In a recent podcast (Lewis Howes’ “The School of Greatness”), Zooey Deschanel claimed she is not a nepo baby. She is the daughter of actress Mary Jo Deschanel (Twin Peaks, The Right Stuff, House) and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (who has been nominated for six Academy Awards and a BAFTA for films like The Right Stuff and The Natural). Her sister Emily is also an actress (she starred on Bones for 12 seasons). Zooey said, “It’s funny because people 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.”
Despite her protestations, she admitted that her mother was an early acting coach and she got her first agent through “creative help from the family unit.” She also said, “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.”
