136 Fun Facts About New Girl

Jess lands a substitute-teaching job at which middle school, later becoming its vice principal?

Coolidge Middle School is where Jess teaches and later becomes vice principal; Coach joins the staff as a gym and health teacher, and its ban on administrator-teacher romance complicates her relationship with Ryan.

What is the apartment number of the loft where the main characters live?

The iconic loft apartment where Jess moves in with Nick, Schmidt, and Winston (or Coach in the pilot) is apartment 4D.

What is the name of Winston Bishop's beloved pet cat?

Furguson, spelled with a 'u', becomes one of Winston's closest companions and turns up in storyline after storyline.

What is the name of the bar where Nick Miller works and later co-owns?

Nick works as a bartender at a local bar known as The Griffin, which he eventually buys and co-owns with Schmidt.

Schmidt's first name, kept secret until late in season 6, turns out to be what?

Winston is the name, which is why Schmidt goes by his surname: two Winstons in one loft would be confusing.

What is the fundamental rule of the drinking game 'True American'?

You can't touch the ground because 'the floor is lava'; fans online eventually tried to summarize the rest of the improvised rules.

What was Cece Parekh's initial profession when the series began?

Cece Parekh is introduced as Jess's best friend and a successful fashion model.

Which Fox series was the lead-in for New Girl's series premiere in September 2011?

Glee, airing its third-season premiere at 8 p.m., was the lead-in; New Girl's debut outdrew it and gave Fox its best fall scripted premiere in a decade.

What is the full name of Jess Day's older sister?

Jess has an older sister named Abby, who is portrayed by Linda Cardellini and makes several appearances in Season 3.

Which actor plays Nick Miller?

Nick Miller, the cynical bartender and eventual writer, is portrayed by Jake Johnson.

What is the title of the detective novel Nick writes, which later earns him a European book tour?

The Pepperwood Chronicles, Nick's Julius Pepperwood detective novel, gets published and sends him and Jess on a European book tour; season 7 opens with them returning to the loft.

What does Nick Miller dismissively call 'sky rats'?

Nick's list of grudges also covers the moon landing, which he doesn't believe happened, and dinosaurs, which he doesn't believe in either.

Which celebrity played himself in New Girl's post-Super Bowl episode, giving Jess a makeover and nudging her toward Nick?

Prince played himself in the episode 'Prince', which aired after Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014, and drew about 26.3 million viewers, the series' largest audience.

Who is Jess Day's live-in boyfriend, caught cheating in the pilot?

Spencer's cheating is what sends her looking for a new place and into the guys' loft.

Winston played college basketball at which university before turning pro overseas?

His sister also plays professional basketball, though Winston's own overseas career ended as the ninth man on the bench for a mediocre team.

Which actor portrays Schmidt?

Max Greenfield was called the breakout star of season 1, and The A.V. Club named Schmidt the year's breakout TV character.

In the season 3 premiere 'All In', Nick and Jess run off to which country?

Mexico is where the new couple hides out in 'All In'; Nick is held by resort security after sneaking into a hotel where they aren't guests, and Schmidt and Winston drive down to retrieve them.

Schmidt, the loft's wealthiest roommate, is noted for splurging $80 on what?

Schmidt also bought the loft's couch and refrigerator, which he never lets the others forget.

In what city is the New Girl loft primarily located?

The show is set in Los Angeles, depicting the interpersonal adventures of the roommates in their downtown loft.

What is the middle name of Schmidt?

After much mystery, it is revealed that Schmidt's middle name is Saint-Marie.

Who plays Jess Day?

The titular 'New Girl', Jessica Day, is portrayed by actress and singer-songwriter Zooey Deschanel.

What is Coach's real first name?

Coach's real name is Ernie Tagliaboo, a detail revealed a few times throughout the series.

Which character frequently puts money into the 'douchebag jar'?

Schmidt's often arrogant or inappropriate comments lead to his roommates making him put money into the apartment's 'douchebag jar.'

What is the title of the novel Nick finally finishes in season 2?

Z Is for Zombie is the novel Nick finishes in the season 2 episode 'Eggs'; Jess reads the manuscript and struggles to find anything kind to say about it.

Who plays Winston Bishop?

Lamorne Morris joined after the pilot, when Coach's actor went back to Happy Endings; Winston's elaborate, badly judged pranks became a running joke.

Winston returns to the loft in episode two after playing pro basketball in which country?

Latvia is where Winston played professional basketball; he returns to the loft in the season 1 episode 'Kryptonite' after his playing career there ends and reclaims his old room.

Which actress played Reagan Lucas, Nick's temporary love interest and roommate while Jess was away?

Megan Fox joined the cast in seasons 5 and 6 as Reagan Lucas, a no-nonsense pharmaceutical sales representative who sublets Jess's room.

What is Jess Day's middle name?

Christopher is Jess's middle name: her full name is Jessica Christopher Day, a detail the show drops as a throwaway joke about her oddball upbringing.

Where is Schmidt originally from?

Long Island is where Schmidt grew up; his mother Louise lives there, and his Jewish Long Island upbringing is a frequent target of the loft's jokes.

Who is Winston's partner on the LAPD, whom he later marries?

Aly Nelson is Winston's LAPD partner, introduced in season 4 as a no-nonsense cop; after the season 7 time jump the two are married and expecting their first child.

What type of food does Jess Day famously enjoy, even finding the 'greasy oil' appealing?

Jess has a quirky love for pizza, specifically appreciating the 'greasy oil' on it.

Who plays Cece Parekh?

Hannah Simone plays Cece Parekh, Jess's best friend since childhood; Simone, a former MuchMusic VJ in Canada, was a series regular for all seven seasons.

What is Nick Miller's full first and middle name?

Nick Miller's full name is Nicholas Sean Miller.

At the end of season 4, Coach leaves the loft to follow his cellist girlfriend May to which city?

May and Coach were both army brats who kept narrowly missing each other while moving around the country as kids.

In season 3, Nick reveals he once took and passed which test purely to prove he could?

Nick had dropped out of law school, yet he is still the most financially successful member of his family.

What is the name of Jess's father, played by Rob Reiner?

Jess's father, Bob Day, is played by actor and director Rob Reiner, who makes several appearances throughout the series.

What is the name of Schmidt and Cece's daughter?

She is named after Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a nod to Schmidt's growth from a man who objectified women into one who wants his daughter to be president.

What is the name of Jess's mother, played by Jamie Lee Curtis?

Jess's mother, Joan Day, is portrayed by the iconic actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

Which state is Jess Day originally from?

Jessica Day is originally from Portland, Oregon.

What is Winston's full middle name?

Winston's full name is Winston L'Andre Bishop.

How much did Schmidt's family reportedly spend on his Bar Mitzvah?

Schmidt spent college obese and sharing a dorm with Nick, and his wealth and reinvention are constant sources of both pride and mockery in the loft.

After being laid off in season 2, Jess ends up teaching what in adult education?

Creative writing is the adult-education class Jess teaches after her season 2 layoff; Nick enrolls under a fake ex-cop persona to spy on a student whose story he finds threatening.

What is the name of Nick's on-again, off-again girlfriend from the beginning of the series, before Jess?

At the start of the series, Nick is struggling with a recent breakup from his long-term girlfriend, Caroline.

What company does Schmidt work for as a marketing associate, and later director?

Schmidt works for a company called Associated Strategies, where he steadily climbs the corporate ladder from marketing associate to director of marketing.

Which 'Happy Endings' actor played Coach in the pilot?

Damon Wayans Jr. played Coach in the pilot while expecting ABC to cancel Happy Endings; when it was renewed he left, Winston was written in, and he rejoined the loft in season 3.

Which homeless man hangs around the loft building and its residents?

Played by Steve Agee, he lives by the apartment building and drifts in and out of the gang's schemes.

In New Girl, Justin Long guest-starred as which music teacher at Jess's school, one of her season 1 boyfriends?

Paul Genzlinger teaches music at Jess's school and is one of her early boyfriends; the other options were Jess's later loves.

At which university did Schmidt and Nick share a dorm room and become lifelong friends?

Syracuse University is where Nick and Schmidt were assigned as freshman roommates; flashbacks show the overweight 'Fat Schmidt' of those college years.

Which actress plays Schmidt's mother, Louise?

Nora Dunn, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, plays Louise Schmidt, the overbearing mother who turns up in the show's later seasons.

Which Rob Riggle character, the rival cousin of one loft resident, first shows up at Thanksgiving?

Big Schmidt, played by Rob Riggle, is Schmidt's cousin who first visits in the season 2 Thanksgiving episode 'Parents', where the two compete over which of them is the real Schmidt.

On what date did New Girl premiere on Fox?

September 20, 2011 is the night the pilot aired on Fox; the series ran seven seasons and 146 episodes, ending on May 15, 2018.

How many US viewers watched the New Girl pilot?

It was Fox's highest-rated fall scripted debut since The Bernie Mac Show in 2001.

Under what working title did Elizabeth Meriwether first develop New Girl?

Chicks and Dicks was Meriwether's working title; as the show moved away from the roommates' sexual escapades, Fox retitled it New Girl before the 2011 premiere.

Which 2011 romantic comedy by Meriwether led 20th Century Fox to approach her again about a sitcom?

She pitched an offbeat girl moving in with three single guys, inspired by her Craigslist sublets.

What promotional tagline did Fox give New Girl in its first marketing push?

Simply Adorkable was Fox's tagline for the first-season marketing, which centered on Zooey Deschanel even though Meriwether always saw the show as an ensemble piece.

Roughly how many actors auditioned for the role of Coach?

David Neher, later Schmidt's 'fremesis' Benjamin, was among them.

What percentage of the pilot would have needed reshooting to remove Damon Wayans Jr.?

Producers kept the pilot as it was, reflecting how often young people change apartments.

Which downtown Los Angeles address serves as the loft's exterior?

The Binford Building, at 837 Traction Avenue in the Arts District, provides the loft's exterior shots; the interiors are sets.

The real bar used for the show's exteriors stands in which Los Angeles neighbourhood?

Atwater Village is home to the real neighbourhood bar used for the exteriors; interior scenes were originally shot at The Prince, a restaurant in Koreatown.

How much of each episode did Lamorne Morris estimate was improvised?

Actors perform scenes as written first, then try alternatives.

In which season 1 episode was True American first played?

'Normal', episode 20 of season 1, introduces True American when Jess brings Russell to the loft and the gang plays it for the first time.

True American is described as a mix of a drinking game and which board game?

Candy Land is the board game Schmidt cites: True American is 'fifty percent drinking game, fifty percent life-size Candy Land', played while shouting presidents' names.

Which two presidents' initials are chanted in True American?

JFK and FDR are the initials players chant ('JFK!' answered by 'FDR!') as they move between pieces of furniture; the writers left almost every other rule deliberately vague.

The strip-poker version of True American played in 'Cooler' is called what?

Clinton Rules is the strip variant of True American proposed in the season 2 episode 'Cooler'; even the cast admitted the full rules were never clear.

How is True American adapted for its appearance in the series finale?

It becomes a children's game: the finale's flash-forward shows the gang playing a kid-friendly True American with their children, presidents' names and all.

Winston's recurring alter ego, Nick's gay lover, is named what?

Theodore K. Mullins is the name Winston gives his alter ego, Nick's secret lover; the bit began as a Lamorne Morris improvisation and recurs across the series.

Which pair shared more on-screen kisses than the show's central couple in the first two seasons?

Schmidt and Nick kissed on screen more often than Nick and Jess did over the first two seasons; Max Greenfield improvised the kisses until the writers began scripting them.

Which two streaming services carried New Girl exclusively from April 2023 after it left Netflix?

Hulu and Peacock became the exclusive US streaming homes of New Girl in April 2023, ending a roughly ten-year run on Netflix.

What was the title of the 2012 tie-in book compiling Schmidt's douchebag-jar sayings?

The Douche Journals, subtitled 'The Definitive Account of One Man's Genius', collected Schmidt's douchebag-jar offenses and was published in 2012 as a tie-in book.

What was the New Girl rewatch podcast launched by iHeartRadio in 2022 called?

Welcome to Our Show launched in 2022 with Zooey Deschanel, Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris rewatching the series; it relaunched in 2024 as The Mess Around with Hannah and Lamorne.

Which Fox sitcom's 2001 debut was the last to beat New Girl's fall premiere ratings?

The Bernie Mac Show's November 2001 debut was the last Fox fall scripted premiere to outrate New Girl's; New Girl's second episode then led the week in the 18-49 demo.

Which actor plays Principal Foster, Jess's boss at her school?

Curtis Armstrong, best known as Booger in Revenge of the Nerds, plays Principal Foster, the eccentric principal who makes Jess his vice principal in season 4.

Which website did Jess use to find the loft?

Craigslist is where Jess found the roommate ad; she answered it thinking it had been posted by women, right after catching her boyfriend cheating.

What was the name of Cece's arranged-marriage fiancé in season 2?

Shivrang is the fiancé Cece's family arranges in season 2; at their wedding in the season finale he admits he loves someone else, and the ceremony collapses.

Which pop star played Elaine, the woman Cece's fiancé leaves her for at the altar?

Taylor Swift played Elaine in the season 2 finale 'Elaine's Big Day', the guest Cece's fiancé confesses he loves, ending the arranged wedding.

Who plays Schmidt's college girlfriend Elizabeth?

Merritt Wever plays Elizabeth, Schmidt's college girlfriend from his overweight days; in early season 3 he tries to date both her and Cece and loses both.

Which apartment across the hall does Schmidt move into during season 3?

4C, across the hall, is where Schmidt lives for much of season 3 after his Cece-Elizabeth double-dealing blows up; he moves back into the loft later that season.

Which city councilwoman uses Schmidt as a prop boyfriend in season 4?

Fawn Moscato, a city councilwoman played by Zoe Lister-Jones, dates Schmidt in season 4 and treats him as a political prop for her campaign.

What is the title of the season 4 finale in which Schmidt proposes to Cece?

Clean Break is the season 4 finale: Schmidt proposes to Cece after Coach lets slip that she has been in love with him, and she says yes.

Who plays Schmidt's estranged father Gavin?

Peter Gallagher plays Gavin, Schmidt's long-absent father, who reappears in season 5 as Schmidt prepares to marry Cece.

In which season 6 episode is Schmidt's first name finally revealed?

San Diego, the 21st and penultimate episode of season 6, is where Schmidt's first name is spoken aloud after six seasons of secrecy.

What is the name of Schmidt and Cece's son, revealed in the finale flash-forward?

Moses is the name of Schmidt and Cece's son, mentioned in the series finale's flash-forward to a future round of True American with the gang's children.

In which season 2 episode do Nick and Jess share their first kiss?

Cooler, the fifteenth episode of season 2, ends with Nick kissing Jess in the hallway after he refused to do it on a True American dare earlier that night.

Coach's girlfriend May gets a job with which institution, prompting their move to New York?

They met during a Valentine's Day bar crawl.

In a season 6 episode, where are Coach and May revealed to have moved?

They have taken in an exchange student named Montsie.

What is the name of Cece's deadpan Russian model roommate?

Nadia is Cece's deadpan Russian roommate and fellow model; a night with Schmidt in the season 1 episode 'Backslide' leaves him in hospital with an injury he never lives down.

What exam does Cece pass while bartending at Nick's bar?

Her GED is the exam Cece passes in season 4 after admitting she never finished high school; she then enrols in community college classes while bartending.

What kind of business does Cece open in season 6?

A modelling agency is the business Cece launches in season 6, drawing on her own career; Donovan, the bar's handsome bartender, becomes her first client.

What is the title of the season 5 finale in which Schmidt and Cece marry?

Landing Gear is the season 5 finale: Schmidt gets stuck on a grounded plane on his wedding day and the gang scrambles to get him to Cece; the couple buy a fixer-upper house in season 6.

Winston played which position in the Latvian Basketball League?

He returns in the episode 'Kryptonite'.

Despite being colour blind, Winston loves shirts featuring what?

Birds and animals: Winston's beloved 'bird shirts' are a running joke, made funnier by the reveal that he is colour blind; he is also a devoted jigsaw-puzzle fan.

Whose son does Winston nanny before landing his radio job?

Gina is Schmidt's boss at Associated Strategies.

Winston marries which soldier as a prank in season 5, right before her deployment?

Rhonda, a soldier and fellow prankster played by Sonequa Martin-Green, marries Winston as a joke before her deployment in season 5, and the 'prank marriage' keeps resurfacing.

What does Winston name his and Aly's baby boy?

The finale flash-forward shows them with five children.

What phobia does Winston reveal in the season 1 finale?

The dark is Winston's fear, revealed in the season 1 finale 'See Ya' when the gang is stranded in the desert at night and he has to face it.

Which sports radio host, played by Phil Hendrie, hires Winston as a research assistant?

Joe Napoli, the abusive sports-radio host played by real-life radio personality Phil Hendrie, hires Winston as his put-upon assistant in season 1.

Which elderly park-bench friend does Nick turn to for silent advice?

Nick invented the name; Tran speaks only twice in the series.

Which secretly wealthy woman does Nick date in season 4?

Kai, played by Greta Lee, dates Nick in season 4 while hiding that she is wealthy; Nick, who loves her scrappy lifestyle, is thrown when he learns the truth.

Who plays Nick's con-man father Walt Miller?

Dennis Farina played Walt Miller, Nick's con-man father, in two season 2 episodes; Farina died in July 2013, months after the character's funeral episode 'Chicago' aired.

What does Walt Miller try to get Jess to invest in?

A race horse is Walt's scheme in the season 2 episode 'A Father's Love': he talks Jess into investing, planning to profit from the horse's stud fees.

Which stripper, played by Olivia Munn, does Nick date in season 2?

Angie is the stripper Olivia Munn played over several season 2 episodes; she and Nick drift apart on a cabin trip, and she leaves him a goodbye note.

Where does Nick briefly move with Reagan between seasons 5 and 6?

New Orleans is where Nick spends the summer with Reagan after season 5; he comes back to the loft alone in the season 6 premiere 'House Hunt' to work on his book.

In which season 7 episode does Nick propose to Jess?

Mario, a season 7 episode named for the dog Nick and Jess set out to adopt, ends with Nick proposing to Jess that same night.

What kind of doctor is Jess's on-off boyfriend Sam Sweeney?

He is also, unfortunately, a fan of Creed.

In New Girl's season 6, why do Jess and her boyfriend Robby break up during the episode 'The Hike'?

They discover they are third cousins while comparing family stories on the hike, and the romance ends on the spot.

Which of these is NOT one of Robby's surprising revealed traits?

He is also wealthy and the subject of a documentary.

Who plays Ryan Geauxinue, the British teacher Jess dates in season 4?

Julian Morris, an English actor, plays Ryan Geauxinue, the teacher at Jess's school whom she dates in season 4; the gang never agrees on how to pronounce his surname.

Which former schoolmate of Jess's does Bob Day marry in the episode 'Oregon'?

Kaitlin Olson played her; the marriage ends in season 6.

Which celebrity chef cooks Jess a private Valentine's meal in 'Operation: Bobcat'?

Gordon Ramsay plays himself in the season 6 Valentine's Day episode 'Operation: Bobcat', cooking Jess a private dinner.

Which NBA legend shares a cubicle wall with Winston in a season 1 episode?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays himself in a season 1 episode, working in the cubicle next to Winston's at the sports-radio station.

Which Black Eyed Peas member appears in a college-dorm flashback in 'No Girl'?

The flashback shows Nick and Schmidt's dorm room.

What is the title of the New Girl theme song?

Hey Girl is the theme, written and sung by the show's star; its lyric asks 'Who's that girl?' and answers 'It's Jess!'

Which Brian Huskey character publishes Nick's detective novel?

Merle Streep, played by comedian Brian Huskey, is the publisher behind Nick's detective novel in season 7; the name is a gag on Meryl Streep.

Which actress replaced Leslie Mann as the 'shot girl' in the season 2 premiere?

Parker Posey took the role of Casey, the shot girl in the season 2 premiere 'Re-Launch', after Leslie Mann dropped out over a scheduling conflict.

Who played 'Old Nick', a drunk claiming to be Nick from the future?

Raymond J. Barry played Old Nick, the bar drunk who insists he is Nick from the future, in a season 2 episode.

Who plays Russell, the wealthy older man Jess dates in season 1?

Dermot Mulroney plays Russell Schiller, the rich divorced father of one of Jess's students, whom she dates in the 'Fancyman' episodes of season 1.

What milestone did the 'Prince' episode mark for the musician?

He hosts a party and gives Nick and Jess relationship advice.

Which The Office actress played Rose, the snobbish teacher who clashes with Jess in season 3?

Angela Kinsey, Angela Martin on The Office, played Rose, one of the cool teachers Jess tries to impress in the season 3 episode 'Nerd'; Dreama Walker played her friend Molly.

Jessica Biel played Kat, described as what, in the season 4 premiere?

She and Jess compete for Reid Scott's character Ted at a wedding.

Why was Zooey Deschanel absent from six episodes of season 5?

Maternity leave: Deschanel had her first child in 2015, and Megan Fox's Reagan sublet Jess's room meanwhile.

Season 5 premiered in which month, breaking with the show's fall pattern?

January 2016 is when season 5 began, on January 5; Fox held the premiere back from fall so it could run the episodes nearly uninterrupted.

The season 6 premiere marked what milestone for Zooey Deschanel?

Her directorial debut: Deschanel directed the season 6 premiere 'House Hunt', which picks up about three months after the season 5 finale.

New Girl's 2016 crossover was with which other Fox comedy?

Brooklyn Nine-Nine crossed over in October 2016: Jess turned up in its episode 'The Night Shift', and Jake Peralta and Charles Boyle visited the loft in New Girl's 'Homecoming'.

How many episodes did the seventh and final season have?

8 episodes made up the shortened final season, which premiered on April 10, 2018 and ended on May 15, 2018.

What Rotten Tomatoes approval rating did the final season receive?

Critics called it a 'thoughtful, funny final season'.

Who plays Winston's father Van Bishop in season 7?

JB Smoove plays Van, Winston's long-absent father, whom Winston finally tracks down in season 7.

Who plays Nick's mother, Bonnie Miller?

Margo Martindale plays Bonnie Miller, Nick's blunt mother, first seen when the gang travels to the Miller family home for a funeral in season 2.

Who plays Nick's brother Jamie Miller?

Nick Kroll plays Jamie Miller, Nick's aimless brother, introduced when the roommates visit the Miller family in the season 2 episode 'Chicago'.

Who plays Shelby, Winston's on-off girlfriend in the early seasons?

Kali Hawk plays Shelby, the ex Winston wins back in season 1 and drifts apart from again in season 2.

Who plays Sadie, the gynecologist in Jess's circle of friends?

June Diane Raphael plays Sadie, Jess's lesbian gynecologist friend, a recurring character from season 1 who later has a baby with her wife.

In the series finale, what does the name 'Engram Pattersky' turn out to be?

An anagram of 'my greatest prank': the eviction notice signed by 'Engram Pattersky' is Winston's final prank, revealed only after the gang has packed up and left the loft.

What name does Winston give himself as the loft's self-styled prankster?

Prank Sinatra is Winston's chosen prankster name, though his pranks always land either far too small or far too big.

Where do Nick and Jess end up exchanging their wedding vows in season 7?

In a hospital: Jess's accident-prone wedding day in 'The Curse of the Pirate Bride' lands her in a hospital bed, so the ceremony moves to her bedside.

Which roommate coins the line 'Gave me cookie, got you cookie'?

Nick says it in a season 2 episode after handing Jess a cookie as a thank-you gift, and the clumsy phrase became a fan favourite.

Zooey Deschanel was developing a show for which network when she read the New Girl pilot script?

HBO was where Deschanel had a show in development when the New Girl script reached her; Jess wasn't written for her, but the producers reshaped the part once she was cast.

Why is Jess away from the loft for much of the first half of season 5?

Jury duty: Jess is sequestered for a lengthy trial, which is how Reagan comes to sublet her room for several episodes.