Actress Zooey Dechanel On Her Move From Film To TV

The team at Talent Management all know and love Zooey Deschanel for her film roles – Anita in Almost Famous and Summer in (500) Days of Summer being some of our favourites – but we’re all happy to see the young actress branch out into TV with her latest role on hit American sitcom New Girl.

Zooey Deschanel as 'Jess' on hit American sitcom New Girl
Zooey Deschanel as 'Jess' on hit American sitcom New Girl

The team at Talent Management all know and love Zooey Deschanel for her film roles – Anita in Almost Famous and Summer in (500) Days of Summer being some of our favourites – but we’re all happy to see the young actress branch out into TV with her latest role on hit American sitcom New Girl.

We’re big fans of talents that are able to try out different areas of the entertainment industry, and given that Deschanel also sings as well as models, this chameleon is the epitome of the term ‘triple threat’.

So just how did Deschanel get the role on New Girl? “I had been on tour with my band all last year and had really taken a lot of time off working as an actress but then I just happened to read this script,” she says. “I was so blown away by how perfect it was and how funny it was, and sweet, and smart. I hadn’t seriously considered any television shows before, but this was just too great to pass up. They took a chance on me and I was able to do it.”

And we’re glad that chance paid off, as Deschanel seems to be adjusting well to TV having come from a film background. “I really have adjusted well because I just love being busy. I prefer to have constant stimulation. So, I like going to set every day and working with the same awesome people. Even though it’s really long hours and it’s a lot to memorise, it’s really exciting and it’s fun. It’s fast moving, but I love not waiting around. I like getting everything done quickly. There’s something really exhilarating about it.

“I also enjoy getting to develop a working relationship with a group of people; that there’s always a little bit of summer camp sadness to doing a movie. If you’re having a good time and then it ends. There’s a certain amount of I think melancholy to that. I like that doing a TV show, you have potential for this to go on.”

The team here at the agency have been watching the show ever since it first aired here in the UK, and are loving seeing Deschanel in such a funny role, proving that not only can she adjust to different mediums, but also different genres. “I always liked doing comedy and always think of myself as comedic actress. I guess later I found that I could do drama as well, but I really started out thinking that I was more of a comedic actress. So, I’m super happy and excited that I get to do funny stuff every week on the show,” she explains.

With so much going on with Deschanel’s acting, singing and modelling for Rimmel, it’s a wonder how she manages to juggle everything. So just how does this multi-talented young lady unwind at the end of the day? “I don’t,” she says. “I go to sleep. At the end of the day, I basically eat and learn my lines at the same time. It’s really just trying to multi-task as best I can. Sometimes, you have to scramble to get stuff done. But, I really love it because I love being busy. I’m a person who has a lot of energy. So, yes, I don’t really stop to rest or de-stress. I just keep going. I figure that if you don’t stop, then you’ll never notice how tired you are.”

So if you ever wondered how to become a successful actor, it seems with Deschanel applying drive and determination to your career is key and something Talent Management highly recommends.

In the meantime, check out the next episode of New Girl on Chanel 4 this Friday at 20:30; the guys are invited to a wedding of a mutual friend, and, worried that he’ll run into his ex-girlfriend Caroline, Nick asks Jess to be his date. We’ll be watching!