When the prince contacted me through his manager, I thought someone was playing a prank.
As her duo She & Him release a Beach Boys covers album, the actor-musician answers your questions on duetting with Prince, crying to Björk and raging at the US supreme court When her duo She & Him released a Beach album As the Boys covered the album, the actor and musician answered your questions about her duet with Prince, crying to Björk, and lashing out at the U.S. Supreme Court
What’s the philosophy behind She & Him’s new Beach Boys tribute album? Why revisit a musical era very different from today? Why relive a musical era that is very different from today's?
Pet Sounds is a masterpiece, but I really love later albums such as Surf’s Up or Sunflower, which get less attention but have really interesting songs. We narrowed it down by sending songs back and forth and digging into the melancholy side, which is such a wonderful contrast to how people perceive the Beach Boys.Pet Sounds is a masterpiece, but I really enjoyed later albums, for example Surf's Up or Sunflower, they get little attention but have very interesting songs. We narrowed it down by sending songs back and forth and digging into the melancholy side, which was in stark contrast to what people thought about beach boys.
With the film 500 Days of Summer, people often cast [Deschanel’s character] Summer as almost villainous for her (understandable) rejection of Tom. Is this indicative of a wider societal attitude, where any strong female character attracts negativity?
In the film 500 Days of Summer, [Deschanel's character] Summer is often portrayed as her (understandably) malicious rejection of Tom. Does this indicate a broader societal attitude that any strong female character attracts negative emotions?
I got that take from day one. It’s a very emotional response. People want the characters to be together, but that not happening makes the movie interesting. She is upfront that she doesn’t want a relationship, but he ignores her. The most telling scene is when she tells him: “I’ve never told anybody that before,” and he makes it about himself. He is fixated on external details – such as her liking the Smiths – that has nothing to do with who she is as a person. To anyone who thinks Summer is the villain, I say: think a little deeper.
I knew that from day one. It was a very emotional reaction. People wanted the characters to be together, but nothing happened that made the movie interesting. She frankly said she didn't want to be in love, but he ignored her. The most convincing scenario is when she tells him, "I've never told anyone before," and he describes it as himself. He focused on external details — like she liked the Smiths — which had nothing to do with who she was as a person. To anyone who thinks Summer is the villain, I say: think a little deeper.
"People want them together, "Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoe Danschel" in 500 Days of Summer.
How do you feel about being labelled as the manic pixie dream girl?
I don’t feel it’s accurate. I’m not a girl. I’m a woman. It doesn't hurt my feelings, but it's a way of making a woman one-dimensional and I'm not one-dimensional. I'm not a girl. I am a woman. It doesn't hurt my feelings, but it's a way to make women one-dimensional, and I'm not one-dimensional.
New Girl was fantastic, with a great cast. Was most of it improvised? <新女孩>Great, great cast. Is mostly improvisation?
No. We had such great writers, but we had freedom and there were a lot of improvised moments. As an actor, it helps to open up the dialogue and often, even though you’re saying words on a page, you’re improvising around them. No, we have such great writers, but we have the freedom to have a lot of moments of improvisation. As an actor, opening up conversations is helpful, and often, even if you say words based on text, you improvise around them. The good thing about that actor is that everyone can do it.
There are a lot of improvisational moments... Danschel played Jesse in The New Girl
Given his enigmatic ways, it still seems amazing that Prince contacted you to make a guest appearance on New Girl. You performed Fallinlove2nite with him in the 2014 episode, but was he aware of She & Him? Given his mysterious approach, it seems surprising that Prince contacted you for a cameo in New Girl. You performed 2 Nights in Love with him on the 2014 episode, but does he know your album?
Oh my God. I don’t know. I know he watched New Girl on the tour bus. When he contacted me through his manager, I thought someone was pranking me and I asked my agents: “Can you find out if this is really Prince’s manager?” I recorded the song for the show, but when he said they would put it out I was like: “What? A single with Prince?!” It was a pinch-myself moment. I do not know. I know he's seen The New Girl on the tour bus. When he contacted me through his agent, I thought someone was playing a prank, and I asked my agent, "Can you find out if this is really Prince's agent?" "I recorded the song for the show, but when he said they'd put it out, I thought, 'What? Alone with the prince?! "At this time, I first pinch myself.
Were you disappointed that The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy never got further than the first film? Did you enjoy playing Trillian? Have you ever been disappointed that A Hitchhiker in the Galaxy never went any further than the first movie? Do you like playing Trillian?
I did, but the character was supposed to be part-alien and for some reason they cut that out. As an actor, I was heartbroken, but I loved the movie and the people. Douglas Adams [its creator] passed away before his time [at 49, in 2001], which was so sad. True, but the character was supposed to be some sort of alien, and for some reason they cut it off. As an actor, I'm sad, but I love this movie and people. Douglas Adams [its creator] died before his time [2001 at the age of 49], which is very sad.
"As an actor, I was heartbroken"...Danscher in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
When did you realise that [the 2008 thriller] The Happening wasn't really "happening"?
[She laughs.] That film was pretty universally not loved! The director, M Night Shyamalan – Night – had a strong vision and we were all trying to do what he wanted. I trusted him, because he’s a great film-maker. I didn’t know until I saw the film, but I think he was going for a stylised horror, like The Birds, and maybe people didn’t get that. I had a blast working with Night and Mark Wahlberg, but while I’ve done serious drama, I’m not sure I fit with thrillers. I find most joy in doing comedy
(She laughed.) That movie is hardly universally loved! Director M Night Shyamalan – Night – has a strong vision and we're all trying to do what he wants to do. I trust him because he's a great filmmaker. I didn't know until I watched the film, but I thought he would pursue a stylized horror like The Birds, and maybe people didn't understand that. I've had a great time working with Night and Mark Wahlberg, but while I've shot serious plays, I'm not sure I'm a good fit for a thriller. I think doing comedy is the happiest.
Zoe Danscher: 'I'm not sure I'm a good fit for a thriller. I think doing comedy is the happiest.
Your renditions of Dream a Little Dream of Me and I Put a Spell on You are among my favourite things in this world. Your renditions of Dream a Little Dream of Me and I Put a Spell on You are among my favorite movies in the world. Which singers do you like to listen to?
Judy Garland was my favourite singer growing up. Then Linda Ronstadt, Karen Carpenter, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Astrud Gilberto, Sarah Vaughan. For guy singers: John Sebastian, Sam Cooke, Al Green. I like the old stuff. Like Summer, I do love the Smiths. Morrissey is an amazing songwriter. There's definitely Smiths songs I would love to cover, but I want to concentrate on our own songs.udy Garland was my favorite singer growing up. Then linda Longstadt, Karen Carpenter, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Astrud Gilberto, sarah Vaughan. Male singers: John Sebastian, Sam Cooke, Al Green. I like old stuff. Like summer, I do love the Smiths. Morrissey is an amazing songwriter. Of course, I'd love to cover Smiths' songs, but I want to focus on our own songs.
You seem to radiate good feeling, but what recently made you rage (apart from a certain supreme court decision)? You seem to have a good temper, but what has made you angry lately (except for a certain Supreme Court decision)?
That did make me rage! People will suffer and have complications in childbirth and maternal deaths will rise, although I’m more sad than angry that people won’t get the care they need. Rights were taken away without the support of the people, but hopefully it will be rescinded. That really me off! People will suffer and have complications during childbirth, and maternal mortality will rise, although I am sad rather than angry that people cannot get the care they need. The right is taken away without the support of the people, but hopefully it will be revoked. I'm a pretty optimistic person.
PS:Zooey Deschanel: ‘Manic pixie dream girl? I’m not a girl. I’m a woman’ | Music | The Guardian