Biography
Friends and Family
Emily Deschanel
[Sister]
Trivia and Quotes
Quotes
 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. 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.
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.
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.
[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".
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, Debbie Reynolds and Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965). I could probably do the whole Von Trapp family.
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 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)s and the Being John Malkovich (1999)s. Those are the kind of films I want to do; that`s what I`m passionate about.
I love old music, old movies, screwball comedies, vintage clothes and basically I`m an old-fashioned gal.
I was labeled a `theatre type` in high school, which made it hard to fit in and feel part of things.
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`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`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.
People say: "Oh yeah, jobs for the boys". I wish. You`ve got to fight even harder with a family like mine.
Trivia
Did her own singing in the movie Elf (2003).
Has performed with Jackson Nash`s comedy group, Manifest Destinyfest.
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` with M. Ward, their debut album is called Volume One.
Loves Ella Fitzgerald.
Plays the piano and the baritone ukulele.
She pronounces her name "ZOH-ee" (not "zoo-ee").
Turned down a role in Bully (2001) to star in Big Trouble (2002).
Attended Northwestern University.
Daughter of Caleb Deschanel and Mary Jo Deschanel.
Graduated from Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica.
Interests include jazz singing, philosophy, fashion and photography.
Is a big fan of actress Parker Posey.
Named for the male character in J.D. Salinger`s "Franny and Zooey".
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`s song "She`s Got Issues" and the accompanying MTV documentary The Offspring Complete Music Video Collection (2005) (V). She also plays ukulele for the band `If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies`.
Sister of actress Emily Deschanel.
Went to high school with her Almost Famous (2000) co-star Kate Hudson.
Wrote a screenplay titled "Circus Girl" with friend Jackson Nash. "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.
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