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Zooey Deschanel made her film debut in Lawrence Kasdan’s comedy Mumford in 1999 at the age of 19. Four years later, she would take on a role that would become one of her most famous to date. In 2003’s Christmas comedy Elf, Deschanel portrayed Jovie, a nonchalant department store worker who becomes the love interest of Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf. Her breakout role in the independent drama All the Real Girls furthered her career, which isn’t influenced by nepotism, she claims.
Much to the disgruntlement of netizens, Deschanel has publicly stated that her career was not the byproduct of her relationship to director of photography Caleb Deschanel, known for his work on The Lion King and The Passion of the Christ. The 79-year-old Oscar-nominated father of two worked on an episode of Bones, starring his other daughter, Emily Deschanel, but his talented offspring paved their own way to success as far as we can tell.
Zooey Denies Influence From Her Famous Parents
Her association with DP Caleb Deschanel and Twin Peaks actress Mary Jo Deschanel granted her access to Hollywood, but Zooey has refuted claims of nepotism on The School of Greatness podcast.
She said, “It’s funny because people will 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. It’s definitely not.” Netizens weren’t too convinced by Deschanel’s denial. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the reactions over on X, formerly known as Twitter:
But She Has Thanked Her Parents For Their Support
Despite refusing to admit that nepotism had a hand in boosting her visibility in the industry, Deschanel has thanked her mother for her guidance and mentorship in the early days of Zooey’s acting career.
“My mom is an actor and my dad is a cinematographer and a director. I can’t possibly emphasize enough how much creative help I had from my family unit,” she said. “My dad is a great creative mind and such a talented person. My mom is a great actor and is so nurturing. My mom would coach me when I didn’t have an acting coach, she would help me, read lines with me. She’d be so supportive.”
But she didn’t leave out Caleb, who has been nominated for an Oscar six times. “I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad. They both would help me. My dad would also read lines with me and give direction.”
On August 13, 2023, Deschanel and Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott announced their engagement at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. Later this year, Deschanel will star in a supporting role opposite Zachary Levi in the live-action adaptation of the 1955 children’s book by Crockett Johnson, Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Here’s the full podcast:
