During its third season, Fox’s hit comedy New Girl welcomed an unexpected guest star for episode 14: Prince. And the surprise moment for fans was also news to the cast and crew.
In Who’s That Girl: The Untold, Definitive History of New Girl (July 28; St. Martin’s Publishing Group) by Thea Glassman, the cast and creative team reflect and offer a deep dive into the episode centered on their special guest star, appropriately titled “Prince.”
When series star Zooey Deschanel got an email from Prince’s rep stating that he wanted to be on the show, the actress initially thought it was a prank. But it wasn’t, and Prince’s appearance would give the show a new life after a rocky season that included the controversial storyline of Max Greenfield’s Schmidt two-timing love interests Cece (Hannah Simone) and Elizabeth (Merritt Wever), and what would come next after Deschanel’s Jess and Jake Johnson’s Nick finally became romantically involved.
“Liz Meriwether stepped up to become showrunner and she was struggling to handle all her characters’ big moves. Adding to the pressure was a downward ratings trend and Fox’s mandate to make the show appeal to more men. With Prince’s magical touch, it ended up being an episode as iconic as its guest star,” the publisher teases of the poignant episode.
