Tragic Details About Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel is famous for her roles as the quirky girl next door, often playing the affectionately dorky protagonist who catches the eye of her male counterparts. While she has built a successful career doing so, the "New Girl" star has often been criticized for her lack of depth. While A-listers are no stranger to being scrutinized, Deschanel has had to defend herself and her acting chops over seemingly unjust victimization on more than one occasion. She has been dubbed the quintessential "manic pixie dream girl" and called out for taking on shallow characters whose sole purpose is attracting men. While the actor has hit back at the haters several times, being labeled and picked apart couldn't have been easy for her to overcome.

On top of unfair labels and judgment, Deschanel has had several other challenges to surmount. From public fallouts to health problems, the "(500) Days of Summer" star has dealt with no shortage of difficult moments in the spotlight. Don't let her "nice girl" act fool you, as she's not one to buckle under pressure. The Los Angeles native's outspoken and resilient nature has helped her survive the dog-eat-dog world of Hollywood. We're breaking down all the tragic details about Zooey Deschanel.

Zooey Deschanel suffered in silence for years before learning she had Celiac disease. The "New Girl" star, as explained by HuffPost, hadn't been feeling her best for most of her life, going 13 years before receiving the diagnosis from a doctor.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, people with Celiac disease must avoid gluten, as when consumed, "their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine." Symptoms for the autoimmune disease can easily be confused with irritable bowel syndrome or stress, however, which is part of the reason why it took years for Deschanel to be officially diagnosed.

Since finding out, Deschanel has led a gluten-free life and encourages others to do the same. In a video for the Cooking Channel, the actor listed off many of the benefits of why people decide to lead a gluten-free life, like preventing symptoms from gluten sensitivity and avoiding interactions with glyphosate, a chemical most often associated with weed-killer that, though present in most foods, can interact poorly with gluten.

Zooey Deschanel has had a fair share of haters in the industry. Many critics have slammed her as a "manic pixie dream girl," a misogynistic term defined by The Women's Network as a character "used to further men at the expense of women, their choices, and their needs" or a woman who "takes on the role of making a man better."

When asked by The Guardian about the "manic pixie dream girl" label, Deschanel wasn't thrilled. "I don't feel it's accurate. I'm not a girl. I'm a woman. It doesn't hurt my feelings, but it's a way of making a woman one-dimensional and I'm not one-dimensional," she responded.

One review by The New Republic titled, "Enough Quirkiness! Why I Can't Stand Zooey Deschanel," did a number on her, dubbing her "New Girl" role, Jess, as a "hollow character." The trouble for some critics is Deschanel's lack of seriousness, and her previous tweets like, "I wish everyone looked like a kitten," don't exactly sway naysayers in her favor. Other reviewers championed Deschanel, however, with one Hollywood Reporter critic praising her for her quirky "New Girl" acting, writing, "Given a role tailored to launch her from respected indie actor to certified TV star, Deschanel soars, combining well-honed skills with a natural charm."

Zoey Deschanel welcomed her first child in 2015, a daughter named Elsie Otter, with her ex-husband Jacob Pechenik. Navigating motherhood came with its own set of challenges, including clapping back at those who expect her to return to her usual figure shortly after giving birth.

"To expect someone to look like her pre-baby self immediately is odd," she expressed to Redbook magazine. "Because you just grew a human and then birthed that human — there's a lot that needs to go back to where it was. All your organs move around, for chrissakes!"

Even before giving birth to Elsie, Deschanel made it clear that body-shaming isn't something she puts up with. She let Cosmopolitan know she had no plans to pose for any juicy cover story that highlighted her post-baby body. "I will not be that person," she revealed. "I've always gone my own course and never been someone who had the need to be super skinny. I like a healthy look." Deschanel gave birth to her second child with Pechenik in 2017, a son named Charlie Wolf. The parents ultimately split up in 2019 and finalized their divorce in 2020.

Zooey Deschanel may be an "it girl" in many fans' eyes, but she has admitted that trying to be a likable character takes its toll. "Likability sometimes becomes this heavy weight. I think that if you sacrifice what's interesting about a character at the altar of likability, then it misses the point," she told Rolling Stone.

While Deschanel may come from a famous family — including her sister, "Bones" actor Emily, father, Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb, and mother, actor Mary Jo — being a celebrity didn't come naturally for the star. "I was sort of uncomfortable with [fame] at first," she told the publication. "There are times when it feels like you can't go anywhere without people knowing you ... I love disappearing and watching people interact and how people behave. And when all eyes are on you, you can't do that."

However, Deschanel has become desensitized by the comments from the peanut gallery over the years. "I put myself out there; it's part of my job, and I get it: people will attack me. At first, I was thrown off, but now I have a pretty thick skin about it," she explained to Cosmopolitan (via the Daily Mail). The mother of two also finds solace in her children and her longtime boyfriend, "Property Brothers" star Jonathan Scott. "[Jonathan] is always a cheerleader and a positive voice in my world," she shared.