Zooey Claire Deschanel

 

Zooey Claire Deschanel

January 17, 1980 (1980-01-17) (age 30)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Occupation Actress, model, singer-songwriter, musician

Years active 1998–present

Spouse Ben Gibbard (2009–present)

Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, model, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous. Deschanel soon became known for her deadpan supporting roles in films such as Elf (2003), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and Failure to Launch (2006). She then began playing lead roles in films, including Yes Man (2008) and (500) Days of Summer (2009).

For a few years starting in 2001, Deschanel performed in the jazz cabaret act If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies with fellow actress Samantha Shelton. She plays keyboards, percussion, banjo and ukulele, and has sung in several of her films. Deschanel teamed up with M. Ward to release their debut album Volume One (recorded with M. Ward under the moniker She & Him) which was released on March 18, 2008. The follow-up album Volume Two was released in the U.S. on March 23, 2010. She is married to Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard.

Is there anything Zooey Deschanel can’t do? The girl can act, the girl can sing, and we bet she can throw some pretty impressive shapes on the dancefloor. Multi-faceted, 29 year old Zooey is probably best know for her role as sarcastic Santa’s little helper, Jovie in 2003’s festive comedy, Elf, with Will Ferrell.

In fact comedy seems to suit this young lady, starring in Jim Carrey’s 2008 movie, Yes Man, and she’s got two further romantic comedies coming out in 2009; Gigantic with Paul Dano (the mute kid from Little Miss Sunshine) and (500) Days of Summer, with Third Rock from the Sun’s, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Oh yeah, and she’s in a band, has released an album, recorded a commercial jingle for a well-known fabric company and she plays the piano, xylophone, banjo and ukulele. The woman’s a one-man-band!… Kinda.