Zooey Deschanel Reveals Cast Had to Fight Network to Secure Lamorne Morris for New Girl

Zooey Deschanel disclosed that she and her New Girl castmates actively campaigned with studio and network executives to get Lamorne Morris cast as Winston Bishop, the beloved character Morris ultimately brought to life throughout the show's seven-season run. The actress explained that Morris faced unexpected resistance during the casting process despite overwhelming support from the ensemble, prompting the actors to take direct action.

The Casting Hurdle

Morris initially auditioned for the role of Coach, a character that eventually went to Damon Wayans Jr. When Wayans departed the show after filming the pilot to return to Happy Endings, which had been renewed, the Winston Bishop character was created to fill the void. At that point, producers began auditioning multiple actors for the newly developed part.

Deschanel recounted reading scenes with numerous candidates before recognizing what she believed was the perfect fit. "What about Lamorne? That guy is so good," she recalled thinking after working through the audition process. Her castmates—Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Hannah Simone—had already auditioned alongside Morris for other roles and shared her conviction that he was ideal for Winston.

Advocating for Morris

Facing hesitation from executive leadership, the cast members took matters into their own hands. Each actor independently wrote to different studio and network executives, collectively advocating for Morris's casting. Deschanel remembered the collaborative effort: "We kind of did this thing where I wrote to the heads of the studio and the network. Everyone was writing to somebody different."

In her correspondence, Deschanel emphasized her conviction about the role. "I was like, I can't see anyone else playing this part," she told podcast host Zach Sang, describing her pitch to leadership. The unified campaign from the ensemble ultimately succeeded, and Morris was cast in the part that would define much of his early career.

The Character's Impact

New Girl aired on Fox from 2011 to 2018, becoming a cultural touchstone for network television comedy. Winston Bishop evolved into one of the show's most distinctive and fan-favorite characters, showcasing Morris's range across the series' 146 episodes. More recently, Morris earned an Emmy Award for his work as Deputy Witt Farr on FX's Fargo, validating the original cast's confidence in his talent.