Zooey Deschanel Unveils Epic Destiny for ‘Almost Famous’ and ‘500 Days of Summer’ Characters

Zooey Deschanel has envisioned alternative endings for two of her beloved movie characters: Anita from Almost Famous and Summer from 500 Days of Summer.

According to the 43-year-old actress, who is currently promoting her new film project, Dreamin' Wild, Anita's character in Almost Famous is quite enigmatic. Deschanel shared her thoughts exclusively with We, stating, "The interesting thing about Anita is that we don't really get to know much about her, except that she works as a stewardess or a flight attendant, and she has a deep love for music."

Deschanel, who played the character Anita in the 2000 film, mentioned that her role served as a catalyst in the story by leaving behind a record collection for her brother, William Miller (portrayed by Patrick Fugit), who is the main character. (In the movie, William, a high school student, embarks on a journey with the rock band Stillwater while attempting to secure a cover story for Rolling Stone.)

Deschanel hopes that Anita, despite her mysteriousness, has found her place in the music industry after her extensive travels.

Deschanel envisions a romantic storyline for Summer's happily ever after. She expressed her desire for Summer and Tom, her character's love interest in the movie 500 Days of Summer, to reunite in the future.

Tom falls for Summer in the 2009 romantic comedy, only to have his heart broken by her. Despite moving on and finding love with Autumn, fans continue to express their dissatisfaction with how Summer treated Tom. In 2018, Gordon-Levitt, aged 42, addressed the ongoing criticism, suggesting that audiences should re-watch the film and consider that Tom may be at fault for the relationship's downfall. He asserts that Tom projected his own desires, failed to listen, and acted selfishly, but ultimately learned and grew from his experiences.

Deschanel agreed with her costar's statement in 2019, expressing her surprise when women confessed their hatred for her character in the film. She found it difficult to understand why, as her character had been upfront about her feelings from the start.

Deschanel acknowledged that people's dislike for her character could be attributed to Gordon-Levitt's charm. She pointed out that his adorableness in the movie made it hard for viewers to understand why her character would reject him.

The polarizing opinions surrounding 500 Days of Summer have sparked Deschanel's interest in exploring the possibility of a sequel. When asked about the potential for a second film, Deschanel mentioned, "We've always had discussions about 500 Days of Summer. You know, what if we approached it from a different perspective? But yeah, I'm not sure."

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in the film '500 Days Of Summer.' Watermark/Kobal/Shutterstock

Currently, Deschanel's main focus is on the film Dreamin' Wild, scheduled to be released on Friday, August 4. This movie is inspired by the real-life tale of brothers and musicians Donnie and Joe Emerson, with Deschanel portraying Nancy Sophia Emerson, Donnie's wife.

Deschanel emphasized the importance of ensuring Nancy's happiness, especially considering the challenge of portraying a real person. She expressed how Nancy had been incredibly supportive of the musical duo throughout their journey to fame and success. Deschanel described Nancy as a cheerleader for Donnie and a devoted partner. She emphasized that it was crucial to convey Nancy's lack of jealousy when Donnie began receiving recognition for his earlier work. Deschanel aimed to honor Nancy's support and do justice to her character.

With reporting by Leanne Aciz Stanton