Comedian Damon Wayans Jr. joined the cast of “New Girl,” playing the character Coach. But this wasn’t the first time he had hung out with Zooey Deschanel. When he spoke with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he said he loved “New Girl” because of the familiarity, especially from knowing the lead. “It was fun and comforting,” Wayans said. “I knew those guys for a lot of years, so it felt like family. I went to high school with Zooey Deschanel. We go way back.”
It makes sense that Deschanel and Wayans went to high school together, considering both come from Hollywood families. Wayans’ father is Damon Wayans Sr., a comedian, actor, writer, and producer who spent a good portion of the late ’80s on “Saturday Night Live.” His uncles are Marlon Wayans, Keenan Ivory Wayans, and Shawn Wayans, who worked on treasures like “The Wayans Bros.” and “White Chicks.” That’s an impressive comedic family line!
Deschanel’s father, Caleb Deschanel, is a director and cinematographer who worked on films like “The Patriot,” “The Lion King (2019),” and “The Passion of the Christ.” So they clearly had Hollywood in common as kids.
