Zooey Deschanel is not interested in being called “a nepo baby.”
The New Girl actress refuted claims that her family helped her get a foothold in Hollywood during a recent appearance on Lewis Howes’ podcast, The School of Greatness.
The six-time Oscar nominee cinematographer Caleb Deschanel’s father, Zooey, stated, “It’s funny because people be like, ‘Oh, nepotism,’ I’m like no.” My father works as a cinematographer, or DP. Nobody is being hired because their father is a DP. It most certainly isn’t.
For his work on films including The Patriot, The Natural, The Right Stuff, The Passion of the Christ, and Never Look Away, Cale has received nominations.
In addition to him, Zooey’s sister is Bones and Spider-Man 2 actress Emily Deschanel, and her mother is actor Mary Jo Deschanel, best known for her work in Twin Peaks.
The 500 Days of Summer actress acknowledged that she occasionally receives “creative help” from her parents even though she refuted the claims of nepotism.
“My dad is a filmmaker and cinematographer, and my mother is an actor. I can’t express how much my family’s creative support meant to me,” she said.
