Show business is in actor 's blood—both of her parents are in the business, as is her sister, , best known for her role in the drama series, . Zooey made her film debut at just 19 years old, and she's worked consistently since then and has built a reputation around playing quirky characters. She's perhaps , , and she has a number of projects currently in the works. She's also had a successful career as a musician in the indie duo .

Deschanel also has a number of film projects to her name. Since her career began, she's starred in projects spanning genres, from voiceover work in to to heartfelt . The , in particular, brought some of her best, most memorable roles.

After an ugly divorce, loan officer Carl Allen () attends a self-help seminar which helps him change his negative ways and embrace the power of saying yes in ., leading to major steps forward, like a promotion at work and a new romance with Allison (Deschanel), but he soon finds there’s a downside. The movie was loosely based on the memoir written by.

—it's been compared to , another hit Carrey film—it still has plenty of humor and heart. It’s a funny and uplifting movie about the power saying yes can have, and it deals with depression and the push some people need to better themselves. , and she plays off of Carrey wonderfully.

After attempting to sell pot to a police officer, the dim-witted but well-intentioned Ned () spends some time in prison, then is dumped by his girlfriend and turns to his three sisters—journalist Miranda (), housewife Liz () and hipster Natalie (Deschanel)—for help in . His presence proves to be disruptive, especially when his habit of always being honest causes some trouble, but he’s not necessarily the one to blame.

. Each actor gets their time to shine—it’s hard not to like Ned, even when he’s making a mess of things, whether for himself or for his sisters, and everyone comes out stronger for it in the end. What Ned’s really after is happiness, and his attitude is something his sisters could learn from.

follows discount-store clerk Justine (), who’s unhappy with her marriage due to her husband, Phil’s (), laziness and penchant for smoking pot, on top of the couple’s struggles to have a baby. Soon, she falls for her coworker, a stock boy named Holden (), who identifies with the protagonist who shares his name in the novel . Justine and Holden eventually begin having an affair.

about how dull everyday life can be, as well as the potential ramifications of trying to escape that, with some pretty big emotional moments. The cast is great to watch— Aniston plays a very different character than audiences were used to seeing from her, and Deschanel is particularly entertaining as Cheryl, .

In , Paul () is content with his relationships being limited to one-night stands—until his best friend’s younger and much more inexperienced sister, Noel (Deschanel), returns home to their small town from boarding school. He quickly falls for her, but his best friend, Tip (), is aware of his past and questions his intentions with her, forcing Paul to prove himself not just to Tip but to other friends and family.

All the Real Girls premiered at the , where it was well-received. , with beautiful cinematography and great characters who all have ample opportunity to stand out and grow. Most notably, the film features Deschanel in one of her most compelling performances, and it earned her a nomination for Best Female Lead at the .

Deschanel stars in as bartender and aspiring actress Reese Holden, who is (), a novelist with whom she has a strained relationship. When she returns to her Michigan home to get the letters, she finds her father is sharing his home with former grad student Shelly () and musician Corbit ().

Shortly after working together in , Deschanel and Ferrell starred together again in Winter Passing, this time as acquaintances connected by Reese’s father. Winter Passing is a compelling movie about family strife which touches on a lot of heavy topics. Deschanel delivers a great performance as Reese, , and it allows her to showcase the full scope of her talents as an actor.

In , just before Earth is demolished by an alien construction crew to make room for a hyperspace express route, Arthur Dent () is taken to outer space by his friend Ford Prefect (), who turns out to be an alien himself working on a guidebook called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. by .

— Adams’ humor comes across better in the book, as does his strong written voice, but the film is still an entertaining adaptation, one of many formats the book was translated to. One of its strengths is the perfect casting, with each actor well-suited for their character, though some fans dislike the way Deschanel’s character of Trillian was changed for the film.

Instead of prison, violent teen Lyle () is sent to a mental institution for adolescents after beating another teenager with a baseball bat in , despite his insistence that he isn’t “crazy.” While there, he meets Dr. David Monroe () and a diverse group of other troubled teenagers, who all bond with each other. Among them is Tracy (Deschanel), a girl with low self-esteem who suffers from nightmares, and the two connect.

, with the two playing love interests—they would later reunite for the romantic comedy . . It presents an honest look at a wide range of mental illnesses and traumatic events, and its character development presents hope that people can overcome their difficulties and move forward.

After ending up at the North Pole as a toddler and being raised among Santa’s elves, the now-adult Buddy (Will Ferrell) realizes he doesn’t fit in and sets off for New York City to find his biological father, Walter (), a businessman , in Elf. As and settles into his new life, he falls in love with coworker Jovie (Deschanel).

, particularly by Ferrell and Deschanel— both are a delight to watch, and the movie is among both actors’ best work. Deschanel also gets a chance to show off her singing abilities when Jovie and Buddy sing a classic Christmas carol together. The film was a huge success when it was released and for many families during the holidays.

, set in 1973, follows music-loving teenager William (), an aspiring music journalist, , the editors of which are unaware of his age. He heads out on tour with them, despite the concerns of his overbearing mother (). Deschanel plays his older sister, Anita, whose secret record collection helps spark his love of music.

Almost Famous is a modern-day classic working for Rolling Stone. The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast—. It’s a small role and is one of her earliest, but it’s also one of the best and most famous films she’s worked on. And, of course, full of classic rock.

When greeting-card writer and hopeless romantic Tom (Gordon-Levitt) meets Summer (Deschanel) at work, he falls hard for her and feels she’s his soulmate— and he’s blindsided and stunned when she breaks up with him after 500 days together. (500) Days of Summer is a nonlinear look at the ups and downs of their relationship from Tom’s perspective, including his desire to win her back and the ways he contributed to their split.

When the couple is at their best in (500) Days of Summer, it’s easy to see why they worked so well together, and it’s just as easy to see why they didn’t work out, especially as it becomes more and more obvious that Tom loved his version of Summer and not who she really was. It’s a great film about expectations in relationships and puts a twist on the typical romance film—and it’s often misinterpreted.

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