Just like any other reputable sitcom, New Girl hosted its fair share of celebrity guests. They portrayed all kinds of characters who crossed paths with Jess, Cece, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston, ranging from family members to romantic interests. Some A-listers only starred for an episode, while others stayed for a little while longer.
The first New Girl celebrity guest that typically comes to mind is Megan Fox who stepped in for Zooey Deschanel in season 6, but she's far from being the only one.
10 Zoe Lister-Jones
In season 4, Schmidt found himself in a committed relationship with Councilwoman Fawn Moscato, played by Zoe Lister-Jones. While it first seemed that Schmidt would be a great asset in her campaign, they broke up after a certain golf course scandal.
Fawn Moscato was referenced in the very last episode of New Girl as well. It turned out that she won the election after all as the sign on her table read 'Mayor'.
9 Josh Gad
In season 2's episode 'Katie', Josh Gad played the infamous Bearclaw, Jess' accidental date. He reprised his role in season 4's 'Walk of Shame', when Jess realized she actually spent a night with him. Josh Gad was also one of the celebrity guests on Modern Family. He typically plays eccentric and energetic guys who are impossible to dislike.
There is no doubt that if Bearclaw got his own spin-off, it would be a major hit.
8 Lizzy Caplan
It would take Jess ages to realize she likes Nick in season 1 if it wasn't for Lizzy Caplan's character Julia. She first appeared in 'The Story of the 50' when Nick introduced her as his new girlfriend. Jess acted incredibly childish towards Julia, even though she was willing to help her resolve a parking ticket in court.
Julia was not a girly-girl, but that doesn't mean she deserved to be iced out by Jess. When it comes to Nick's love interests, Lizzy Caplan's character was definitely among the best.
7 Jamie Lee Curtis
Jess is clearly not like other girls. She's quirky and naive, yet assertive and passionate. What kind of a mother raised such a unique person? Well, Jess was raised by Joan, played by none other than Jamie Lee Curtis. She first appeared in season 2's episode 'Parents' in which Jess found out that her parents got a divorce and she tried to 'parent-trap' them.
Jamie Lee Curtis' biggest hits include True Lies, Freaky Friday, and most recently, Knives Out.
6 Taylor Swift
Nobody expected Taylor Swift to show up in season 2 finale, 'Elaine’s Big Day', the episode in which Cece almost gets married to Shivrang. But the episode isn't called 'Cece's Big Day', though. The biggest and most hilarious jaw-dropper happened in the end of the episode, when Taylor Swift's character Elaine stopped the wedding and ran away with the groom.
Celebrity singers and popstars often show up as guests in sitcoms. Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, and Katy Perry chose to appear on How I Met Your Mother, but Swift is team New Girl.
5 Lisa Bonet
4 Busy Philipps
When Cougar Town‘s Busy Philipps appeared in New Girl, she instantly stole the show. The charismatic actress portrayed Connie, the owner of Presh, a cool bar that became The Griffin's competition.
She proved to Nick and Schmidt that she's not someone to be messed around with. Since Jess was busy dealing with a restraining order, Busy Philipps was definitely the biggest highlight of an otherwise pretty average episode.
3 Jessica Biel
Season 4 opened up with a great selection of a celebrity guest: Jessica Biel. In the last wedding of the summer, Jess wasn't the only one who had her eyes on the handsome best man. Her competitor was Jessica Biel's character Kat. Jess felt self-conscious about seducing him since she thought that Kat was much more attractive and smarter.
Jessica Biel is currently taking a break from acting. She is one of those celebrities who are going to become mothers in 2021. She and Justin Timberlake welcomed their son Phineas on January 18th.
2 Linda Cardellini
Linda Cardellini joined the cast of New Girl in season 3 for three episodes and she portrayed Abby Day, Jess' reckless older sister. She was never mentioned before nor after, which is a real disappointment, since Linda Cardellini brought a much needed fresh breeze into the show.
During her short but wild stay, she dated Schmidt, stole some money from the loft, and even ended up in jail. It's hard to believe two sisters can be that much different!
1 Prince
Who would have thought that one of the most iconic names in the music industry would agree to do an episode of New Girl. Season 3 wasn't as successful as the first two, so the creators brought in the big guns. Prince didn't have to do any acting; he played himself. After being hit by a car, Cece and Jess find themselves at the star's house, playing ping pong, drinking, and of course, singing.