Zooey Deschanel, Daughter of Oscar Nominee, Denies Nepotism

Actress Zooey Deschanel pushed back on the idea that her parents’ careers in Hollywood had an impact on her success in a recent appearance on Lewis Howes’ podcast “The School of Greatness.”

Known for her roles in films like Elf and (500) Days of Summer, Deschanel entered a new threshold of fame through her starring role in the sitcom New Girl, which aired from 2011 to 2018. However, in her interview with Howes, Deschannel dismissed the idea that her family connections helped her land any of her roles. “It’s funny because people be like, ‘Oh, nepotism’, I’m like, ‘no.’ My dad’s a DP [director of photography]… No one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP.”

Deschanel’s father is celebrated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, whose film credits include The Right Stuff, Hope Floats, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, and The Lion King. Her mother is also an actress, known for her role as Eileen Hayward in Twin Peaks, among others.

While Deschanel might not have been directly handed jobs because of her parents, she shared that “they both helped me so much,” describing her mother as an early acting coach. Also on the podcast, she recalled getting her first agent through “creative help from the family unit.”

“I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad,” she acknowledged. “They both would help me. My dad would also read lines with me and give direction.”

Zooey’s sister Emily is also in the family business; she became well-known for her role as Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan in the procedural drama Bones.

Meanwhile, New Girl has continued finding audiences through its home on Netflix and remains a beloved piece of the sitcom universe long after its time on the air.