Zooey Deschanel Colors Inside and Outside the Lines
…My mom always would say it like this. She’d say stick to yourself like glue, which just means be yourself and stay true to yourself. I think that is so important. Ultimately, in the end, when you look back on your life you will just want to be proud of the things that you do and feel like those choices you made were authentic…
Zooey Deschanel has carved out a diverse and celebrated acting and music career, proving that she is one of a kind.
Best known for her roles in the films Almost Famous, Elf, Failure to Launch, and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, she is equally adept at leading TV roles in the Fox sitcom New Girl, for which she was nominated for an Emmy and three Golden Globe awards.
Her most recent role was in the adorable family film, Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on the sweet 1950s children’s book by Crockett Johnson, about always honing your imagination.
In addition to her stellar acting career, she is a noted musician who sings and plays keyboards, percussion, banjo, and ukulele. She received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media for So Long, which was featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 movie, Winnie the Pooh.
Currently, as Deschanel readies for the upcoming fall and winter holidays, she has become a partner with Vera Bradley bags. The new holiday collection was launched on October 2 with enthusiastic support from Deschanel.
She said that her mother gave her life lessons and she plans to pass them on to her two children. “You don’t have regrets when you feel that you were true to yourself,” she said.
“I would say that’s a lesson that I think is so important, was so important to me, and such good advice. But, also, just something I want to impart to my children. I think that’s just generally good advice.”
So, how did you begin your new partnership with Vera Bradley handbags?
Well, the company came to me and said that it was expanding the brand, introducing some more high-end pieces, but also still putting out their classic, practical Vera Bradley bags. I was very excited because I have always loved the brand and was stoked to see they had beautiful designs and their design team is completely on point. I’m extremely excited about all the fantastic, fancy bags.
Does this fit in well with some of your holiday gifting, maybe for family members or friends?
Yes, they are such great holiday gifts because there’s kind of something for everyone. I’ve got a bunch of stuff here. There’s kind of practical evening bags that hold a lot of stuff, they’re really beautiful and eye-catching. There are whimsical things. I love this bag; this is like a great conversation starter at a party. Then there are really great more everyday travel tote bags. This is awesome because it has tons of pockets on the inside.
You know what’s weird? I was in a high-end bag store a few years ago and I looked in one of the bags. It was an expensive bag. It didn’t have any pockets or dividers. I was like where are the pockets and dividers? They were like they’re really expensive to put in. I was shocked; I was like your bags are very expensive so how are you not putting any zippers in here?
What are a few of the Vera Bradley bags you love so much?
Pretty much every single Vera Bradley bag has at least an inner zipper, if not an inner zipper, then some compartments. All the travel bags are great, and the backpacks are awesome because they all are travel-optimized. They have a little sleeve so you can put them in your suitcase at the airport. They’ve got tons of different pockets. I’ve got this leather backpack that was sent to me and I carry it around all the time. It’s very practical. I get compliments all the time on it. Just lots of things for everybody’s budget and every different type of need you can think of.
What are a few of your favorite Vera Bradley items?
· Taper Dumpling Bag in Purple Metallic Leather
· Heritage Bear Crossbody in Goji Berry Red Leather
· Original Tote in Bossanova Bold Nylon Twill
I love Christmas movies. What are your travel plans and decorating plans?
We love to decorate for the holidays. We’re very big into decorating. Last year we had these guys from Glitterville, which they’re in Tennessee but they do amazing decorations. They came and helped us decorate our house. (Her fiancé, Jonathan Scott of The Property Brothers) gets really into the Christmas lights. We love decorating for holidays, so we’re super excited about that.
Do you have any other favorite traditions? I’m a really big cocoa person. I put like 12 mini marshmallows in my cocoa. I know, it’s way too much.
No, it’s not. I think that’s barely enough. You need more. Yeah, I love cocoa. I’m very into all the hot drinks. I love singing Christmas carols in a big group with harmonies. I love watching old Christmas movies. I love sitting by the fireplace. I love all of it. The holiday stuff is very nostalgic for me and I’m very into it. It’s very fun.
So, tell me a highlight of making Harold and the Purple Crayon movie. It was so charming; it was so sweet.
Oh, thank you. Well, I’m trying to think of a highlight of making that movie. We had a fun scene where I was playing piano in the park and we were in Atlanta shooting in the middle of the night. In Atlanta, there are these cars that drive around at two in the morning and blast music, so there they were going around the park while we were filming and it was very unique with these crazy, decorated cars. It was so funny. But, yes, it was a good time. The director, Carlos Saldanha, is such a sweetheart.
Do you have favorite children’s books that you remember you’re your childhood with your actor-sister, Emily, that maybe you’ve shared with your kids?
My daughter, who is nine, is getting into the Roald Dahl books, which is cool. I loved those books growing up. My son just wants to read books about sharks. Harold and the Purple Crayon was a book that I liked reading to them. Even before I did the movie, I especially liked that book. Goodnight Moon was a book I read growing up and I read to my kids. We have so many. Oh my God, we have so many kids’ books. But now they kind of like the chapter books a little bit more so we’re kind of moving away from the picture books.
Are you cooking these holidays? Thanksgiving? Christmas? Do you like to cook? What do you like to cook?
I love to cook. I don’t love to clean. Jonathan likes my cooking, but he doesn’t want me to use every pan in the kitchen. So, I like to mix it up. I’ll get an already cooked turkey and then I’ll make the sides or something like that. So that I’m not taking over the entire kitchen and we’re keeping it a little more contained. I will make really good food and then the kitchen looks crazy afterward. So, I do recognize that I’ve got to keep it contained.
Do you get to spend time with your sister, Emily Deschanel, or your extended family?
Yes. We’re all very close. My whole family enjoys being together and we all live close to one another, and Jonathan’s family’s all close, so it’s great.
I told my mom the best gift she ever gave me was my two older sisters, who have helped me with everything from college to career and more.
That’s so nice. Emily and I adore one another.
Have your daughter and son seen your iconic holiday movie, Elf, that many families watch every year? What did they think of it if they did?
They saw it one time. I think they liked it. I don’t play my movies because I don’t need to watch myself on the screen. It’s not just something I would necessarily put on unless they’re asking to watch it. Maybe they’ll watch it again this year
Could you have told me when you were making Elf that it would become a classic? Because it is. It’s always in the top 10 Christmas movie lists.
I could tell reading the script the way that I laughed, I laughed out loud. That script was so funny. I could feel that it was something that could come back year after year, for sure. It had that timeless feel, the script. Then I knew Will Ferrell was playing the part and I could just picture him doing all those scenarios. So, yes, I had a feeling.
What are your other future projects? What’s coming up? TV? Streaming? Movies?
I did a movie a few months ago that’s coming out at the end of next year. Right now, it’s called Merv. I think the title might be changing. It’s a romantic comedy for Amazon and I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be extremely good. It’s a really cute story.
For somebody who’s not familiar with Very Bradley’s lovely bags, what do you say to them to get them to kind of come along with you for the ride?
I’d say go just look on the website. There’s just so much stuff it’s really fun to look through. Whatever you’re looking for there’s pretty much an option for you there. The prices are reasonable. There are lots of gift options. But just so much practical stuff and so many really beautiful items for holidays. I’d just say look on the website or go to one of the stores. I think everyone will find something they like.
Is there any nonprofit or anything you’re involved in that you want to mention?
Yes, my favorite charity is called Baby2Baby. They do incredible work. Right now, with the disaster in Florida and North Carolina, they’re going and getting essential supplies to children in need. So, they help provide everything from basic needs stuff to backpacks for kids in school, and all kinds of things that children need are there to help. So, they need diapers, formula, and everything for babies.
What is the best advice you ever received personally or professionally? And the life lessons you want to give to your kids as they get older?
I can kind of give the same answer to both of those questions. My mom always would say it like this. She’d say stick to yourself like glue, which just means be yourself and stay true to yourself. I think that is so important.
Ultimately, in the end, when you look back on your life you will just want to be proud of the things that you do and feel like those choices you made were authentic.
Thank you so much. It was so lovely to talk to you!
