| Valerie "Val" Toriello | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
First Appearance |
|
|
Last Appearance |
The Finale Part II |
|
Episode Count |
79 Episodes |
|
Nicknames |
Ms. Toriello (Maxwell Sheffield and Niles) Val (Fran Fine) |
|
Age |
30 (pilot) 36 (series end) |
|
Date of Birth |
1963 |
|
Occupation |
Bridal Shop Cashier (fired) |
|
Family/Spouses |
Mr. Toriello (father) |
|
Children |
Mai Ling (foster daughter, adopted with Fran) |
|
Portrayed by |
Rachel Chagall |
Valerie “Val” Toriello was born in 1963 in New York City, New York. She was a fictional character in the television situation comedy, The Nanny. She was played by actress Rachel Chagall.
Information
Val has been best friends with Fran Fine since elementary school, in Flushing, Queens, New York. When the show began, Val was working at the same bridal shop as Fran; she was present when Fran was fired from her job and dumped by her ex-boyfriend, Danny Imperiali, in favor of Fran’s arch-rival, Heather Biblow.
Val often comes across as dimwitted, which annoys and worries Fran. However, Fran once said jokingly that she became best friends with Val because she made her (Fran) look smarter. When she and Val disagree, Fran uses Val’s lack of intelligence as an insult. Val will often briefly take offense, but charmingly admits that Fran is the more intelligent after calming down, which builds the friendship and camaraderie between the two.
Like Fran, Val is initially unsuccessful in love; dating men occasionally but never settling down. At one point during the series, Val, Fran and Fran's sometime nemesis, C.C. Babcock bonded and swore off men for a while. However, at the end of the series, Val begins dating a pharmacist named Fred and became pregnant with his son.
At some point during the series Val loses her job at the bridal shop and in season six Maggie's Wedding she states that she is now working at a Krispy Kreme.
Val was a bridesmaid at Fran’s wedding.
In season one it is mentioned that Val’s father is a plumber and Fran states that Val is actually very mechanical.
Towards the end of the series, Val adopts an Asian daughter named Mai and became pregnant with a son she later stated she would name Henry.
Chagall’s character was named after Fran Drescher’s biological cousin named Erica Toriello.