; ''Scooby-Doo! and the Lost City of Gold'')
* Constance Wu ('' Velma'')
* Sabrina Carpenter (''Saturday Night Live'')

Appearance

Her usual appearance in the franchise consists of a purple mini-dress, pink pantyhose, purple shoes, and a green scarf. In '' Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island,'' '' Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost,'' and '' Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase'', she wears a purple and green three-piece suit with matching shoes. In '' Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders'', she wears a purple sleeveless shirt with pink shorts and purple trainers boots or shoes. She no longer wore her green scarf in '' What's New, Scooby Doo?'', but still had purple mini-dress, pink pantyhose and purple shoes. In " Mystery Incorporated" she temporarily wore a black choker, long black gloves, long boots, black skirt, and a black corset exposing her navel when she became the temporary Hex Girl, Crush.

As a child, she wears a pink sweater, red skirt, and pink pantyhose with white go-go boots, which she hates getting dirty. In '' The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'', she wears other purple and pink clothes, such as a purple jumpsuit and a purple dress with a white belt. In live action, she wears many different outfits, all in shades of purple or pink. She wears many disguises throughout her many incarnations, as does every member of the group.

Relatives

Relatives of Daphne's shown or mentioned during the series include:

*Elizabeth and Nedley Blake: Daphne's parents in '' A Pup Named Scooby-Doo'', '' The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show'' and '' Daphne and Velma''. They are wealthy from Nedley's bubble bath business.
*Nan and Barty Blake: Daphne's parents in '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated''. They are a wealthy couple who disagree with Daphne's crime solving.
*Daisy, Dawn, Delilah, and Dorothy Blake: Daphne's sisters, that are identical, from '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated''. She has a fifth unnamed sister, and all five have successful careers.
*Donna and Linda Blake: Daphne's adoptive mothers in '' Velma''. They are detectives.
*Sandy Blake: Daphne's resort owner uncle in '' Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie''.
*Shannon Blake: Daphne's Scottish cousin in '' Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster''
*John Maxwell: Daphne's movie director uncle in '' Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!''.
*Olivia Dervy: Daphne's maternal aunt in '' The Scooby-Doo Show''.
*Matthew "Matt" Blake: Daphne's cattle rancher uncle in '' The Scooby-Doo Show''
*Jennifer Blake: Daphne's student cousin in '' The Scooby-Doo Show''
*Danica LeBlake: Daphne's French fashion model cousin in '' What's New, Scooby-Doo?''.
*Anna Blake: Daphne's young cousin from '' Scooby-Doo! First Frights''.
*Johnny Zoom: Daphne's race-car driver cousin from DC Comics.
*Various aunts and uncles in comics, including; Dan, Esther, Europa, Gea, Helen, Maggie, Murray, Randolph, Saul, and Verner. She also mentions an Uncle Julius in '' What's New, Scooby-Doo?''.

In other media

Daphne was portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the film ''Scooby-Doo'' and its sequel, '' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'' and voiced in the animated series ''Robot Chicken''. Her husband Freddie Prinze Jr. played Fred in the same films and ''Robot Chicken.''

In these films, Daphne and Fred began a relationship in the first film that followed on through the second. Unlike the previous incarnation of the character, Gellar's version of Daphne is trained in martial arts during Mystery Inc.'s 2-year-long departure in the first film, as she is tired of being a damsel in distress on every case that she is involved in with the gang. Coincidentally, this subversion of the damsel in distress to a strong female fighter almost mirrors Gellar's widely recognized role of the title character in the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. Though in the first film, she is captured by the masked wrestler Zarkos, but she beats him in a fight at the end.

Daphne is portrayed by Kate Melton in the third film '' Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins'' (released as a TV film in 2009) and its sequel '' Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster'' (which debuted in 2010). Daphne is the president of the drama club at Coolsville High School and the lead in a school musical.

Amanda Seyfried voices the character for the animated film '' Scoob!'' while Mckenna Grace voices the younger version of Daphne.

On February 10, 2021, it was announced that an adult-oriented ''Scooby-Doo'' streaming television series, '' Velma'', would be released to HBO Max, following the various members of Mystery Inc. involved in a " love quadrangle", with Daphne portrayed as a foundling adopted by two mothers, with "complicated feelings" for Velma. In the fifth episode, it's revealed her biological parents are part of a '' Captain Caveman'' cult.

In the second issue of ''The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries'' from 2022, the character temporarily took on the mantle of Batgirl.

Daphne appears in many other Scooby-Doo videogames, books, comics, and other merchandise.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Daphne
Television characters introduced in 1969
Fictional amateur detectives
Fictional American detectives
Fictional paranormal investigators
Fictional socialites
Scooby-Doo characters
Comedy film characters
Animated human characters
Female characters in animation
Female characters in film
American female characters in television
Teenage characters in film
Teenage characters in television
Female characters in animated films
Child characters in animated films
Child characters in animated television series
Female characters in animated television series
Teenage characters in animated films
Animated characters introduced in 1969
Fictional female amateur detectives