Zooey Deschanel is an American actress, model and singer-songwriter. She made her film debut in Mumford and next obtained a supporting role in Cameron Crowe’s film Almost Famous. From 2011 to 2018, she played Jessica Day on the Fox sitcom New Girl, for which she received an Emmy Award nomination and three Golden Globe Award nominations.
Birth Name
Zooey Claire Deschanel
Nickname
Zo, ZuZu
Profession
Actress, Model, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Genre
Indie Pop, Indie Folk, Alternative Country, Jazz
Instruments
Vocals, Piano, Ukulele
Labels
As part of the band, She & Him, She is signed with Merge Records, Double Six, Columbia Records.
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Zooey Deschanel was born on January 17, 1980 in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Age
She is currently 39 years old.
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Nationality
American
Ethnicity
White
Her ancestry includes Dutch, English, French, Irish and Swiss.
Religion
Roman Catholic
Education
Zooey attended a private preparatory school, Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, California. Later she attended French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. Finally, she enrolled herself into Northwestern University, but dropped out after spending nine months there.
Family Details
- Father – Caleb Deschanel (Cinematographer and director)
- Mother – Mary Jo Deschanel (Actress)
- Siblings – Emily Deschanel (Older Sister) (Actress)
Manager
She is managed by CAA (Creative Artists Agency). During 2012, she ended her agreement with them and instead signed to UTA (United Talent Agency). But, again in August 2013, she came back with CAA.
Marital Status
Married
Boyfriend / Spouse
Zooey Deschanel dated –
- Jason Schwartzman (2003-2005) – American actor and musician, Jason dated Zooey for about 2 years from 2003 to 2005. It was a low key relationship.
- Ben Gibbard (2008-2011) – “Death Cab for Cutie” rocker, Ben Gibbard started dating Zooey in 2008 and in December 2008, they got engaged. On September 19, 2009, the duo married near Seattle, Washington. But, after 2 years, the couple announced their separation in November 2011. Their divorce was finalized on December 12, 2012.
- Jamie Linden (2012-2014) – She started dating Jamie Linden in June 2012. She split from screenwriter in August 2014.
- Jacob Pechenik (2014-Present) – She started dating film producer, Jacob Pechenik in 2014. The duo engaged on January 17, 2015. They met while filming the 2015 film “Rock the Kasbah,” where Jacob was the co-producer and Zooey was in a starring role. The couple got married in June 2015. They have two children, daughter Elsie Otter (born July 2015) and son Charlie Wolf (born May 2017).
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 5 feet 6 inches
- In centimeters – 168 cm
- In meters – 1.68 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 55 kg
- In Pounds – 121 lbs
Body Measurements
- Measurements – 34-24-35
- Bust – 34 inches
- Waist – 24 inches
- Hip – 35 inches
- Bra Size – 32B
Body Build
Slim
Hair Color
She has naturally “Dark Brown” hair.
Eye Color
Blue
Dress Size
Her dress size is 4 (US).
Shoe Size
She wears a size 8 (US) shoe.
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Playing a lead role as Jessica “Jess” Day in Fox’s sitcom New Girl since 2011. She is also the producer of the show. She is also known for appearing in 2009 film (500) Days of Summer.
Film Debut
In 1999, Zooey played the role as Vanessa Watkins in an American comedy-drama film, Mumford.
Singer Debut
Zooey and musician M. Ward are the 2 members of the indie pop band She & Him, which was formed in 2006. In March 2008, the duo released their debut album Volume One via Merge Records.
Television Debut
Deschanel guest appeared in NBC’s sitcom Veronica’s Closet in 1998 for her role as Elena in an episode titled “Veronica’s Fun and Pirates Are Crazy”.
Brand Endorsements
She was the brand ambassador for Pantene Australia, and Pantene New Zealand in 2012. She also represents the cosmetic brand Rimmel. Additionally, she was featured in a commercial for iPhone 4S (Siri) in 2012.
Distinctive Features
- Dark brown thick and dry hair.
- Big blue eyes.
- Hair with bangs.
Awards & Nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mar del Plata International Film Festival | Best Actress | All the Real Girls | Won |
| 2004 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Female Lead | All the Real Girls | Nominated |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy | (500) Days of Summer | Nominated |
| 2011 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2012 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2012 | Grammy Awards | Best Song Written for Visual Media | Winnie the Pooh (song “So Long”) | Nominated |
| 2012 | Annie Awards | Music in a Feature Production | Winnie the Pooh | Nominated |
| 2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Fashion Icon | N/A | Nominated |
| 2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actress Comedy | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2012 | Critics’ Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | New Girl | Won |
| 2012 | The Comedy Awards | Comedy Actress | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2012 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2013 | Critics’ Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2013 | People’s Choice Awards | People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2013 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2014 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2016 | People’s Choice Awards | Favorite Comedic TV Actress | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2017 | People’s Choice Awards | Favorite Comedic TV Actress | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2017 | Annie Awards | Best Voice Acting | Trolls | Nominated |
Zooey Deschanel Favorite
- Favorite Perfume – Tom Ford’s Black Orchid
- Favorite Band – Beach Boys
- Favorite Actor – Matthew McConaughey
- Favorite Actress – Charlize Theron
Zooey Deschanel Net Worth
Zooey Deschanel’s net worth is estimated at around $25 million dollars.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook – Zooey Deschanel
- Instagram – zooeydeschanel
- Twitter – Zooey Deschanel
Some Lesser Known Facts About Zooey Deschanel
- Zooey Deschanel was named after a male protagonist, Zooey Glass from the 1961 novella Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger.
- Deschanel obtained her first leading film role debut in the independent drama All the Real Girls (2003) as Noel, a sexually curious 18 year old virgin who has a life changing romance with an aimless 22 year old.
- In 2001, Deschanel formed If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies, a jazz cabaret act with fellow actress Samantha Shelton.
- In 2004, Deschanel starred in Eulogy and in 2005, she played Trillian in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams’s science fiction novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
- Deschanel is also a co-founder of the female-focused website HelloGiggles, which was acquired by Time, Inc. in 2015.
- She had served as a judge for The Ninth Independent Music Awards.
- She became friends with Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson during her schooling at Crossroads.
- She has varied interests ranging from fashion, philosophy, photography and jazz singing.
- In 2012, she was at #12 in Askmen’s Top 99 Most Desirable Women.
- Visit her band She and Him’s official website @ sheandhim.com.
