Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel Headshot

Actress • Musician • Singer • Songwriter

Birth Name: Zooey Claire Deschanel

Birth Date: January 17, 1980

Age: 44 years old

Birth Place: Los Angeles, California

Partners: Jonathan Scott

Siblings: Emily Deschanel

American actor Zooey Deschanel gained popularity after playing charmingly quirky characters in various films and TV shows, most notably "Elf" (2003), "Yes Man" (2008), "500 Days of Summer" (2009), and "New Girl" (Fox, 2011-18). Deschanel was born and raised in Los Angeles and grew up in a show business family. Her father is the esteemed Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, while her mother is an actor who was best known for playing Eileen Hayward on David Lynch's eerie mystery series "Twin Peaks" (ABC/Showtime, 1990-91, 2017).

Given her close proximity to the film industry, Deschanel counted the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson, both of whom also had parents in the film industry, as amongst her wide circle of friends growing up. She and her sister Emily, who would later go on to become a well-known actor in her own right, also had to travel a lot growing up, due to the nature of their father's work as a cinematographer, which Zooey found to be difficult.

Still, having been immersed in the exciting world of moviemaking since childhood, it was only natural that Deschanel, whose first name was inspired by one of the title characters in J.D. Salinger's novella Franny & Zooey, would want to become an actress. She nabbed her first film role in her late teens in the 1999 Lawrence Kasdan-directed comedy-drama "Mumford" (1999), and from there went on to nab supporting roles in "Almost Famous" (2000), "The Good Girl" (2002), and "The New Guy" (2002).

Then in 2003 Deschanel wowed critics with her first leading performance in the David Gordon Green-directed drama "All the Real Girls" (2003). Her role in the independently-produced "All the Real Girls" proved to be a boon to Deschanel's fledgling acting career, with more substantial roles to follow in the years ahead.

2003 was also the year Deschanel starred opposite Will Ferrell in the Christmas comedy "Elf," which was a hit with both audiences and critics. Throughout the remainders of the 2000s, Deschanel continued racking up a number of acclaimed film roles in movies like "The Good Life" (2006), "Yes Man," and "Gigantic" (2008). Then in 2009 she landed her breakout role as the title character and love interest of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character in the romantic comedy-drama "500 Days of Summer."

The film received widespread praise from critics, with Deschanel in particular being singled out for her riveting performance as an emotionally distant girlfriend who's cynical about the existence of true love. After the success of "500 Days of Summer," Deschanel gravitated towards network television with a starring role on the sitcom "New Girl." In the show, Deschanel played an offbeat teacher who shares an apartment with three men.

The series ran for 146 episodes and 7 seasons on Fox, earning Deschanel a Primetime Emmy nomination and 3 Golden Globe nominations in the process. As the series ended its run, Deschanel co-starred in the animated musical comedy "Trolls" (2017).

Throughout her acting career, Deschanel also moonlighted as a singer. She teamed up with the musician M. Ward in 2006 and together they formed the music duo She & Him. She & Him released 6 studio albums, including 2016's Christmas Party.

Furthermore, in addition to her acting Deschanel also founded the female-centered lifestyle website HelloGiggles.com in 2011. The website gained a devoted following and in 2015 Deschanel sold the site to the Time, Inc. corporation.

Credits

Harold and the Purple CrayonStream

Actor
Terry
Movie
2024
28%

What Am I Eating?Stream

Executive Producer
Reality
2023

What Am I Eating?Stream

Host
Reality
2023

Live with Kelly and MarkStream

Guest
Talk
2023

Trolls Band TogetherStream

Voice
Bridget
Movie
2023
64%

White House Christmas 2022

Host
Show
2022

StoryBots: Answer Time

Actor
Cat Burglar
Show
2022

StoryBots: Answer Time

Guest Star
Cat Burglar
Show
2022

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

Guest
Show
2022

Trixie MotelStream

Guest
Reality
2022

Dreamin' WildStream

Actor
Nancy
Movie
2022
90%

CBS Mornings

Guest
News
2021

PhysicalStream

Actor
Kelli
Series
2021
83%

The Celebrity Dating Game

Host
Game Show
2021

The Celebrity Dating Game: Extras

Host
Show
2021

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

Questlove's Potluck

Guest
Show
2020

Celebrity IOUStream

Self
Reality
2020

Gone Mental With Lior

Actor
Show
2020

The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show

Guest
Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Guest
Talk
2019

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Red Nose Day

Guest
Show
2018

DreamWorks Trolls Holiday

Voice
Bridget
Show
2017

Trolls HolidayStream

Actor
Bridget
Special
2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

Guest
Reality
2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

Self
Reality
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Trolls Christmas Special

Actor
Bridget
Movie
2017

Trolls Holiday

Voice
Bridget
Movie
2017

Brian Wilson & Friends

Music Performer
Show
2016

Harry

Guest
Talk
2016

TrollsStream

Voice
Bridget
Movie
2016
75%

A Toast to 2015!

Guest
Show
2015

Brian Wilson and Friends: A Soundstage Special Event

Music Performer
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James Corden

Guest
Talk
2015

Rock the KasbahStream

Actor
Ronnie
Movie
2015
7%

The Driftless Area

Actor
Stella
Movie
2015

Now That's Funny! On Set With TV's Hottest Comedies: A Paley Center for Media Special

Guest
Show
2014

Bamboo

Actor
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

New Girl: Cast and Creators Live at Paleyfest

Guest
Show
2013

2013 FOX Fall Preview: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

Brooklyn Nine-NineStream

Guest Star
Jessica Day
Series
2013
95%

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

The Arsenio Hall Show

Guest
Show
2013

New Girl: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

Katie

Guest
Talk
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

Guest
Show
2012

Larry King NowStream

Guest
Talk
2012

New GirlStream

Actor
Jess Day
Series
2011
95%

New GirlStream

Director
Series
2011
95%

Your Highness

Actor
Belladonna
Movie
2011

Our Idiot BrotherStream

Actor
Natalie
Movie
2011
71%

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Who Do You Think You Are?Stream

Guest Star
Reality
2010

Funny or Die Presents

Actor
Mary Todd Lincoln
Show
2010

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

Guest
Talk
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Talk
2009

500 Days Of SummerStream

Actor
Summer
Movie
2009
85%

The HappeningStream

Actor
Alma Moore
Movie
2008
18%

Yes ManStream

Actor
Allison
Movie
2008
46%

Gigantic

Actor
Harriet
Movie
2008

Tin ManStream

Actor
DG
Miniseries
2007

Chelsea Lately

Guest
Talk
2007

Tin Man

Actor
DG
Movie
2007

Surf's Up

Voice
Lani Aliikai
Movie
2007

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordStream

Actor
Dorothy Evans
Movie
2007
77%

Bridge to Terabithia

Actor
Miss Edmunds
Movie
2007

The Go-Getter

Actor
Kate
Movie
2007

Flakes

Actor
Miss Pussy Katz
Movie
2007

The Good Life

Actor
Frances
Movie
2007

Players in Pigtails

Narrator
Show
2006

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

Failure to LaunchStream

Actor
Kit
Movie
2006
23%

Live Free or Die

Actor
Cheryl
Movie
2006

BonesStream

Guest Star
Margaret Whitesell
Series
2005
90%

WeedsStream

Guest Star
Kat
Series
2005
70%

So You Think You Can DanceStream

Guest
Reality
2005

American DadStream

Guest Voice
Dream Girl
Series
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

Winter Passing

Actor
Reese Holden
Movie
2005

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyStream

Actor
Tricia McMillan ("Trillian")
Movie
2005
60%

Once Upon a Mattress

Actor
Lady Larken
Movie
2005

Cracking Up

Guest Star
Show
2004

Bamboo

Actor
Movie
2004

Eulogy

Actor
Kate Collins
Movie
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Real Time With Bill MaherStream

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

All the Real Girls

Actor
Noel
Movie
2003

ElfStream

Actor
Jovie
Movie
2003
85%

The New Guy

Actor
Nora
Movie
2002

Big Trouble

Actor
Jenny Herk
Movie
2002

AbandonStream

Actor
Samantha
Movie
2002
16%

The New Guy

Actor
Nora
Movie
2002

The Good Girl

Actor
Cheryl
Movie
2002
82%

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Manic

Actor
Tracy
Movie
2001

Almost FamousStream

Actor
Anita Miller
Movie
2000
89%

Mumford

Actor
Nessa Watkins
Movie
1999

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1998

Veronica's Closet

Guest Star
Series
1997

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Siegfried e Roy - Mestre do Impossível

Actor
Movie
1996

FrasierStream

Guest Star
Jen
Series
1993
95%

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
Talk
1992

The SimpsonsStream

Guest Voice
Mary Spuckler
Series
1989
85%

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Guest
Series
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Guest Star
Series
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

Today

Music Performer
News
1952

News aboutZooey Deschanel

Isaiah Washington as Dr. Preston Burke and Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang on 'Grey’s Anatomy', David Schwimmer as Ross Geller and Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green on 'Friends', and Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter and Katie Holmes as Joey Potter in 'Dawson's Creek'

11 TV Breakups We Did Not See Coming

Will Ferrell-'Elf'

It’s ‘Elf’s 20th Anniversary! 3 Fun Facts About Will Ferrell Holiday Hit

Zooey Deschanel & Rose Byrne Physical Season 3
Exclusive

‘Physical Final Season:’ Zooey Deschanel Asks Rose Byrne What the ‘D’ Stands For (VIDEO)

'Friends,' 'Glee,' and 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'

‘New Girl,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ & More of TV’s Most Memorable Friends-to-Lovers Romances

Zooey Deschanel in 'What Am I Eating? With Zooey Deschanel'
Q&A

Zooey Deschanel Debunks Food Mysteries in Max’s ‘What Am I Eating?’

Zooey Deschanel attends the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala

Zooey Deschanel to Go On Culinary Journey in Discovery+’s ‘What Am I Eating?’

Zooey Deschanel

‘Physical’ Season 3: Zooey Deschanel Cast in Apple TV+ Dark Comedy

Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott in Carpool Karaoke

‘Carpool Karaoke’ Season 5: Zooey Deschanel, CM Punk & More Join Apple TV+ Show (VIDEO)

New Girl - Zooey Deschanel, Hannah Simone, and Lamorne Morris

‘New Girl’ Stars Reunite to Host Rewatch Podcast ‘Welcome to Our Show’

Hannah Brown, Taye Diggs, Iggy Azalea

Hannah Brown, Taye Diggs & Iggy Azalea Will Look for Love on ‘Celebrity Dating Game’ (VIDEO)

Celebrity Dating Game Zooey Deschanel Michael Bolton

Zooey Deschanel & Michael Bolton to Host ‘The Celebrity Dating Game’ on ABC

Celebrity IOU Zooey Deschanel
Preview

‘Celebrity IOU’s EP on the Stars Joining ‘Property Brothers’ Jonathan & Drew Scott in Season 2

new-girl-series-finale
Exclusive

‘New Girl’ Series Finale Sneak Peek: Is Jess & Nick’s Wedding Cursed? (VIDEO)

NEW GIRL
Exclusive

Lamorne Morris Talks Directing J.B. Smoove on ‘New Girl’ — Plus, a Sneak Peek! (VIDEO)

Screen Shot 2018-04-16 at 4.13.35 PM
Exclusive

‘New Girl’ Sneak Peek: Jess and Cece Confront Russell (VIDEO)

NG-S7_703-SC29-JG-CamA_0157_hires2

Ruth Bader Parekh Schmidt & Other Moments From the ‘New Girl’ Premiere

NEW_GIRL_Kitchen_0574.0565_V6_hires2
Exclusive

‘New Girl’ Premiere Sneak Peek: The Gang Gets This Farewell Party Started (VIDEO)

New Girl - Zooey Deschanel
Q&A

‘New Girl’: Zooey Deschanel Says Farewell to Jess

Hannah Simone and Zooey Deschanel in New Girl

‘New Girl’: Hannah Simone’s Cece Was Just Snubbed by Funko’s New Collection

Jake Johnson and Zooey Deschanel in New Girl

‘New Girl’ Final Season Photos Reveal Major Spoiler

New Girl Cast

‘New Girl’ Sets Season Premiere and Series Finale Dates

Macy's Celebrates Trolls At Herald Square With Justin Timberlake And Anna Kendrick

‘DreamWorks Trolls Holiday’ Musical Special Gets Air Date

Empire duo, Superbowl

Fox Throws the Best Super Bowl Party Ever—And You’re Invited

Jake Johnson and guest star Megan Fox in the 'Christmas Eve Eve' episode of New Girl

Megan Fox Makes ‘New Girl’s Holiday Bright (VIDEO)

Zooey Deschanel and Andy Samberg in a Brooklyn Nine-nine and New Girl crossover

How the ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’-‘New Girl’ Crossover Came Together

Brooklyn Nine-Nine New Girl crossover

First Look! ‘New Girl’ Goes to ‘Brooklyn’

New Girl

First Look! ‘New Girl’s Sixth Season Rocks the House (VIDEO)

Zooey Deschanel directing an episode of New Girl

First Look at the Deschanel Sisters Directing the Premieres of ‘New Girl’ and ‘Bones’

Zooey Deschanel and Prince in New Girl

Prince Didn’t Want the Kardashians on his ‘New Girl’ Episode (VIDEO)

New Girl - Jake Johnson and Zooey Deschanel

‘New Girl’: Jess and Nick Go Undercover and Infiltrate Each Other’s Dreams (VIDEO)

TV Bars - New Girl

Fox Renews ‘New Girl’ for Sixth Season

Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) on New Girl Season 5

‘New Girl’ Celebrates 100 Episodes—Plus, Jess Returns! (VIDEO)

Guest star Megan Fox and Hannah Simone in the 'Reagan' episode of New Girl

‘New Girl’: What Happens When Megan Fox Replaces Zooey Deschanel?