Zooey Deschanel

The daughter of a cinematographer, actress Zooey Deschanel began her career as a guest star on the TV series Veronica’s Closet before making her film debut in Mumford.

In 2000, Deschanel appeared in the film Almost Famous as a rebellious older sister, followed by supporting roles in Manic, Abandon and The Good Girl.

She held her first lead role in All the Real Girls in 2003 and received an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Actress. That same year, Deschanel appeared alongside Will Ferrell in the box office holiday hit Elf. She went on to work with Sarah Jessica Parker in Failure to Launch and starred opposite Mark Wahlberg in The Happening. The actress landed one of her most notable roles in 2011, as Jess Day in Fox sitcom New Girl. She played this popular role from 2011 to 2018.

As a singer/songwriter, she released her 2008 debut album, Volume One, under the moniker She & Him. Her music was featured in the 2009 hit comedy (500) Days of Summer, where she also had the lead role opposite Joseph-Gordon Levitt.

Deschanel married Death Cab for Cutie front-man Ben Gibbard in September 2009 after a year of dating, and they divorced in 2012. She then married film producer Jacob Pechenik in 2015, with whom she had a son and daughter before divorcing in 2020. The actress is now engaged to Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott.