Unveiling the Hidden Truth: The Shocking Exit of Zooey Deschanel's Jess in New Girl Season 5
Zooey Deschanel's departure from New Girl in season 5 was due to her pregnancy, but it led to an unexpected twist with the introduction of Reagan The friendship between Jess and Reagan defied expectations, and Deschanel successfully managed her dual roles of actress and parent
Summary
Zooey Deschanel had to temporarily leave New Girl in season 5 because she was heavily pregnant and needed to go on maternity leave.
Reagan, Megan Fox's character, was a valuable addition to the show and introduced enough dramatic elements to sustain the series during Jess's absence. In a refreshing departure from typical sitcom clichés, the show depicted Jess and Reagan as friends rather than creating unnecessary conflict between them, allowing their characters to be portrayed as mature adults.
Zooey Deschanel, the lead of the popular sitcom New Girl, left temporarily in season 5, leaving fans curious about the reason behind Jess' departure. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, New Girl revolved around Jessica Day (played by Deschanel), a cheerful young teacher who, after discovering her boyfriend's infidelity, moved into a loft with three strangers – Nick Miller, Schmidt, and Coach, who later got replaced by Winston, although he eventually returned. With the exception of season 5, the main cast remained consistent throughout the show.
In the third episode of season 5, titled "Jury Duty," Jess receives a summons for jury duty. The case being high-profile, the jury members are required to be sequestered for a month. Jess's absence leads to the introduction of a new roommate named Reagan Lucas, who develops friendships with the gang and becomes Nick's love interest while staying at the loft. Although Jess's departure only lasts for six episodes and Reagan also eventually leaves the show, it is still unusual for the star of the show to depart in the middle of a season. The truth, however, is that Zooey Deschanel needed a break – Jess left New Girl for jury duty so that Zooey Deschanel could focus on starting her family.
Zooey Deschanel Left New Girl Because She Was Pregnant
Jess' departure from New Girl in season 5 was due to her real-life pregnancy. Despite efforts by the costume department to conceal her pregnancy, she took maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter, Elsie Otter. Initially, the show considered having Jess move back to Oregon to explain her absence. However, this storyline wasn't believable as Jess was shown to have regular contact with her family. To fill the void, the character Reagan, played by Megan Fox, was introduced and became integral to the storylines involving Nick and Jess. Jess' absence in season 5 ultimately strengthened her relationship with Nick and led to their reunion in season 6.
Reagan Was A Welcome Addition To The Show
The decision to bring back Megan Fox's character as Reagan was a brilliant move for New Girl. It allowed the show to maintain its momentum even without Jess, and added an intriguing dynamic to the storyline. Reagan's presence created tension among the housemates and kept viewers invested in the will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Jess and Nick. Ultimately, Jess and Nick do end up together by the show's finale, but the inclusion of Reagan was crucial in giving their relationship a refreshing and compelling journey, rather than falling into the clichés of other on-again-off-again sitcom couples.
Jess & Reagan Becoming Friends Went Against Expectations
In season 5 of New Girl, Jess's departure opened the door for Reagan to join the cast. However, when Jess later returned, there was some overlap with Reagan's storyline. Despite expectations, the show managed to break away from the usual sitcom clichés by portraying Jess and Reagan as friends. The popular Jess and Nick relationship hinted at a potential return, leading to the instinct of creating tension between Jess and Reagan.
Many sitcoms have followed this pattern, with Rachel's boyfriends on Friends becoming rivals for Ross, and vice versa. The Office used Jim's new girlfriend Karen to recreate the love triangle with Pam, but had to awkwardly remove her for Jim and Pam to be together. Luckily, New Girl deviated from this trend by having Jess and Reagan quickly develop a bond. They even share a sweet moment discussing their unexpected attraction to Nick. This portrayal allowed the women to be seen as mature adults, rather than the typical romantic rivals seen countless times.
How Zooey Deschanel Juggled New Girl And Parenthood
Filming for season 5 of New Girl began before Zooey Deschanel went on maternity leave. However, there was a break between those episodes and the rest of the season, allowing Deschanel to have more time with her family. Megan Fox joined the series during this break period, making it seem like Deschanel had an extended leave for fans. As new parents, managing both a full-time job and a baby is a lot of work. Deschanel appreciated having another parent on set to share stories with. Both Deschanel and Fox are familiar with the challenges of balancing parenting and acting. Fox already had two children when she joined the cast of New Girl and was experienced in finding the right work-life equilibrium. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Fox joked that Deschanel had already read every parenting book and there was nothing she could teach her. Although Deschanel couldn't be with her daughter constantly on set, she discussed her frequently with Fox, and the two would share stories about their experiences with childbirth and diaper changes.
