What Is the ‘New Girl’ Cast Doing Now?

New Girl aired on Fox from 2011 until 2018. While fans of the series would have liked to see it continue, the series ended in a satisfying way. Fans got to see Jess Day, Nick Miller, Schmidt, Cece Parekh, Winston Bishop, and even Coach all find love and move past the roommate phase of life when the show ended. It still hasn’t stopped fans from hoping for a reboot, so what exactly is the cast of New Girl up to these days?

Zooey Deschanel has been trying out different entertainment jobs in recent years

Zooey Deschanel, the actor who portrayed Jessica Day in New Girl, was already well-known when she signed onto the series. She had a successful movie career before the series. Some fans assumed she’d head right back to the big screen, but she didn’t do that following the sitcom’s end. Instead, she expanded her horizons and has been working on other creative endeavors. Deschanel lent her voice to several projects, appeared in a music video or two, and toured with her band. She has even worked on a podcast. Deschanel, along with her New Girl cast members Lamorne Morris, & Hannah Simone, host the New Girl recap podcast, Welcome to Our Show. 

Deschanel’s personal life experienced a shakeup, too. Following the end of the famed series, Deschanel announced a split from her husband, Jacob Pechenik. The couple, who wed in 2015, finalized their divorce in 2020, but there don’t appear to be any bitter feelings. Deschanel and her ex still run a public benefit corporation focused on food education together. Deschanel also began dating Jonathan Scott around the time she separated from Pechenik. They are still together. 

Jake Johnson has moved into less traditional roles in recent years 

Jake Johnson, who became a fan favorite as Nick Miller, hasn’t had a traditional Hollywood career, but he is proud of it. In a recent sitdown with The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson said his agent planned to move him into a blockbuster movie track when his time as a New Girl cast member ended, but the idea didn’t fulfill him. 

Instead, Johnson has focused on more niche projects, portraying larger-than-life characters in underdog movies and series. He was Doug in the Starz series, Minx in 2022. He is planning for his directorial debut now, too. Johnson developed the concept for Self-Reliance, a movie about a reality game show contestant during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. According to IMDb, the 85-minute feature will be released in September 2023. Johnson will also be starring in the film. 

LaMorne Morris is still working steadily in TV and movies after ‘New Girl’

LeMorne Morris, the actor who portrayed Winston “Winnie the Bish” Bishop in New Girl, has found plenty of success on the small-screen since the end of New Girl. Morris has appeared in three additional successful series. He appeared in Call Me Kat for several episodes before landing a role on Woke. Morris was recently cast in Fargo.

New Girl fans who want to hear more from Morris can learn all they want about the actor on Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast. Morris, Deschanel, and Hannah Simone sit down and discuss each episode of the show. The podcast released its most recent episode on Aug. 7. The trio is currently covering season 2. 

Max Greenfield might be recognizable as someone other than Schmidt 

While Max Greenfield will always be Schmidt to New Girl fans, it’s not the only character he’s played for years. Following his success with the sitcom about roommates living in a loft in Los Angeles, Greenfield moved on to another series about another unique LA living situation. 

In The Neighborhood, Greenfield plays a midwesterner who moves to LA and finds himself living in a predominantly black neighborhood. Greenfield stars opposite Cedric, the Entertainer. While the series has been criticized in the past, it’s popular enough to remain on CBS’ extremely successful lineup. A sixth season will appear during the 2023-2024 TV season, although no set premiere date has been announced. 

Hannah Simone found her footing on another series 

While several of her co-stars had no issue finding successful projects to move into following New Girl, it took Hannah Simone a bit longer to figure it all out. Simone, who played Jessica Day’s bestie and the object of Schmidt’s obsession, Cece Parekh, appeared in several failed pilots and panned projects after the series ended. Eventually, she moved into voice work and has been a successful voice actor in recent years. 

While her voice work kept her busy, Simone was not ready to stay behind the camera. You may have spotted her in Not Dead Yet. Simone plays obituary writer Nell Serrano’s friend and colleague in the Gina Rodriguez-led series. While season 1 didn’t dig too deeply into Simone’s character, there is hope that season 2 will give her more to work with. Season 2 is planned for the 2023-2024 TV season. 

Damon Wayans Jr. appeared sporadically as a member of the ‘New Girl’ cast  

Coach bounced in and out of the New Girl cast. The character, portrayed by Damon Wayans Jr., appeared in the pilot before Winston replaced him. Wayans Jr. could not continue on the show initially due to a contract issue with another series. When that show ended, his character returned. 

Since the end of New Girl, Wayans Jr. has appeared in a myriad of successful projects, including several producer roles. Wayans Jr. is set to star in and produce Poppa’s House, an upcoming CBS series. According to Deadline, the series was ordered by CBS in May. It is expected to premiere in 2024.