Zooey Deschanel is an American actress and musician, born on January 17, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. She is known for her quirky charm and distinctively offbeat humor. Deschanel gained fame for her roles in films such as "Almost Famous" (2000), "Elf" (2003), and "(500) Days of Summer" (2009). She also starred as Jess Day in the popular TV series "New Girl" (2011-2018), earning nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.

In addition to her acting career, Deschanel is a talented musician. She formed the musical duo She & Him with M. Ward in 2006, and they have released several albums together. Deschanel is also a co-founder of the female-focused website HelloGiggles, which was acquired by Time Inc. in 2015.