Boop-oop-a-doop! Quinta Brunson is playing Betty Boop in new film
The West Philly native was inspired after learning more about Betty’s origins and wanted to explore the relationship between the cartoon and her creator, Max Fleischer.
West Philly-raised comedian Quinta Brunson will develop and star in a new film about the famous cartoon dancer Betty Boop, Variety reported this week.
Through her production company, Fifth Chance Productions, the Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary showrunner is partnering with Mark Fleischer, whose grandfather Max Fleischer created Betty Boop and cofounded Fleischer Studios, which is also attached to the project.
The feature film, currently in development, will focus on the relationship between Fleisher, the creator, and his character, Betty, who evolves into a global sensation in her own right. The short, curly-haired flapper became one of the first female animated stars after debuting in the 1930s.
With her catchphrase, “boop-oop-a-doop,” the flirty and sassy singer-dancer appeared in more than 100 cartoons and most recently earning her own musical, BOOP!, which received three Tony Award nominations last year.
“Betty Boop is one of our nation’s most beloved cartoon characters, yet somehow still remains pleasantly niche. She has had a quiet but undeniable impact on culture for nearly a century,” Brunson told Variety in a statement.
She said she was inspired after learning more about Betty’s origins, and added that she wants to tell a deeper story “that could be explored in a way that feels refreshing, subversive, and timeless, much like Betty herself.”
“When Quinta first approached me with the unique concept of a movie about the relationship of my grandfather, Max Fleischer, and his creation, Betty Boop, I was breathtaken,” said Mark Fleischer, chairman and CEO of Fleischer Studios, in a statement to Variety. “Quinta so embodies Betty’s love of life, intelligence, humor, sassiness, and compassion that the relationship between her as Betty and Max burst into life at its mere mention.”
For Brunson, the role of a cartoon sex symbol represents an exciting departure from her recent years playing Philly public schoolteacher Janine Teagues, the awkward and earnest do-gooder of Abbott Elementary. Betty Boop’s signature look will have Brunson in a red minidress, flashy gold jewelry, and heels — which might be a welcome wardrobe change after five seasons in bright multicolored sweaters.
