Deschanel’s Marie Clarie interview strikes a chord with me – in a good way. Her quirkiness and individuality, whether in New Girl wearing a bow or pink ensemble, doesn’t make her excessively feminine or necessitate an underestimation of her intelligence. Let’s drop the assumptions that her cutesy exterior implies a lack of intelligence.
Though Deschanel may not have anticipated her move from acting in indie art films to star in her own TV series, she embodies the role of Jessica Day. Deschanel’s very malleability and marketability showcases her strength to cater to young audiences who want light-hearted comedy and romance.
The term Manic Pixie Dream Girl best describes Deschanel’s type casted roles. Deschanel often plays roles that are imagined from the male perspective. She becomes an imagined and reductive caricature, rather than a fully-developed character. She’s the roommate, from the perspectives of her three male roommates. She’s the girlfriend ideal, from the perspective of the innocent Tom.
I’ll be honest though – I have a love-hate relationship with New Girl. Deschanel’s character bursts out in random song or reverts back to role of helpless damsel or clueless girl-woman sometimes. Though Deschanel argues this isn’t how she is offset, accepting this role as Jessica Day, the quirky and sometimes absent-minded teacher, undercuts her efforts at finding a new public image.
Femininity isn’t about cleavage bearing or towering heels, and compared to most Hollywood studded events, Deschanel knows how to play up her beauty in modest, yet stunning ways. If you’re not digging her 50s-inspired dresses then feel free to veer from her retro glam taste, but know that individualism and style are your most powerful assets.
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