Newgirl
zooey deschanel started her tv career in 1998 with a guest spot on kirstie alley’s sitcom veronica’s closet (1997-2000). but it’s only now with her role as jess in new girl (2011-current) that she’s established herself as a lead actress. and there’s more to the 34-year-old than just being cute… talk about going into the family business – zooey’s dad caleb (69) was the cinematographer on mel gibson’s 2004 movie the passion of the christ, her mom mary jo (68) played eileen hayward in 1990 series twin peaks, and her older sister emily (37) has played temperance brennan on bones since 2005. one of her pet peeves is people mispronouncing her name. “it’s not zoh-ee – it’s zoo-ey,” she says. and her surname is pronounced “day-shuh-nell”. the california native went to santa monica prep school crossroads with kate hudson (her co-star in 2000 movie almost famous) and jake gyllenhaal. zooey was going to study music at varsity but dropped out in her first year to pursue acting. she still dabbles in music though – zooey performed her own singing in will ferrell’s 2003 movie elf, she plays the piano and ukulele, and she’s released four albums (2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013) as a member of she & him, an indie group with co-member m ward. plus, she played herself in the offspring’s she’s got issues music video in 1999 and she was a guest judge at the independent music awards back in 2010. if you’ve noticed that she never sits still in new girl, that’s because she suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd). zooey’s trademark is her cute girlnext-door looks, but she’s not afraid to vamp it up and work her sex appeal. she’s featured on men’s magazines maxim and fhm hottest women lists for the last few years.