Zooey Deschanel and the Battle to Put Lamorne Morris in New Girl

What Is New Girl? (A Quick Intro)

New Girl was a funny TV show that played on the Fox channel from 2011 to 2018. It was created by a woman named Elizabeth Meriwether. The story followed a group of friends living together, and the main actors were:

• Zooey Deschanel
• Lamorne Morris
• Jake Johnson
• Max Greenfield
• Hannah Simone

Think of it like a silly sitcom where everyone gets into quirky situations with their roommates.

The Actor Who Almost Wasn’t There

You might know Lamorne Morris as Winston Bishop from New Girl. But guess what? At first, he wasn’t guaranteed to get that part!

Here’s the simple version of what happened:

• Lamorne first tried out for a different character called Coach. That role ended up going to another actor named Damon Wayans Jr.
• Later, the show creators made a new character named Winston – a former basketball player and a childhood friend of another character, Nick.
• As soon as that role was created, Zooey Deschanel (who played the lead) thought: “We already have the perfect guy!”

Important Point: Zooey said, “It’s impossible to think of New Girl without Lamorne Morris.” But there was a minute when he wasn’t a lock to play Winston Bishop.

How the Cast “Fought” for Him

During a chat on the Zach Sang Show (a talk show you can watch online), Zooey explained that she and the other actors had to fight to get Lamorne on the comedy.

Here’s what they did, step by step:

1. Zooey read scenes with “so many” different guys who were trying out for Winston.
2. She spoke up, saying: “What about Lamorne? That guy is so good.”
3. Jake (who played Nick) and Max (who played Schmidt) also loved Lamorne because they had all met during the earlier auditions for Coach.
4. But some big-shot decision makers were unsure – Zooey remembered they said, “Oh, I don’t know.”
5. So the cast took action:
   • Zooey wrote a note to the heads of the studio (the company that makes the show) and the network (the TV channel that airs it).
   • The other actors each wrote to different bosses too.
   • They all basically said: “Just putting my two cents in – we think Lamorne is the best, best, best for this character, and would be such a great addition. I can’t see anyone else playing this part!”

Callout: Sometimes actors have to speak up as a team to get the right person for a role. That’s exactly how Winston was born!

Lamorne’s Big Win Later

Lamorne Morris did get the part and became a fan favorite. Years later, in 2024, he won a special TV prize called an Emmy (think of it like a shiny trophy given to amazing TV actors) for playing a character named Deputy Witt Farr on another show called Fargo (which airs on FX).

Summary

• New Girl is a sitcom that ran from 2011 to 2018 on Fox, created by Elizabeth Meriwether.
• Lamorne Morris first auditioned for Coach but didn’t get that role.
• When Winston (former basketball player, Nick’s childhood friend) was created, Zooey Deschanel and co-stars pushed hard to cast Lamorne.
• They wrote to TV bosses to convince them he was the best choice.
• Lamorne became beloved as Winston and later won an Emmy in 2024 for his role in Fargo.

FAQ

Q1: Who is Zooey Deschanel?
She is an actress who played the main character in New Girl and helped campaign for Lamorne Morris to join the cast.

Q2: What role did Lamorne Morris almost play instead of Winston?
He first tried out for Coach, but that part went to Damon Wayans Jr.

Q3: What is an Emmy?
It’s a prestigious award given to excellent TV performers – like a gold medal for actors on television.

Q4: Did the whole cast help get Lamorne the job?
Yes! Zooey, Jake, Max, and others each wrote to different network or studio heads to recommend him.

Q5: Is New Girl still on TV?
The original show ended in 2018, but it’s often available on streaming services as a classic comedy to enjoy anytime.