Trillian

Background:

"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." Zooey Deschanel

Blue-eyed, brunette actress Zooey Deschanel first caught moviegoers' attention while portraying Frances McDormand's reckless daughter in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous (2000). She later received more attention for appearing in such films as Manic (2001), Big Trouble (2002) and Elf (2003). More recent, the young actress could be seen in the 2004 comedy Eulogy and played Trillian in the 2005 much-anticipated film The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

On a more personal note, 5' 6" inches tall Zooey Deschanel is currently dating actor Jason Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980), the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola and cousin of Nicolas Cage. The founder of the band "Phantom Planet," Schwartzman was also known for acting in Rushmore and I Heart Huckabees.

As for Deschanel's upcoming film projects, she will soon appear in Winter Passing, Live Free or Die, and Failure to Launch.

Old-Fashioned Zo

Childhood and Family:

"I love old music, old movies, screwball comedies, vintage clothes, and basically I'm an old-fashioned gal." Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Claire Deschanel was born on January 17, 1980, in Los Angeles, California to a family well rehearsed in the movie scene. Her father is the Academy Award nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (born on September 21, 1944) and her mother is actress Mary Jo Deschanel (born in 1945). Her older sister is actress Emily Deschanel (born in 1978).

Zooey Deschanel, nicknamed Zo, was exposed to and became familiar with film sets and locations as a young child by following her father while he worked. After graduating from Crossroads High School in Santa Monica, California, she enrolled at Northwestern University, but later dropped out in order to pursue her acting career.

A fan of famed jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and actress Parker Posey, Zooey is an avid piano and ukulele player. Her favorite song is "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. The color red is her favorite and she enjoys collecting large sunglasses and vintage coats. She is also interested in Jazz, Philosophy, Fashion, and Photography.

All the Real Girls

Career:

"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." Zooey Deschanel

Raised in an entertainment savvy family, Zooey was accustomed to film sets. Her first public appearance was as Little Red Riding Hood in the Interact Theater Company's production of the musical "Into the Woods." Soon after she landed on the small screen and was spotted as a guest in an episode of the comedy series Veronica's Closet in January of 1998. A year later, Zooey managed to step on the silver screen when director Lawrence Kasdan cast her to play Loren Dean's conflicted, rebellious patient Nessa Watkins in his drama comedy Mumford.

Zooey nabbed her breakout role in 2000, thanks to the portrayal of Frances McDormand's hasty daughter, big sister Anita Miller, in Cameron Crowe's acclaimed musical comedy Almost Famous. The 70's rock scene movie, also starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup and Kate Hudson, won an Academy Award and subsequently brought Zooey's name into focus.

After Almost Famous, Zooey received more film roles. She costarred with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sara Rivas and Don Cheadle in Jordan Melamed's teen drama, the dogma 95-style Manic, then shared the screen with Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal in Miguel Arteta's drama comedy The Good Girl.

2002 saw Zooey in such roles as Jenny Herk in Barry Sonnenfeld's adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry's best-selling novel, Big Trouble (starring Tim Allen) and costarring with DJ Qualls in Ed Decter's high school comedy The New Guy (as Nora). Other 2002 films included starring in Jesse Wigutow's marijuana-story film Sweet Friggin' Daisies and costarring with Katie Holmes in Stephen Gaghan's campus drama, the rarely-seen Abandon.

Zooey received critical praise in 2003 after playing Paul Schneider's infatuation, the virgin Noel, in David Gordon Green's love story All the Real Girls. The role earned her a Best Actress nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. She also starred in Kevin Connolly's 25-minute movie Whatever We Do, Marcel Sarmiento's It's Better to be Wanted for Murder Than Not to Be Wanted at All, and Amy Lippman's 18-minute film House Hunting. Zooey caught attention once again by playing Will Ferrell's love interest in the Christmas movie, Jon Favreau's comedy Elf. Zooey, who was once known for performing cabaret shows around the Los Angeles area, also sang "Baby It's Cold Outside" in the movie.

In 2004, Zooey joined with Ray Romano and Debra Winger in Michael Clancy's comedy Eulogy. She also appeared on television, portraying Lady Larken in Kathleen Marshall's comical tweaking of the fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea," the musical Once Upon a Mattress, and co-hosted the Sundance Film Festival with Jake Gyllenhaal.

In 2005, Zooey teamed with British actor Martin Freeman and played Trillian in the film version of Douglas Adams' book, Garth Jennings' sci-fi comedy, the much-anticipated The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. On working with The Office star Martin Freeman, Zooey admitted, "Mr. Martin Freeman! Big star over here! He's great. I hadn't heard of The Office until I knew I was going to meet him and I, you know, went out and got it and, of course, then became a fan of the show. That show hadn't really broken in America yet. It hadn't won the Golden Globes or anything at that point."

Several films are waiting for Zooey. She will reunite with Will Ferrell, portraying actress Reese Holden in Adam Rapp's drama Winter Passing and with Paul Schneider in Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin's crime comedy Live Free or Die (also starring Aaron Stanford). She will also work with Justin Bartha, Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker in Tom Dey's romantic comedy Failure to Launch.