# List of Zooey Deschanel performances
**Zooey Deschanel** (born 1980, Los Angeles) is an American actress and singer-songwriter whose screen career runs from a 1999 film debut through leading roles in comedy films, a seven-season Fox sitcom, and voice work in animated musicals. She is most closely associated with the films *Elf* (2003), *Yes Man* (2008), and *(500) Days of Summer* (2009), and with the sitcom *New Girl* (Fox, 2011–18)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screen debut | Guest appearance on the sitcom *Veronica's Closet* (1997); film debut in *Mumford* (1999)[4](https://goldenglobes.com/person/zooey-deschanel/) |
| Breakout film role | Anita Miller, the protagonist's older sister, in Cameron Crowe's *Almost Famous* (2000)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0221046/) |
| Signature film roles | Jovie in *Elf* (2003); Summer in *(500) Days of Summer* (2009); Allison in *Yes Man* (2008)[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel) |
| Television lead | Jess Day on *New Girl* (Fox, 2011–18), 146 episodes over 7 seasons[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| Awards | 2012 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series; three Golden Globe nominations for the same role (2012, 2013, 2014)[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel) • [4](https://goldenglobes.com/person/zooey-deschanel/) |
| Voice work | Bridget in *Trolls* (2016), *Trolls Holiday* (2017), and *Trolls Band Together* (2023)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| Music career | Co-founder, with M. Ward, of the duo She & Him, which released six studio albums including *Christmas Party* (2016)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| Notable recent work | *Dreamin' Wild* (2022), *Trolls Band Together* (2023), *Harold and the Purple Crayon* (2024), *Merv* (2025), *Trash Mountain* (2026)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
## Early film work, 1999–2003
Deschanel's first film role came in her late teens in [Lawrence Kasdan](https://www.edgepedia.org/lawrence-kasdan)'s 1999 comedy-drama *Mumford*, followed by supporting roles in *Almost Famous* (2000), *The Good Girl* (2002), and *The New Guy* (2002). The [American Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-film-institute)'s catalog lists her credited role in *Almost Famous* as Anita Miller, the older sister of the film's protagonist, in what the IMDb profile describes as her breakout role[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0221046/).
2003 brought two milestones: her first leading performance, in [David Gordon Green](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-gordon-green)'s independent drama *[All the Real Girls](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-the-real-girls)* (as Noel), and the Christmas comedy *Elf*, in which she played Jovie, a department store worker who becomes the love interest of [Will Ferrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/will-ferrell)'s Buddy[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183). Deschanel is a singer-songwriter as well as an actress, and she sang in several of her roles, including as Jovie[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel). *Elf* was a hit with both audiences and critics and holds an 85% critics score and 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel).
## Mid-career films, 2004–2009
Through the rest of the 2000s Deschanel accumulated credited roles across comedy, drama, and voice work. The AFI catalog lists *Eulogy* (2004, Kate Collins), *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (2005, Trillian), *Failure to Launch* (2006, Kit), *Winter Passing* (2006, Reese Holden), *Bridge to Terabithia* (2007, Ms. Edmonds), *Surf's Up* (2007, Lani Aliikai, voice), *Flakes* (2007, Miss Pussy Katz), *The Happening* (2008, Alma Moore), *Yes Man* (2008, Allison), *The Go-Getter* (2008, Kate), *Gigantic* (2009, Harriet Lolly), and *(500) Days of Summer* (2009, Summer)[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183).
Two 2009 roles bracket the range of this period. In *(500) Days of Summer* she played the title character, the emotionally distant girlfriend of [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-gordon-levitt)'s Tom; the film drew widespread critical praise and holds an 86% critics score and 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel). The same year she also appeared in the low-budget *Gigantic*[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183).
Rotten Tomatoes' highest-rated entries from her early career include *Almost Famous* (91% critics), *Bridge to Terabithia* (85% critics, 70% audience), and *Elf* (85% critics, 79% audience); its lowest is *The New Guy* (7%)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel).
## New Girl, 2011–2018
After *(500) Days of Summer*, Deschanel moved to network television as the star of the Fox sitcom *New Girl*, playing [Jess Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/jess-day-character), an offbeat teacher who shares an apartment with three men after a breakup. The series ran seven seasons and 146 episodes on Fox and earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination and three Golden Globe nominations[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel). The Television Academy records her nomination specifically as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for 2012, and notes that the role also earned her a TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel). The Golden Globes database lists her three nominations, all for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy, in 2012, 2013, and 2014[4](https://goldenglobes.com/person/zooey-deschanel/).
During the run she made guest appearances connected to the series, including a crossover turn as Jess Day visiting New York in *Brooklyn Nine-Nine*[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/zooey-deschanel/umc.cpc.p9lrelnyzujtesxu4b1uoyag).
## Later film and voice work, 2015–present
After *New Girl* ended its run, Deschanel co-starred in the animated musical comedy *Trolls* (2016) as the voice of Bridget, a role she reprised in *Trolls Holiday* (2017) and *Trolls Band Together* (2023)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel). Live-action work in the same years included *[Rock the Kasbah](https://www.edgepedia.org/rock-the-kasbah-film)* (2015, Ronnie) and *The Driftless Area* (2015, Stella)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel).
Her recent credited performances include *Dreamin' Wild* (2022, Nancy), the television film *The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show* (2019), *Harold and the Purple Crayon* (2024, Terry), the romantic comedy *[Merv](https://www.edgepedia.org/merv-film)* (2025, Anna), and *Trash Mountain* (2026), which carries a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest rating of any entry in her filmography[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel). On television she also appeared in the Apple Original series *[Physical](https://www.edgepedia.org/physical-tv-series)* and *[Carpool Karaoke: The Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/carpool-karaoke-the-series)*, and hosted *What Am I Eating? With Zooey Deschanel*[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/zooey-deschanel/umc.cpc.p9lrelnyzujtesxu4b1uoyag).
## A representative filmography
The table below lists selected credited film roles with character names from the AFI catalog and Rotten Tomatoes scores where published.
| Film | Year | Role | Rotten Tomatoes (critics / audience) |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Mumford* | 1999 | Film debut[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) | not listed |
| *Almost Famous* | 2000 | Anita Miller[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 91% / 92%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Elf* | 2003 | Jovie[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 85% / 79%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* | 2005 | Trillian[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | not listed |
| *Bridge to Terabithia* | 2007 | Ms. Edmonds[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 85% / 70%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *The Happening* | 2008 | Alma Moore[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 17% / 24%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Yes Man* | 2008 | Allison[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 44% / 66%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *(500) Days of Summer* | 2009 | Summer[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 86% / 84%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Our Idiot Brother* | 2011 | Natalie[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183) | 70% / 51%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Trolls* | 2016 | Bridget (voice)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) | 76% / 67%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Dreamin' Wild* | 2022 | Nancy[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) | 90% / 65%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Trolls Band Together* | 2023 | Bridget (voice)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) | 64% / 92%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
| *Merv* | 2025 | Anna[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) | 32% / 30%[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) |
## Television roles
Deschanel's television credits beyond *New Girl* include the early guest appearance on *Veronica's Closet* (1997), a recurring role on Showtime's *Weeds* from 2006 to 2007 as Kat, Andy Botwin's ex-girlfriend[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/zooey-deschanel.html), and guest appearances on *Brooklyn Nine-Nine*, *Frasier*, and *American Dad!*[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/zooey-deschanel/umc.cpc.p9lrelnyzujtesxu4b1uoyag). [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) also credits her with voice roles in *The Simpsons* and *StoryBots: Answer Time* and a director credit on *New Girl*[8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/zooey-deschanel/credits/3030400677/).
## Singing and music in her roles
Deschanel's musical career intersects with her screen work. She is a singer-songwriter who has sung in many of her roles, including as Jovie in *Elf*, and she performs with [M. Ward](https://www.edgepedia.org/m-ward) as the duo [She & Him](https://www.edgepedia.org/she-and-him)[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel). The duo has released albums including *Volume One*, *A Very She & Him Christmas*, and *Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson*, alongside six studio albums counted in her filmography profile, including *Christmas Party* (2016)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel) • [6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/zooey-deschanel/umc.cpc.p9lrelnyzujtesxu4b1uoyag).
## References
1. [Zooey Deschanel Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/zooey_deschanel)
2. [Zooey Deschanel filmography, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/170183)
3. [Zooey Deschanel, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/zooey-deschanel)
4. [Zooey Deschanel, Golden Globes Awards Database](https://goldenglobes.com/person/zooey-deschanel/)
5. [Zooey Deschanel, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0221046/)
6. [Zooey Deschanel, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/zooey-deschanel/umc.cpc.p9lrelnyzujtesxu4b1uoyag)
7. [Zooey Deschanel filmography, Union Films](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/zooey-deschanel.html)
8. [Zooey Deschanel List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/zooey-deschanel/credits/3030400677/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles › Surnames M to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license