Real Name : Zooey Claire Deschanel
Nick Name : Zo
Birth : 17 January 1980, Los Angeles, California, USA
Height : 5' 6"
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Zooey Deschanel was born in 1980 into a showbiz family. Her father, 'Caleb Deschanel' (qv) is an Academy Award-nominated cinematographer (perhaps most notably for _The Passion of the Christ (2004)_ (qv)) and her mother, 'Mary Jo Deschanel' (qv) (née Weir) is an actress who starred in _"Twin Peaks" (1990)_ (qv). Driven from an early age to become a successful actress, Zooey got her big break aged 17 playing a model in TV sitcom _"Veronica's Closet" (1997)_ (qv). She got her first film role the following year in _Mumford (1999)_ (qv), which prompted her to quit university to pursue acting full-time. Mostly thanks to a role in 'Cameron Crowe (I)' (qv)'s popular biopic, _Almost Famous (2000)_ (qv), Zooey's rise to fame has been steadily increasing as the 21st century wears on. Her distinctive acting style found her critical acclaim in 2003 when she was voted Best Actress at the Mar Del Plata Film Festival for her role in 'David Gordon Green' (qv)'s _All the Real Girls (2003)_ (qv). She also gained a Best Female Lead nomination (for _All the Real Girls (2003)_ (qv)) at the following year's Independent Spirit Awards, but lost out to 'Charlize Theron' (qv). Zooey is often compared to golden era Hollywood starlets and is also a talented singer. She has said in interviews that she believes her singing ability was pivotal in gaining the role of Jovie in _Elf (2003)_ (qv). She also sang (and acted) in the Disney-produced musical, _Once Upon a Mattress (2005) (TV)_ (qv).
Biography written by: Spiraling Shape
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- (500) Days of Summer (2009) [Summer Finn] <2>
- 2006 Independent Spirit Awards (2006) (TV) [Herself]
- Abandon (2002) [Samantha Harper] <4>
- All the Real Girls (2003) [Noel] <2>
- Almost Famous (2000) [Anita Miller] <6>
- Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: The Making of Tin Man (2007) (TV) [Herself] <1>
- Big Trouble (2002) [Jenny Herk] <11>
- Bridge to Terabithia (2007) [Ms. Edmunds] <3>
- Do It Again (2010) [Herself] <2>
- Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (V) [Herself] <18>
- Elf (2003) [Jovie] <6>
- Eulogy (2004) [Kate Collins] <3>
- Failure to Launch (2006) [Kit] <3>
- Flakes (2007) [Miss Pussy Katz] <5>
- Gigantic (2008) [Harriet 'Happy' Lolly] <2>
- House Hunting (2003) [Christy]
- Inside 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (TV) [Herself]
- It's Better to Be Wanted for Murder Than Not to Be Wanted at All (2003) [Gas Station Girl]
- Jim Carrey: Extreme Yes Man (2009) (V) [Herself]
- Live Free or Die (2006) [Cheryl] <5>
- Making of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (V) [Herself] <3>
- Manic (2001) [Tracy] <15>
- Mumford (1999) [Nessa Watkins] <7>
- My Idiot Brother (2011)
- Not a Love Story: Making (500) Days of Summer (2009) (V) [Herself]
- Once Upon a Mattress (2005) (TV) [Lady Larken] <4>
- Raving (2007) [Katie] <1>
- Summer at Sundance (2009) (V) [Herself]
- Sundance Skippy (2009) [Herself]
- Surf's Up (2007) (voice) [Lani Aliikai] <3>
- Surf's Up (2007) (VG) (voice) [Lani Aliikai] <3>
- Sweet Friggin' Daisies (2002) [Zelda] <1>
- The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004) (TV) [Herself (performer: In America segment)]
- The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards (2009) (TV) [Herself]
- The 51st Annual Grammy Awards (2009) (TV) [Herself - Presenter]
- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) [Dorothy Evans] <35>
- The Go-Getter (2007) [Kate] <2>
- The Good Girl (2002) [Cheryl] <6>
- The Good Life (2007) [Frances] <2>
- The Happening (2008) [Alma Moore] <2>
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) [Trillian] <4>
- The New Guy (2002) [Nora] <3>
- The Offspring Complete Music Video Collection (2005) (V) [The Girl (segment "She's Got Issues")]
- Untitled Groupie Project (2011) (TV)
- Whatever We Do (2003) [Nikki] <4>
- Winter Passing (2005) [Reese Holden] <1>
- Yes Man (2008) [Allison] <2>
- Your Highness (2011) [Belladonna]
- "Access Hollywood" (1996) {(2008-12-26)} [Herself]
- "American Dad!" (2005) {Stan Knows Best (#1.3)} (voice) [French Maid/Candy Striper Stripper]
- "Bones" (2005) {The Goop on the Girl (#5.10)} [Margaret Whitesell] <8>
- "Cartelera" (1994) {(2008-12-13)} [Herself]
- "Cracking Up" (2004) {Birds Do It (#1.2)} [Heidi]
- "Dinner for Five" (2001) {(#2.10)} [Herself]
- "Drunk History" (2007) {Drunk History Vol. 5: Featuring Will Ferrell (#2.1)} [Mary Todd Lincoln]
- "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) {(2007-06-11)} [Herself]
- "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) {(2009-01-01)} [Herself]
- "Frasier" (1993) {Kissing Cousin (#10.4)} [Jen] <6>
- "Funny or Die Presents ..." (2009) {(#1.1)} [Mary Todd Lincoln] <11>
- "HBO First Look" (1992) {Yes Man (#15.23)} (archive footage) [Allison]
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(#6.171)} [Herself - Guest] <2>
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(2005-05-03)} [Herself]
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(2006-03-06)} [Herself]
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(2009-07-22)} [Herself]
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(2010-04-05)} (as She & Him) [Herself] <4>
- "Last Call with Carson Daly" (2002) {(2002-08-07)} [Herself]
- "Last Call with Carson Daly" (2002) {(2006-03-10)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(2005-04-29)} [Herself]
- "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) {(#15.131)} [Herself - Guest] <2>
- "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) {(2002-07-30)} [Herself]
- "Making the Video" (1999) {Idiot Boyfriend} [Herself]
- "Making the Video" (1999) {The Offspring: She's Got Issues (#1.12)} [Herself]
- "Reel Comedy" (2003) {Big Trouble} [Herself]
- "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." (2008) {She & Him/Jenny Lewis/Jakob Dylan (#1.11)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (2005) {(#2.87)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (2005) {(#5.131)} [Herself] <2>
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (2005) {(#5.205)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(2003-02-11)} [Herself]
- "The Simpsons" (1989) {Apocalypse Cow (#19.17)} (voice) [Mary]
- "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" (2009) {(#1.24)} [Herself] <3>
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2002-10-14)} [Herself]
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2003-04-30)} [Herself]
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2004-09-29)} [Herself]
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2008-12-18)} [Herself] <3>
- "Tin Man" (2007) {Into the Storm (#1.1)} [DG] <1>
- "Tin Man" (2007) {Search for the Emerald (#1.2)} [DG] <1>
- "Tin Man" (2007) {Tin Man (#1.3)} [DG] <1>
- "Top Chef Masters" (2009) {Dietary Restrictions (#1.8)} [Herself]
- "Up Close with Carrie Keagan" (2007) {(2008-12-15)} [Herself]
- "Up Close with Carrie Keagan" (2007) {(2009-07-15)} [Herself] <2>
- "Veronica's Closet" (1997) {Veronica's Fun and Pirates Are Crazy (#1.12)} [Elena]
- "Weeds" (2005) {Doing the Backstroke (#3.1)} [Kat] <20>
- "Weeds" (2005) {Mile Deep and a Foot Wide (#2.10)} [Kat] <14>
- "Weeds" (2005) {Pittsburgh (#2.12)} [Kat] <18>
- "Weeds" (2005) {Yeah, Like Tomatoes (#2.11)} [Kat] <16>
- "Xposé" (2007) {(#3.67)} [Herself]
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- 'Benjamin Gibbard' (qv) (19 September 2009 - present)
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- "The Independent: Independent Life" (UK), 1 September 2009, Iss. 7141, pg. 14 - 15, by: Gill Pringle, "A new Annie Hall? - "People are either very cynical or overly romantic about love""
- "The Daily Telegraph" (UK), 27 April 2005, by: Heather Thompson, "Q&A: Zooey Deschanel"
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- "The Toronto Star" (Canada), 23 July 2008, by: Ben Rayner, "Indie Singer, Meet Pretty Baby"
- "The New York Times" (USA), 16 April 2008, Vol. 157, Iss. 54,282, pg. C1 & C4, by: Melena Ryzik, "On a New Album, Not Merely Acting Like a Singer"
- "Parade" (USA), 5 February 2006, pg. 32, by: James Brady, "In Step With: Zooey Deschanel"
- "Esquire" (USA), October 2002, Vol. 138, Iss. 4, pg. 116-117, by: Tom Chiarell, "5 More Women We Love"
- "Movieline" (USA), September 1999, Vol. XI, Iss. 1, pg. 15, by: Dennis Hensley, "Hype: Zooey Deschanel"
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- "Vogue" (USA), June 2000, pg. 249, by: Photos : Steven Meisel, "Short Cuts"
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- "Self" (USA), August 2009
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- TV commercial: Gap clothing "Down on Khaki Street", 2002
- Music video: Appears in the video for 'Jimmy Fallon' (qv)'s "Idiot Boyfriend" (2002).
- TV commercial (voiceover): The Swiffer (2003).
- Music video: Appeared in the video for 'The Offspring' (qv) song "She's Got Issues".
- TV commercial (voiceover): Maybelline make-up (2003).
- Sings a song on the soundtrack to _Elf (2003)_ (qv).
- CD (as "She and Him", w/M. Ward): "She and Him, Volume 1", 2008
- (May 29, 2009) Singer, for Elvis Costello's "Spectacle".
- (2009) TV commercial and song "Cotton: The Fabric of Our Lives"
- (2010) Print ads for Absolut Vodka along with Ellen Von Unwerth titled "Absolut Tini"
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- (November 2009) Filming Your highness. With James Franco and Natalie Portman.
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- I love old music, old movies, screwball comedies, vintage clothes and basically I'm an old-fashioned gal.
- I don't want to go to another rollercoaster ride of a movie. If I want that, I'll go to Magic Mountain. I'm really interested in the young directors that are doing different things in cinema. I think the movies people will hold onto are the _Rushmore (1998)_ (qv)s and the _Being John Malkovich (1999)_ (qv)s. Those are the kind of films I want to do; that's what I'm passionate about.
- I'm blessed with a lot of energy and stamina. I can't stand sitting still. I went to a spa once with my mom and I was like, "Get me out of here!'"
- I don't really like to go out very much. I'm not scandalous. I'm not, like, in this to be famous. I also find it so embarrassing when you read about people and it's like they were so trashed at Skybar and stumbling around. I don't want to be that person. That's just so embarrassing to have that written about you.
- I'm the worst at picking what movies are going to do well. I have no idea. I'm really surprised if a movie I like does well.
- For a while I was like, "Oh my God, anyone that would release an album as an actor is the biggest fool ever", but I happened to have sung all my life before I was an actor. Why are musicians allowed to become actors? No one ever gives them flack for that.
- I can do the Chipmunk voice and impressions of 'Judy Garland (I)' (qv), 'Debbie Reynolds (I)' (qv) and 'Julie Andrews (I)' (qv) in _The Sound of Music (1965)_ (qv). I could probably do the whole Von Trapp family.
- It's an addiction. I love clothes. I like to go down Melrose and look in all the windows and I go to different flea markets. I have lots of costumes. You never know when you're going to have to dress up like a milkmaid from the 1600s.
- I was labeled a 'theatre type' in high school, which made it hard to fit in and feel part of things.
- People say: "Oh yeah, jobs for the boys". I wish. You've got to fight even harder with a family like mine.
- You have to keep reminding yourself it's not about money, because there is a lot of money to be made in this business if you're willing to do whatever. But that's not what I'm thinking about. I continue only to take movies because I love the script and because I really want to do it.
- I don't think I'm very much like anyone else, really. I'm sure there are aspects of other actors that I share, but I don't see anybody else and go, "Damn, they stole my thing". I'm me, and I like that there are people who have an appreciation for that.
- I don't want to be a babe. I don't want vanity to ever get in the way, because I think to maintain that, you have to be aware of yourself all the time, and that gets in the way of acting. My job's not to be the beautiful person. My job is to be the best actor I can be.
- I always choose roles that are, you know, hopefully different from the last role. I don't wanna do the same thing over and over again because that's, well, first of all that's no fun.
- It's a lot harder to do an ensemble because your energy is going in so many different places, and you have to cover everybody. You have to sort of split your attention.
- [interview in "In Style" magazine, 9/06] The first album I ever got was "Like a Virgin". It was during the Iran Contra conflict-I thought she was saying, "Like a Persian".
- Always the aim for me is making people feel like they are not alone. That's just the greatest feeling.
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- Named for the male character in 'J.D. Salinger' (qv)'s "Franny and Zooey".
- Daughter of 'Caleb Deschanel' (qv) and 'Mary Jo Deschanel' (qv).
- Went to high school with her _Almost Famous (2000)_ (qv) co-star 'Kate Hudson (I)' (qv).
- Younger sister of actress 'Emily Deschanel' (qv).
- Graduated from Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica.
- She spent several summers at camp upstate New York at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. She was also featured in the video for 'The Offspring' (qv)'s song "She's Got Issues" and the accompanying MTV documentary _The Offspring Complete Music Video Collection (2005) (V)_ (qv). She also plays ukulele for the band 'If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies'.
- Attended Northwestern University for one year, but dropped out.
- Wrote a screenplay titled "Circus Girl" with friend 'Jackson Nash (I)' (qv). "Circus Girl" involves a witch, evil flying red balloons and a giant diamond. Zooey plans to star in the film as the nerdy main character.
- Is a big fan of actress 'Parker Posey' (qv).
- Interests include jazz singing, philosophy, fashion and photography.
- Did her own singing in the movie _Elf (2003)_ (qv).
- Plays the piano and the baritone ukulele.
- Has performed with 'Jackson Nash (I)' (qv)'s comedy group, Manifest Destinyfest.
- Turned down a role in _Bully (2001)_ (qv) to star in _Big Trouble (2002)_ (qv).
- Loves 'Ella Fitzgerald' (qv).
- Is part of the cabaret group called 'If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies'.
- She pronounces her name "ZOH-ee" (not "zoo-ee").
- Her last name is pronounced "day-shuh-NELL", with "day" slightly more accented than the middle syllable.
- Is part of indie duo called 'She & Him' (qv) with 'M. Ward' (qv). Their debut album is called Volume One.
- Ranked #95 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.
- Engaged to 'Benjamin Gibbard' (qv) of 'Death Cab for Cutie' (qv) (December 2008).
- Allergic to gluten, dairy, and eggs.
- Is a vegan.
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