‘Betty Boop’ there it is: Quinta Brunson to star as animated icon for movie in the works with Fleischer family

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Quinta Brunson is taking a bet on Betty Boop.

I was so excited to read that Quinta Brunson, the amazing creator and star of “Abbott Elementary,” is developing a movie about Betty Boop! Apparently, she’s not only producing it through her company, Fifth Chance Productions, but she’s also going to star as Betty Boop herself. It’s fantastic that she’s collaborating with Mark Fleischer, the grandson of Betty Boop’s creator, Max Fleischer, and their Fleischer Studios – it feels like the perfect fit to keep the character’s legacy alive. Variety was the first to break the news, and honestly, I can’t wait to see what she does with it!

In a statement to The Times, Brunson highlighted Betty Boop as a nationally cherished cartoon character and explained that she saw potential for a more complex story after meeting with Max Fleischer and Erin Wehrenberg of Fifth Chance. The upcoming movie, according to the statement, will tell the story of Betty Boop’s beginnings and development, seen through Max Fleischer’s eyes. It will explore the connection between the artist and his creation, and the challenges he faced balancing artistic vision with commercial demands as he created a pioneering animated character that seemed to develop a personality of its own.

Betty Boop was created by animator Myron Natwick and first appeared in the 1930 cartoon “Dizzy Dishes,” part of the Fleischer Studios’ “Talkartoons” series. The Fleischer brothers asked Natwick to design a female character inspired by Helen Kane’s hit song, “Boop-Boop-A-Doop.” Originally, Betty was envisioned as a woman with a dog’s head, and her hairstyle was based on Kane’s. As the character gained popularity, Natwick updated the design, replacing the dog ears with earrings and making her nose smaller. However, Betty’s signature curvy figure, flapper hairstyle, and large eyes remained unchanged.

In 1932, Helen Kane filed a lawsuit against Fleischer Studios and Paramount, claiming that the cartoon character Betty Boop copied her voice, appearance, and style of scat singing. However, other performers argued that Kane hadn’t originated those elements, pointing to earlier artists like Baby Esther Jones, a Black jazz performer, and Florence Mills, a cabaret singer, as the true sources. The judge ultimately ruled in favor of Fleischer Studios and Paramount.

Betty Boop first became famous in animated cartoons from 1930 to 1939, with Mae Questel providing her voice. Her status as a glamorous and alluring character has made her a lasting icon for generations. Recently, the original design of Betty Boop as seen in the cartoon “Dizzy Dishes” became freely available for public use.

Mark Fleischer explained in a statement that Quinta perfectly captures Betty’s vibrant personality – her intelligence, humor, and kind heart – and that the connection between Betty and Max was instantly apparent whenever her name was mentioned.

Quinta Brunson is widely recognized for her role in the ABC comedy “Abbott Elementary,” but she first became known in the early 2010s through funny videos she posted on social media and her work with Buzzfeed. Before landing her hit show about teachers at a Philadelphia school with limited resources, she appeared in series like “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “iZombie.” “Abbott Elementary” became a popular success in 2021.

The hit show “Abbott Elementary” has won four Emmy Awards and will return for a sixth season on ABC, confirmed in March.

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2026-05-21 00:01