Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel: How To LET GO Of Others' Opinions & ALIGN With Your MOST AUTHENTIC TRUTH

NAVIGATING LOVE, HOLLYWOOD & AND LEARNING TO DEFINE SUCCESS FROM A PLACE OF SELF-ACCEPTANCE!

Today on The School of Greatness, we’re thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented Zooey Deschanel. Zooey is an Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy nominee and Critics’ Choice Award winner who has charmed big and small screen audiences through her nuanced leading performances in films like “(500) Days of Summer,” the Christmas classic “Elf,” “Yes Man,” “Almost Famous” and the hit television series, “New Girl.” Her band, She & Him, has released seven albums.

Zooey is here to share a more personal side of her story, from her recent engagement to the challenges and triumphs of her career in Hollywood. Thank you for joining us, now let the class begin!

"Working hard shouldn't be a burden but a privilege. If you're really passionate about something, it should come naturally." @zooeydeschanel

And now let’s jump into episode 1589 of The School of Greatness!

“When I let go and I’m not just going, ‘Will they like me if I do that?’... When I am myself I am successful.” @zooeydeschanel

Some Questions I Ask:

You recently got engaged. Tell us about it!
Did you learn how to express and receive love growing up?
What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your career?
How does it feel to get excess attention after a successful film, then start to see that attention dwindle over time until the next big success?
What’s the hardest acting transition you’ve had to make in your career?
After seeing so much success with the hit TV show New Girl, how do you decide what to commit to next?
What there a script you read that didn’t interest you initially but went on to be a huge success?
How have you learned how to deal with rejection as someone who has navigated the Hollywood for more than a decade?
How did you learn to not take rejection personally?
What was the project that you worked on that taught you the most about yourself?
What are the top 3 things you learned over the years of creating New Girl?
Tell us how you landed the role in Almost Famous and how that movie changed your life’s trajectory
What kind of bonds did you form with your co-stars on New Girl?
You struggle with ADHD, how did you learn to embrace this and lean into your uniqueness?
What is your approach to parenting?
What was one of the most challenging things you needed to overcome that helped you succeed later in life?
You’re a successful woman and mom. How did you prioritize your career while starting a family?
After you saw yourself on a billboard promoting New Girl, how did you learn to navigate fame on that level?
What are you most excited about creating in this season of your life?

In this episode, you will learn:

How Zooey navigates love, engagement, and expressing emotions in her personal life.
The biggest hurdles she’s faced in her career and how she’s overcome them.
Zooey’s experience with the fluctuating attention of Hollywood fame and how it has impacted her.
Insights into Zooey’s acting journey, including her most challenging roles and transitions.
How Zooey has dealt with rejection and learned not to take it personally, sharing valuable lessons from her time on “New Girl” and other projects.
Plus much more…

Show Notes:

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Connect with

Zooey Deschanel

Transcript of this Episode

Music Credits:

MUSIC CREDIT

Kaibu by Killercats

Summit of Greatness 2025 Early Bird Now Open! | September 12-13 | Los Angeles, CA

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel: How To LET GO Of Others' Opinions & ALIGN With Your MOST AUTHENTIC TRUTH

NAVIGATING LOVE, HOLLYWOOD & AND LEARNING TO DEFINE SUCCESS FROM A PLACE OF SELF-ACCEPTANCE!

"Working hard shouldn't be a burden but a privilege. If you're really passionate about something, it should come naturally." @zooeydeschanel