Zooey Deschanel said her role as Abbi in Trash Mountain is the kind of project she has been wanting “to get back to.” Directed by indie veteran Kris Rey, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11.
Zooey Deschanel explains why Trash Mountain made her want to return to the character-driven indie films that launched her career
Deschanel rose to fame with her starring role as Jessica Day in the hit sitcom New Girl, which ran from 2011 to 2018. She is the daughter of actress Mary Jo Deschanel and Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Deschanel is known for roles in comedy films such as The Good Girl, The New Guy, and Elf.
Speaking to The Wrap at TIFF after the film’s world premiere, Deschanel shared her thoughts. The 46-year-old said, “I read the script, and I was just so touched by this story.” “When I first started making films, it was all character-driven indie films, and there just wasn’t a lot of this kind of stuff that I was getting to read for a really long time. And it took me back to the early days of my career, and made me think that this is what I want to get back to,” she expressed.
Deschanel first came across the script after producer Colin Trevorrow introduced her to the project. She later met Hearon, and the two actors said they formed an immediate connection. Hearon joked, “Zooey is such a brilliant actor and such a kind, genuine person. What if I cry? It really couldn’t have been easier. It’s like the dreamiest job ever. It clicked so immediately.”
Trash Mountain follows Gavin, a young gay man from Chicago who returns to his rural Missouri hometown after his father dies. He reunites with his sibling, and the two begin sorting through the emotional baggage left behind. Stand-up comedian and podcaster Caleb Hearon co-wrote the comedy-drama and stars as Gavin opposite Zooey Deschanel, who plays his sibling. While it has premiered at a film festival, its wider theatrical or streaming release date remains unannounced.
