November 15th, 2011
06:19 PM ET
Justin Long is 'New Girl's' new love interestThough many "New Girl" fans might like to see Jess get together with her roommate, Nick, that probably isn't happening anytime soon. Instead, show creator Liz Meriwether is pairing up Zooey Deschanel's character with a fellow music teacher, Justin Long, an actor who almost seems born to play Jess's boyfriend. "He’s a music teacher at her school, and whatever the male form of 'adorkable' is," as Meriwether described him to reporters on Monday.
"As soon as he walks in the door, Nick says, 'Oh my God there’s two of them,' which I think describes his character," she went on. "He’s sort of the male version of Jess, and they just immediately hit it off. But the struggle then becomes Justin Long’s character with the guys, and then Jess kind of dealing with her coming out of a really long six-year relationship and walking into a new relationship." Meriwether said she likes to pick her battles, and there was one in particular on which she stood her ground: "He carries around a kazoo; that’s one detail that I am particularly proud of. I had to fight for the kazoo is all I’m saying." Meriwether, who has said that "New Girl" is semi-autobiographical, also responded to the fact that – despite the show's overnight success – Deschanel has a lot of detractors as well. "I guess before the show came out I just loved her acting and I loved her, I like her music. I sort of just love Zooey, and I never really saw her as a polarizing figure and I still sort of don’t," she said. "I think she’s an amazing actress, and I feel like the character is a complicated character that has a lot of different layers. I’ve definitely seen some of the criticism, but I haven’t really understood where it’s coming from totally. I was really just writing about myself, and so my main goal is just to give Zooey really fun, interesting things to do every week, and then just be really honest with myself about the character and really just present an interesting, funny female." |
  About this blog
Our daily cheat-sheet for breaking celebrity news, Hollywood buzz and your pop-culture obsessions.  |
I love, love, love Justin Long...and have since Galaxy Quest. Although he is a versatile actor, he does the geeky dork thing especially well. I can't wait to see how these two characters evolve the next few weeks. 🙂
I'm sorry, but it's fun to watch Jess, be Jess. No need for two. Justin Long warms many a heart, but not mine. I'm super bummed that his character may be recurring. So unnecessary, the cast works perfectly together. As is.
This show crazy them peoples laugh at the silly white girl. Crazy
I just love this offbeat show! Justin Long is a great addition to it he is so adorable!
This show so crazy, them crazy white peoples putin' a turkay in a dryer, crazy. This so so adorkable only 14 year old white girls like it, so crazy!
zombies is cool
Lol puddin cup thinks that Tonights episode was fun fun! They put a turkey in a dryer! hahhaha who does that? me!
Lol puddin cup thinks that episode was funny... winstin or somthin was like " i just call black friday.... friday" hehehehe
I like zombies