Zooey Deschanel says Britney Spears-inspired role led to her blonde look in Elf

Zooey Deschanel has revealed that her blonde hair in the 2003 holiday film Elf happened by accident.

Speaking on The Zach Sang Show, Deschanel said she dyed her naturally dark hair blonde for a screen test for an unreleased movie about a pop star inspired by Britney Spears. Although the film was never made, she kept the blonde hair when she auditioned for Elf.

After landing the role of Jovie, Deschanel asked to dye her hair back to brown, but producers wanted her to match her audition look, so she remained blonde for the film.

Deschanel also recalled that she was not the first choice for Elf. She previously told Variety she got the role after another actress dropped out. In 2025, she revealed that actress Katie Holmes had originally been offered the part before leaving the project. Deschanel said her singing experience also helped shape the character.