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Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Claire Deschanel (/ˈzi ˌdʃəˈnɛl/ ZO-ee day-shə-NEL; born January 17, 1980[1][2]) is an American actress and musician. She made her film debut in Mumford (1999) and had a supporting role in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous (2000). Deschanel is known for her deadpan 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), The Happening (2008), 500 Days of Summer (2009) and Our Idiot Brother (2011).[3][4][5] She has also ventured into dramatic film territory with Manic (2001), All the Real Girls (2003), Winter Passing (2005), Bridge to Terabithia (2007) and The Driftless Area (2015).[6][7] From 2011 to 2018, she starred as Jess Day on the Fox sitcom New Girl, for which she received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Claire Deschanel

(1980-01-17) January 17, 1980[1][2]
  • Actress
  • musician

1998–present

(m. 2009; div. 2012)
Jacob Pechenik
(m. 2015; div. 2020)

Jonathan Scott (2019–present; engaged)

2

Emily Deschanel (sister)

2001–present

For a few years starting in 2001, Deschanel performed in the jazz cabaret act If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies with actress Samantha Shelton.[8] 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 (2014), Christmas Party (2016), and Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson (2022). She received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media for "So Long", which was featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 film Winnie the Pooh. Besides singing, she plays keyboards, percussion, banjo, and ukulele.


Deschanel is also a co-founder of the female-focused website HelloGiggles, which was acquired by Time Inc. in 2015.[9]

Other work[edit]

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.com, an entertainment website geared towards women.[96] HelloGiggles.com was acquired by Time, Inc. in 2015.[9]

Personal life[edit]

Deschanel is allergic to eggs, dairy products, and soy.[97] She had a gluten allergy, but stated in a 2022 interview on Armchair Expert that she no longer suffers from it.[98] She used to be a vegan,[99] 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.[100] 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.[101] Deschanel is currently a pescetarian.[102]


In December 2008, Deschanel became engaged to musician Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist for Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service.[103] They married on September 19, 2009, near Seattle, Washington.[104] On November 1, 2011, they announced their separation.[105] Deschanel filed for divorce on December 27, 2011, citing "irreconcilable differences".[106] The divorce was finalized on December 12, 2012.[107]


Deschanel confirmed her engagement to film producer Jacob Pechenik in January 2015,[108] and they married in June 2015.[109] They have two children: a daughter born in July 2015, and a son born in May 2017.[110][111]


In August 2019, Deschanel met Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott while filming an episode of Carpool Karaoke: The Series.[112]


On September 6, 2019, Deschanel and Pechenik announced their separation.[113] Deschanel and Pechenik divorced on June 1, 2020.[114][115]


On August 13, 2023, Deschanel and Scott announced their engagement at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.[116]

at IMDb

Zooey Deschanel

on Instagram

Zooey Deschanel

Archived October 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Video produced by Makers: Women Who Make America

Zooey Deschanel