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Zooey Claire Deschanel (; born January 17, 1980) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She made her film debut in '' Mumford'' (1999) and had a supporting role in
Cameron Crowe Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, and playwright. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at '' Rolling Stone'' magazine, for w ...
's film '' Almost Famous'' (2000). Deschanel is known for her
deadpan Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...
roles in comedy films such as '' The Good Girl'' (2002), '' The New Guy'' (2002), '' Elf'' (2003), '' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (2005), '' Failure to Launch'' (2006), '' Yes Man'' (2008), '' 500 Days of Summer'' (2009) and '' Our Idiot Brother'' (2011). She has also ventured into dramatic film territory with '' Manic'' (2001), ''
All the Real Girls ''All the Real Girls'' is a 2003 American romantic drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green and starring Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham and Patricia Clarkson. It is about the romance between a young, small-town womaniz ...
'' (2003), '' Winter Passing'' (2005), '' Bridge to Terabithia'' (2007), ''The Happening'' (2008) and '' The Driftless Area'' (2015). From 2011 to 2018, she starred as Jessica Day on the Fox sitcom '' New Girl'', for which she received nominations for a
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
and three
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
. For a few years starting in 2001, Deschanel performed in the
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
act ''
If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies was a cabaret act featuring American actresses Zooey Deschanel and Samantha Shelton. They performed around Los Angeles, California for a short time in the early 2000s. The name of the act was taken from the tit ...
'' with actress
Samantha Shelton Samantha Sky Shelton (born November 15, 1978) is an American actress and singer. Early life Samantha Shelton was born in Los Angeles, California, to director Christopher and Carol Stromme. She has three older sisters: Koren, Erin, and fellow ac ...
. In 2006, Deschanel teamed up with M. Ward to form She & Him, and subsequently released their debut album, '' Volume One'', in 2008. They have since released six albums: '' Volume Two'' (2010), '' A Very She & Him Christmas'' (2011), '' Volume 3'' (2013), ''
Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
'' (2014), '' Christmas Party'' (2016), and '' Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson'' (2022). She received a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Song Written for Visual Media The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (including its previous names) is the Grammy Awards awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media. Recipients * Each year is linked t ...
for "So Long", which was featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 film ''
Winnie the Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character w ...
''. Besides singing, she plays keyboards, percussion, banjo, and ukulele. Deschanel is also a co-founder of the female-focused website
HelloGiggles HelloGiggles.com is an entertainment and lifestyle website launched in May 2011. It was founded by actress/musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rivka Rossi and writer Molly McAleer. The website is geared toward women, and covers topics in ...
, which was acquired by
Time, Inc. Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...
in 2015.


Early life

Deschanel was born in Los Angeles, California, the younger daughter of cinematographer and director
Caleb Deschanel Joseph Caleb Deschanel, (born September 21, 1944) is an American cinematographer and director of film and television. He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography six times. He is a member of the National Film Preservat ...
and actress Mary Jo Deschanel (née Weir). Her paternal grandfather was French, from
Oullins Oullins () is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France. It is a suburb of the city of Lyon, and is adjacent to it on the southwest. Population Transport *Several Buses (C7, C10, 8, 12, 14, 17, 63 ...
, Rhône, and her paternal grandmother came from a
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...
family; she also has Swiss, Dutch, English, Irish, and other French ancestry. She was named after
Zooey Glass Zooey is a given name. Those bearing the name include: *Zooey Deschanel, an American actress and singer named after the Salinger novel. (She pronounces it as "Zoë.")
, the male protagonist of J. D. Salinger's 1961 novella '' Franny and Zooey''. Her older sister is actress
Emily Deschanel Emily Erin Deschanel (; born October 11, 1976) is an American actress. She portrayed Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan in the Fox crime procedural series '' Bones'' (2005–2017). Early life Deschanel was born in Los Angeles, California, to c ...
, who starred in the Fox crime comedy-drama series '' Bones''. Deschanel lived in Los Angeles, but spent much of her childhood traveling because her father shot films on location; she later said that she: She attended
Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
, a private preparatory school in Santa Monica, where she befriended future co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson. She sang throughout high school, planning to pursue a career in musical theatre and attending
French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts (or simply French Woods Festival or French Woods), is a private, co-educational performing and visual arts camp for youth aged 7 to 17. Located in Hancock, New York, French Woods is among the most presti ...
. She attended
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
for nine months before dropping out to pursue acting.


Acting career


1999–2002: Early acting credits

Deschanel had a guest appearance on the television series '' Veronica's Closet'' in 1998. She made her film debut in
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the '' Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
's comedy '' Mumford'' (1999), revolving around the neurotic residents in a small town and co-starring Hope Davis,
Jason Lee Jason Lee may refer to: Entertainment *Jason Lee (actor) (born 1970), American film and TV actor and former professional skateboarder *Jason Scott Lee (born 1966), Asian American film actor * Jaxon Lee (Jason Christopher Lee, born 1968), American v ...
,
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard (; born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer, along with Regina King), ...
and Mary McDonnell. That same year, she appeared in a non-singing role in the music video for The Offspring's single " She's Got Issues", which premiered on September 27, 1999. Deschanel was a judge for the ninth Independent Music Awards. In 2005, she modeled for
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chane ...
and
Clements Ribeiro Clements Ribeiro is a London-based fashion house established in the early 1990s by husband and wife partnership Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro. It is known for its feminine designs, bold prints and luxurious knitwear. Named as one of fashio ...
, and in 2010, she signed to represent Rimmel. Deschanel co-starred in
Cameron Crowe Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, and playwright. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at '' Rolling Stone'' magazine, for w ...
's semi-autobiographical '' Almost Famous'' (2000), where she played Anita Miller, the rebellious older sister of a teenage journalist. Despite a modest box office response, the film received critical praise, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Film – Musical or Comedy. Deschanel appeared in the independent drama '' Manic'' (2001), as the love interest of a troubled teen (
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt (; born February 17, 1981) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his leading performances ...
). The film was screened at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...
and received a limited theatrical release. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' found Deschanel to be "particularly spontaneous, unaffected and emotionally direct" in her role. Following early notice, Deschanel took on supporting parts in four feature films released throughout 2002: ''Big Trouble'', '' The New Guy'', '' The Good Girl'', and '' Abandon''. In the comedy ''Big Trouble'', with Tim Allen and Rene Russo, she played the daughter of a devoted and reluctant woman, and in the teen comedy ''The New Guy'', starred as a guitar player in a band. Deschanel portrayed a cynical, plain-spoken young woman working in a
big-box store A big-box store (also hyperstore, supercenter, superstore, or megastore) is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain of stores. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store. The te ...
in the black dramedy ''The Good Girl'', opposite
Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
and Jake Gyllenhaal. The psychological thriller ''Abandon'' saw her play the roommate of a woman involved in her boyfriend's disappearance. Deschanel also made a one-episode appearance in ''
Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...
'', as Roz's out-of-control Cousin, Jen. ''The New York Times'' reported that Deschanel was "one of Hollywood's most sought-after young stars", in 2002, and the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' wrote in early 2003 that Deschanel had become a recognizable type, due to "her deadpan, sardonic and scene-stealing
ilm Ilm or ILM may refer to: Acronyms * Identity Lifecycle Manager, a Microsoft Server Product * '' I Love Money,'' a TV show on VH1 * Independent Loading Mechanism, a mounting system for CPU sockets * Industrial Light & Magic, an American motion ...
performances" as the protagonist's best friend. Deschanel objected to her typecasting, arguing, "A lot of these roles are just a formula idea of somebody's best friend, and it's like, I don't even have that many friends. In high school, I stayed home all the time, so I don't know how I'm everybody's best friend now."


2003–2010: Breakthrough

Deschanel obtained her first leading film role debut in the independent drama ''
All the Real Girls ''All the Real Girls'' is a 2003 American romantic drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green and starring Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham and Patricia Clarkson. It is about the romance between a young, small-town womaniz ...
'' (2003) as Noel, a sexually curious 18-year-old
virgin Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
who has a life-changing romance with an aimless 22-year-old. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was an arthouse success. Her performance received wide critical acclaim, and ''Variety'' remarked: "Performances are all credible and naturalistic, but standing out from the rest is Deschanel's work, which evinces an impressively direct connection to her character's emotions. The actress does a wonderful job presenting a young woman who is trying, with varying degrees of success, to give voice to all sorts of things she has never felt or expressed before". She received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress. Also in 2003, Deschanel starred opposite Will Ferrell in the Christmas comedy '' Elf'' as a deadpan department store worker and the love interest of a man raised by Santa's elves. Reviewers found the film to be a "spirited, good-natured family comedy" as part of an overall positive critical response; and, budgeted at US$33 million, ''Elf'' made US$220.4 million worldwide. In 2004, Deschanel starred in '' Eulogy'', and in 2005 played Trillian in the film adaptation of
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), BBC radio comedy, ''The H ...
's science fiction novel '' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. She acted in '' Winter Passing'' (2005), co-starring Will Ferrell. Deschanel next appeared in '' Failure to Launch'' (2006), as the neurotic roommate of
Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 ...
's character. She also had a recurring role in four episodes of the Showtime television series '' Weeds'' from 2006 to 2007 where she played Kat,
Andy Botwin This is a list of characters from the television series '' Weeds''. Nancy Botwin's family Nancy Botwin Nancy Botwin ( Mary-Louise Parker, leading character)—also known as Lacey LaPlante (season two) and Nathalie Newman (season six)—was a PT ...
's quirky ex-girlfriend. In September 2006, it was announced that Deschanel had signed on to play 1960s singer
Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and musician. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence. ...
in the film ''The Gospel According to Janis'', to be co-written and directed by Penelope Spheeris. The film was scheduled to begin shooting in 2006, but was then postponed indefinitely; it was then resurrected again, with a planned release date of 2012, before being cancelled altogether in 2011. Deschanel expressed frustration with the cancellation, saying she had spent three years working on imitating Joplin's scratchy singing voice. In 2007, Deschanel appeared in '' Bridge to Terabithia'', in which she played a quirky music teacher, and the animated film '' Surf's Up'', voicing a penguin. She took on the brief role of Dorothy Evans in the revisionist Western '' The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'' and starred in the B comedy '' Flakes'', which was released in only one theater. Deschanel starred as DG in the
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
miniseries '' Tin Man'', a re-imagined science fiction version of '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. It aired in December 2007. Deschanel also narrated the children's book ''Players in Pigtails''. She voiced Mary, Cletus's daughter in three episodes of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
'' since debuting on the April 27, 2008, episode, " Apocalypse Cow". In
M. Night Shyamalan Manoj Nelliyattu M. Night Shyamalan ( ; born August 6, 1970) is an Indian-American filmmaker and actor. He is best known for making original films with contemporary supernatural plots and twist endings. He was born in Mahé, India, and raise ...
's thriller '' The Happening'' (2008), she starred opposite
Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Mark Wahlberg, multiple accolades, including a B ...
as a couple trying to escape from an inexplicable natural disaster. Despite largely negative reviews, critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
felt that Wahlberg and Deschanel's performances "bring a quiet dignity to their characters", and globally, the film made US$163 million. She starred in the independent comedy '' Gigantic'' (2008), which screened at the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
and was distributed for a limited release in certain parts of the United States only. In the comedy '' Yes Man'' (also 2008), she played an unorthodox singer and the girlfriend of
Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy t ...
's character. The film grossed US$223.1 million around the world. Deschanel reunited with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the independent romantic drama about the development and demise of a relationship '' (500) Days of Summer'' (2009). The film garnered critical acclaim and became a "
sleeper hit In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little prom ...
", earning over $60 million in worldwide returns, far exceeding its $7.5 million budget. Mark Adams of the ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its Masthead (British publishing), masthead was simpl ...
'' found the film to be a "modern romance for grown-ups" and a "sweet-natured, funny, deeply-romantic tale" blessed with "top-notch performances by Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt, who are both charming and have real chemistry". In December 2009, Deschanel guest-starred in a Christmas episode of the Fox crime procedural comedy-drama '' Bones'', which was the first-ever on-screen pairing of the Deschanel sisters.


2010–present: ''New Girl'' and other projects

Deschanel was originally the top choice for Janet van Dyne / The Wasp in an early draft of
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television serie ...
's '' The Avengers'' in which she would have played a prominent role. However, once Scarlett Johansson was cast as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Deschanel was no longer in consideration to portray the Wasp with Janet's daughter Hope van Dyne taking up the mantle in the Infinity Saga, played by Evangeline Lilly. Deschanel starred in the comedy '' Our Idiot Brother'' (2011) as the independent and bisexual sister of a dimwitted but idealistic man (
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame i ...
). The production was screened at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...
, to a generally positive critical reception. She played Belladonna in the stoner fantasy-comedy '' Your Highness'' (2011), with Danny McBride and James Franco. The film received negative reviews and bombed at the box office. Describing her role, Roger Ebert noted in its review for the film: " eschanel isbrought onstage, quickly kidnapped by an evil sorcerer, spends a good deal of time as a captive in his lair, is rescued and lives happily ever after. She might as well be a mannequin, for all she's given to say and do. This intelligent, nuanced actress, standing there baffled. Used as a placeholder". Deschanel signed on to star as a bubbly and offbeat teacher Jessica "Jess" Day on the Fox sitcom '' New Girl'', created by Elizabeth Meriwether. She became a producer on the show and helped build the character, which she has described as a part of her, especially in regards to "the sort of enthusiasm and optimism" of her youth. The series premiered in September 2011, and ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' described her performance as "a role tailored to launch her from respected indie actor to certified elevisionstar, Deschanel soars, combining well-honed skills with a natural charm". She has received an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination and three Golden Globe nominations for her role. The series finale ran on May 15, 2018. Deschanel hosted ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' on February 11, 2012. That same year, she was featured in a commercial for the
iPhone 4S The iPhone 4S (originally styled as iPhone 4 S, retroactively stylized with a lowercase 's' as iPhone 4s as of September 2013) is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the fifth generation of the iPhone, succ ...
( Siri). In '' Rock the Kasbah'' (2015), she played a Los Angeles singer taken to
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
by her former manager (
Bill Murray William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on '' Saturday Nig ...
). Despite a US$15 million budget, the comedy only made US$3 million at the North American box office. She obtained the role of a mysterious woman in the neo-noir drama '' The Driftless Area'' (2015), screened at the
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. Tribeca was f ...
and released for VOD. She voiced a kind-hearted Bergen, Bridget, in the animated family comedy '' Trolls'' (2016), which grossed US$344 million worldwide. In December 2020, Deschanel appeared in the music video for
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
's song " Not the End of the World". In 2021, she co-hosted the ABC television series '' The Celebrity Dating Game'' with
Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998.
(born February 26, 1953), known professio ...
. In January 2022, she began cohosting ''Welcome to Our Show'', a ''New Girl'' rewatch podcast with co-stars Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris, distributed by
IHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbrella brand for iHe ...
.


Music career


Singing and performing

In 2001, Deschanel formed
If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies was a cabaret act featuring American actresses Zooey Deschanel and Samantha Shelton. They performed around Los Angeles, California for a short time in the early 2000s. The name of the act was taken from the tit ...
, a
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
act with fellow actress
Samantha Shelton Samantha Sky Shelton (born November 15, 1978) is an American actress and singer. Early life Samantha Shelton was born in Los Angeles, California, to director Christopher and Carol Stromme. She has three older sisters: Koren, Erin, and fellow ac ...
. The pair performed around Los Angeles. In March 2007, Deschanel contributed vocals to two songs "Slowly" and "Ask Her to Dance" on the album '' Nighttiming'' by
Jason Schwartzman Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician. Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjeeling Limited'' ( ...
's band
Coconut Records Coconut Records is a German record label formed in 1981 by producers Tony Hendrik and Karin Hartmann. The label has released multiple genres of music, including dance, schlager, eurodance, electronica, Hi-NRG, Dance-pop and R&B. Artists Art ...
. It was reported that Deschanel and M. Ward, who had previously performed with Deschanel on-stage, were recording music under the moniker She & Him. Their first album, titled '' Volume One'', was released by
Merge Records Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as an outlet for music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded ...
on March 18, 2008. It received a strong response from critics, with '' Paste'' magazine voting it the No. 1 Album of 2008. Patrick Caldwell of the ''
Austin American Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is owned by Gannett. The paper prints Associated Press, ''New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and ''Los Angeles Times'' internationa ...
'' wrote: "The album gently rambled through 13 tracks of sun-dappled pop, with a gentle Orbisonian charm and sweet, wistful vocals from Deschanel." Deschanel recorded "The Fabric of My Life" for a 2009 advertising campaign for Cotton Incorporated. On March 23, 2010, the second She & Him album, '' Volume Two'', was released. Deschanel and M. Ward both featured on ''
The Place We Ran From ''The Place We Ran From'' is the debut album by the alternative rock/alt country supergroup Tired Pony, released on July 5, 2010, through Polydor/Fiction in the United Kingdom and on July 28, 2010, in the United States by Mom and Pop. The album gre ...
'' (2010), the album by
Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...
member Gary Lightbody's side project, Tired Pony. Deschanel contributed vocals to the tracks "Get on the Road" and "Point Me at Lost Islands", while M. Ward contributed vocals and guitar to the track "Held in the Arms of Your Words" and guitar to the track "That Silver Necklace". Deschanel performed "
God Bless America "God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin during World War I in 1918 and revised by him in the run up to World War II in 1938. The later version was notably recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature s ...
" during the seventh-inning stretch in game three of the National League Championship Series between the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
and
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
on October 19, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco. On October 23, 2011, Deschanel performed "
The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the ...
" before game four of the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...
between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Rangers Ballpark in
Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region ...
. Deschanel contributed a cover of
Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
's " It's So Easy" for the tribute album '' Listen to Me: Buddy Holly'', released on September 6, 2011. She had previously appeared on '' Rave On Buddy Holly'', with She & Him performing " Oh, Boy!", released in June 2011. '' A Very She & Him Christmas'' was announced on Pitchfork.com in September 2011. The 12-track Christmas album was released October 25, 2011, under
Merge Records Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as an outlet for music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded ...
. On December 28, 2011, she and Joseph Gordon-Levitt recorded an informal version of "
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" is a popular song written in 1947 by Frank Loesser as an independent song. It was first recorded by Margaret Whiting in 1947 and first charted for The Orioles, peaking at No. 9 on ''Billboard''s Best-Selling ...
" for her HelloGiggles YouTube channel. It was immensely popular and within four days had over 6 million views. Deschanel was featured on bandmate M. Ward's sixth solo album, ''
A Wasteland Companion ''A Wasteland Companion'' is the seventh studio album from M. Ward, released in Australia and New Zealand on April 6, 2012; in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2012; and in the United States on April 10, 2012. ''A Wasteland Companion'' is the follo ...
'' (2012). During a May 2012 performance at the Ryman Auditorium, country music singer Loretta Lynn announced that she was in the development stages of creating a Broadway musical from her autobiography and Deschanel would play the title role., saying, "There's a little girl back stage that's going to do the play of ' Coal Miner's Daughter' on Broadway". She then brought Deschanel onstage and the two sang a duet of the title song. On September 21, 2012, it was announced that Deschanel was producing the comedy ''Must Be Nice'', written by ''New Girl'' consulting producer J. J. Philbin. She and Him's next album, '' Volume 3'' was released by
Merge Records Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as an outlet for music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded ...
in May 2013. In the 15-track album, Deschanel wrote eleven songs, while three others are cover songs. It debuted at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The band's fifth studio album, ''
Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
'', received a December 2014 release by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...
, and it features 13 covers of classic songs, recorded live and accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra. Response towards the album was positive, with Robert Hamm for '' Alternative Press'' writing that Deschanel "is a delight, at times coy and romantic, and in other moments, moody and pensive". She also appeared as a guest vocalist on
Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop music, pop composition, ex ...
's album '' No Pier Pressure'' (2015). She & Him's second Christmas album and sixth album overall, ''Christmas Party'', was released in 2016.


Film-related music

Deschanel made her on-screen singing debut in ''The New Guy'' (2002). In ''Elf'' (2003), she sings " Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Will Ferrell in the bathroom shower scene, "
Auld Lang Syne "Auld Lang Syne" (: note "s" rather than "z") is a popular song, particularly in the English-speaking world. Traditionally, it is sung to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. By extension, it is also often ...
" with James Caan on piano and with Leon Redbone on the soundtrack. Her piano composition "Bittersuite" was used thematically in the dark dramedy '' Winter Passing'' (2006), in which she co starred with Ferrell and
Ed Harris Edward Allen Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor and filmmaker. His performances in ''Apollo 13'' (1995), '' The Truman Show'' (1998), '' Pollock'' (2000), and '' The Hours'' (2002) earned him critical acclaim and Academy Award ...
, and also sings " My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean" in the film. In 2007, other singing credits followed: the television musical '' Once Upon a Mattress'' ("An Opening for a Princess", "In a Little While", "Normandy", and "Yesterday I Loved You"); an old cabaret song in '' The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'' ("A Bird in a Gilded Cage"); and the short film '' Raving'' (" Hello, Dolly!"). Deschanel and a cast of school children sing the
Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music ...
song "Someday" and War's " Why Can't We Be Friends?" in '' Bridge to Terabithia''. In ''Yes Man'' (2008), Deschanel sings several songs featured in the film and on the film soundtrack, and is shown singing "Uh-Huh" and "Sweet Ballad" with San Franciscan all-girl electro soul-punk group
Von Iva Von Iva was an all-girl electro soul-punk group out of San Francisco. Members *Jillian Iva Meador - vocals *Bex (Rebecca Kupersmith) - keyboards *Lay Lay (Kelly Harris) - drums Former members * Elizabeth Davis-Simpson - bass (ex-7 Year Bitch ...
in a fictional band called "Munchausen by Proxy". In '' 500 Days of Summer'' (2009), Deschanel sings a cover of
The Smiths The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to eme ...
's "
Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as the B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing" in 1984 and later featured on the compilation albums ''Hatful of Hollow'' and ''Loude ...
" and it appears on the soundtrack of the film, as performed by She & Him. She also sings a cover of "
Sugar Town "Sugar Town" is a song written by songwriter-producer Lee Hazlewood and first recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra in 1966. As a single released under the Reprise label, it peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in Dece ...
" by Nancy Sinatra. Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a music video, called ''Bank Dance'', directed by ''500 Days of Summer'' director
Marc Webb Marc Preston Webb (born August 31, 1974) is an American music video director and filmmaker. Webb made his feature film directorial debut in 2009 with the romantic comedy '' 500 Days of Summer'', and went on to direct ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' ...
, to accompany the film. It uses the She & Him song " Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?", and some complicated choreography, choreographed by Michael Rooney. Mason Novick, the film's producer said, "We made the short because Zooey came in and said, 'I have this idea ... because I didn't get to dance in the movie'" (as Gordon-Levitt did). Deschanel sings "The Greatest Most Beautiful Love Song in All the Land" with James Franco in the comedy '' Your Highness'' (2011). She also appears with M. Ward in a number of songs on the soundtrack album for Disney's animated version of ''
Winnie the Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character w ...
'' (2011), earning a
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (including its previous names) is the Grammy Awards awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media. Recipients * Each year is linked t ...
nomination for "So Long". Deschanel wrote and performed the theme song to ''New Girl''. Also, in season three's episode "Prince", the song "Fallinlove2nite" is sung by Deschanel and
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
. In ''Rock the Kasbah'' (2015), she sang a cover of Meredith Brooks's "
Bitch Bitch may refer to: * A female dog or other canine * Bitch (slang), a vulgar slur for a human female Bitch or bitches may also refer to: Arts and media Film and television * ''The Bitch'' (film), a 1979 film starring Joan Collins * ''Bitch ...
", which is featured in the soundtrack for the film. In 2016, Deschanel voiced Bridget, the scullery maid in the animated film ''Trolls''.


Other work

In May 2011, after the success of her HelloGiggles YouTube channel, Deschanel, along with producer Sophia Rossi and writer Molly McAleer, founded the website
HelloGiggles HelloGiggles.com is an entertainment and lifestyle website launched in May 2011. It was founded by actress/musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rivka Rossi and writer Molly McAleer. The website is geared toward women, and covers topics in ...
.com, an entertainment website geared towards women. HelloGiggles.com was acquired by Time, Inc. in 2015.


Personal life

Deschanel is allergic to eggs, dairy products and soy. She had a gluten allergy, but stated in a 2022 interview on ''
Armchair Expert ''Armchair Expert'' is a weekly podcast hosted by American actors Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. Each podcast features Shepard and Padman interviewing celebrities, journalists, and academics about "the messiness of being human". The podcast pr ...
'' that she no longer suffers from it. She used to be a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
, which she gave up because she found it difficult to eat enough calories on a vegan diet due to her sensitivities to wheat and soy. A year prior to giving up her vegan diet, she was featured on episode eight of season one of Bravo's '' Top Chef Masters'', in which the chefs participating in the competition were challenged to cater a vegan lunch party for her family and friends using no soy or gluten. After speaking with many food experts and farmers in her role as the host of the ATTN: series, ''Your Food's Roots'', she has since gone back to eating a vegetarian diet, citing the difficulty in knowing whether the animals used for meat have been sustainably and humanely raised. In December 2008, Deschanel became engaged to musician Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist for
Death Cab for Cutie Death Cab for Cutie is an American rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997. The band is currently composed of Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Zac Rae (ke ...
and The Postal Service. They married on September 19, 2009, near
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
, Washington. On November 1, 2011, they announced their separation. Deschanel filed for divorce on December 27, 2011, citing " irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on December 12, 2012. Deschanel confirmed her engagement to film producer Jacob Pechenik in January 2015, and they married in June 2015. They have two children: Elsie Otter, born in July 2015, and Charlie Wolf, born in May 2017. Deschanel and Pechenik announced their separation in September 2019. Her divorce was finalized on June 1, 2020. Deschanel started dating '' Property Brothers'' star Jonathan Scott after the announcement of her separation from Pechenik. They met while filming an episode of '' Carpool Karaoke: The Series'' in August 2019. In a 2022 interview on
Dax Shepard Dax Randall Shepard (born January 2, 1975) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker and podcast host. Since 2018, he has hosted ''Armchair Expert'', a podcast that interviews celebrities, journalists, and academics about their lives. Shepard ha ...
's podcast ''
Armchair Expert ''Armchair Expert'' is a weekly podcast hosted by American actors Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. Each podcast features Shepard and Padman interviewing celebrities, journalists, and academics about "the messiness of being human". The podcast pr ...
'', Deschanel revealed that she was diagnosed with combined type
ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inap ...
as child.


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* *
Zooey Deschanel
Video produced by '' Makers: Women Who Make America'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Deschanel, Zooey 1980 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American keyboardists 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Los Angeles American women pop singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American people of French descent American television actresses American ukulele players American voice actresses Crossroads School alumni Converts to Judaism Jewish American actresses Living people Northwestern University alumni Singers from Los Angeles She & Him members Jewish women singers Jewish American songwriters California Democrats Singer-songwriters from California American game show hosts