Entertainment TV How Zooey Deschanel Found a 'Renewed Passion' for TV Acting After 'New Girl' Burnout Zooey Deschanel recently stepped into the role of Kelli for the Apple TV+ series 'Physical', marking her first extended TV appearance since 'New Girl' ended in 2018 By Kelly Wynne Kelly Wynne Kelly Wynne has been a TV writer at PEOPLE digital since 2021. Her work has been seen in Newsweek, where she acted as a reality TV and true-crime writer, Atwood Magazine and her mental health blog, The Chronically. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 8, 2023 10:53AM EDT Close Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Zooey Deschanel didn’t see a future in TV after seven years of New Girl. The actress — known for her role as Jessica Day on the quirky young adult comedy — said the role was “a huge undertaking.” So huge, that it nearly stopped her from stepping back onto the small screen. “I couldn’t picture myself getting back into the game like that, especially not right away,” Deschanel, 43, told The Hollywood Reporter. “I thought maybe I would just do movies, or movies and music. I needed to give myself the time to think about how much I could really take that on.” 'Physical': Zooey Deschanel Gives Rose Byrne's Fitness Guru a Run for Her Money in Final Season Trailer Apple TV+ Then, Deschanel stumbled upon the Apple TV+ series Physical. The Rose Byrne-led show had two seasons under its belt before Deschanel signed on as Kelli for its third and final season. Kelli is both an aerobic star, and the inner monologue for Byrne’s Sheila Rubin. “I only do stuff that I’m really excited about,” Deschanel told THR. “I love the show! … Annie [Weisman], who created the show, is just a super talent. I’m a big fan of Rose Byrne. The whole cast is just so great.” It’s all led to a “renewed passion” for acting — and marks the first time Deschanel returned to TV for an extended period of time since New Girl ended in 2018. 'Physical' Is Back! See Rose Byrne and Murray Bartlett' ' Get Their Aerobics On in Season 2 First-Look Adam Taylor/Fox/courtesy Everett Collection New Girl ran for seven seasons on Fox, and followed the story of a heartbroken elementary school teacher as she moves into a loft with three men. The show, which centers mainly on adult friendship, has stayed culturally relevant with social media and streaming resurgence. Deschanel also started a rewatch podcast, called Welcome to Our Show, with her former costars Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris. Together, the trio chat about the episodes and tell behind-the-scenes stories from filming. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. New episodes of Physical arrive Wednesdays on Apple TV+ through its series finale on Sept. 27.