10 Best Zooey Deschanel Movies & TV Shows

This is without doubt her magnum opus. As Jessica Day, the teacher who moves into a loft full of guys after a bad breakup, she defined an entire era of television. She turned being "awkward" into an art form. For seven seasons, she was the sunny, singing centerpiece of the loft. What makes the show so good is that she wasn't afraid to let Jess be annoying or a know-it-all too. It's one of the best sitcom performances of this century.

The film that revived the term "Manic Pixie Dream Girl," while simultaneously deconstructing it. Deschanel plays Summer Finn, the woman Joseph Gordon-Levitt falls hopelessly in love with. She plays her elusive and mysterious, but if you look closely (and rewatch the film), you see she's been honest from the start. It's a brilliant role because she plays a fantasy that slowly begins to crack.

Every Christmas, she returns to our screens as Jovie. Her dry, cynical demeanor is the perfect antidote to Will Ferrell's hyperactive energy. Without her, the film would be too sweet. It's also here that we first really hear what she's got vocally. The shower scene where she sings "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Ferrell has since become just as much a classic as the film itself.

A small role, but one with an enormous impact. As Anita Miller, the older sister who leaves home to become a stewardess, she sets the entire story in motion. Her advice to her young brother ("Listen to Tommy with a candle burning and you will see your entire future") is legendary. She embodies the rebellious freedom of the 1970s, captured in just a few minutes of screen time.

In this comedy alongside Jim Carrey, she plays Allison, a free spirit who does 'jogging photography' and sings in a band. It's a typical Deschanel role: quirky, musical, and charming. The chemistry with Carrey is surprisingly good. Where he bounces all over the place, she remains the cool, stable factor that grounds him (and the audience). A feel-good film through and through.

For anyone who thinks she can only do comedy: watch this film. In this raw indie drama, she plays Noel, an 18-year-old girl experiencing her first real love in a small industrial town. Critics were glowing about her performance at the time. It's fragile, awkward, and painfully realistic. She reveals a depth here that she rarely got to tap into again in her later, more commercial work.

In the final season of this Apple TV+ series, she surprised everyone by playing Kelly Kilmartin, a blonde sitcom star competing against Rose Byrne. It's a delightful, meta role. She essentially plays an exaggerated, dark version of her own 'America's Sweetheart' image. It's venomous and manipulative, and you can tell she's having visible fun not being the good guy for once.

As Trillian, she fits perfectly into Douglas Adams's absurd universe. She's the only woman in space (or at least it feels that way) and has to hold her own among idiotic aliens and a depressed robot. Her grounded presence works well against the chaos around her. She gives a character that's sometimes a bit flat in the books real intelligence and warmth.

Everyone wanted a teacher like Ms. Edmunds. She plays the music teacher who nurtures the creativity in young lead character Jess and truly sees him. It's a supporting role, but crucial to the emotional heart of the film. She's warm and inspiring, and the scene where she takes Jess to the museum is one of the film's most beautiful moments.

In this recent live-action adaptation of the beloved children's book, she returns to her roots of family-friendly films full of fantasy. She fits perfectly into a world that's literally drawn. Though the film got mixed reviews, Deschanel is in her element here, bringing that signature light wonder needed to sell such a magical concept to a young audience.