Debra McGuire Iconic Costume Designer
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Welcome to the Mess Around. It is our New Girl Recap podcast that I do with Lamorne. And we bring in all the New Girl fan favorites that made the show the show. And I would say...

Without exaggeration, maybe 50% of our questions are about what we're wearing, how it all came to be, where people can get a bird shirt, were Zoe's clothes made or bought, and

I mean, on the wedding dresses, the amazing weddings. And I'm like, this was Debra's world. We somehow, and I remember this when I got New Girl and they said that Debra McGuire was doing costumes. It was really my first job in the industry. So I was like, okay, can't wait to meet Debra. And they're like, no, like they got...

And I was like, okay, what does that mean? And they're like, she's the greatest in the entire business. Nobody can understand how they got her. Um,

And then I got to learn over like almost a decade of how and why you are the best in every single aspect of what you do. So what is your New Girl origin story? How did you get connected to the show and why did you agree to do it? Truthfully, it must have had to do with Jake. Casting, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, you know, I started working with Jake on Freaks and Geeks and then I started doing...

all of his shows and you know we had the three shows going for a long time and I'm sure that's how I

got there. Jake was just like, you're part of this world. At that point, I'd worked with him since he was 22 years old, I think. Get out. So he was like, you have to be part of this. How did you approach creating the looks for the central cast of New Girl? Well, I had this idea that was about color and with

you know, Zoe being the teacher and sort of the center of the cyclone, I thought of it like a box of Crayola crayons and that she was like, like I have a real connection to Crayola crayons from the time I'm a child. I can like smell, I know what it smells like. Like I, every time the boxes got bigger and there were more crayons in there, it was the most exciting thing in the world.

So I sort of dealt with it like that. And she was a Crayola crayon. And then I designed everybody else around them, around her. And that's why she had all those primary colors and, um, and everybody else, you know, because it's an ensemble, um, and you guys are together so much, um,

Much the same as I had when I did Friends. It was the same thing. When you have an ensemble cast and they're together a lot, it's more about the way it looks together than it is about the individual fashion. Because subliminally, you know, we're looking at the screen as...

a painting so it needs to look beautiful. So that's my main concern always. That's the first concern. And then, you know, sometimes, you know, I have to have some disappointment about

you know, things that work and things that don't and having to adjust that palette. But for the most part, you know, I designed by palette and this show fit in pretty well. I mean, you know, your character added a lot of different silhouettes from Zoe's silhouettes and also some patterns that we didn't really see that often in her clothes. Yeah. With Zoe's clothes, I feel like I remember conversations about,

You made, right? Yeah. Quite a few of her looks. We made a lot of her looks. Most of them, actually, because she had that, you know, that 50s silhouette.

So if it wasn't vintage, and sometimes we had a vintage style that worked perfectly, so I would knock off a pattern from that and then do a series of dresses off of that. But her figure was such that that shirt waist showing her waist was really the best look for her. So we made that, and we also made all those jammies she wore. She wore a lot of pajamas. Yeah.

You know what's really funny? I have a very clear memory of my first fitting with you. So do I. Right? Downtown. Downtown! Yeah, me too. Oh my gosh. Okay, I took a screen grab of this. We'll put the picture up properly when we put it in the show. It's so funny. It's so funny because, again, it was my first show. I have to just show you.

It was this? Yes. I'm not going to focus. Yes, the feathers. Right?

That's right. And so I remember, so I again, never done a big show. This was my first big thing I'd ever booked. And they were like, well, Debra wants to meet you downtown. And I was like downtown. And so I was not the most confident driver. I only learned to drive in LA. So I'm like trying to like navigate my way, hoping I don't die on the way to the fitting. And it was a beautiful day. And I think you were finishing up something else. I don't even know if it was for new girl, maybe for something else. Cause you were in this fabulous, fabulous like warehouse. And, um,

And so I was waiting on the roof and I remember waiting on the roof and it was this beautiful day and blue skies. And I was, I just couldn't believe it was real. I had then been educated on your career and who you were. And I was like, I guess I'm going to figure out who this character was not understanding. Like there's going to be multiple looks. There's going to be your core look. This is going to be like a joke photo shoot that you're going for a fitting for. I didn't understand all those things yet. And so, uh,

I think someone came, I don't know who came up and like tapped me on the shoulder and they were like, Debra's ready. And I came in and there on this rack were some of, to this day, the most wild outfits with shoes and like hats that I'd ever seen in my entire life. And it was one of the most fun things I've ever done. So what was that space? Where did that conversation come about to like go that far with it? Truthfully,

I have a real recollection of it, but I don't remember what that company was. I don't know that they exist anymore. But I did know that they had inherited like tons of old McQueen and lots of amazing things.

dresses and things that I just wouldn't be able to access in other places. And I thought that would be like a perfect place to try stuff on. I remember we tried on some McQueen shoes, really weird shoes, and it was really fun. Yeah, I have pictures of it. I have to find them. I think it's on my other computer. I have pictures from the fitting. You sent me the fitting pictures. I'll text them to you too. Oh my God. And the outfits are

I mean, they're beyond fabulous. And then I remember that that was the outfit that they chose for a scene that never made it into the pilot. It's on the cutting room floor. I know. It was so, and I remember in the hair, we just like went for it with this incredible look. And I was like, this is going to be so fun. And I was so nervous. And they put me on the stage. And then a security guy, safety guy came out and was like, nobody speak, nobody move.

And they brought in a vulture, like a bird of prey. And I was dressed like a bird. And they were like, nobody speak because these are like predatory animals and we don't want it to get scared. And then I remember Erin O'Malley coming over to whisper to me. She's like, oh,

So we're just going to give you a hand signal for action. And then in the scene, I was screaming into the phone, dressed as a bird while this bird was next to me. And I was like, this was the most surreal experience of my life. And that outfit was the most incredible thing I'd worn. And then instantly in that moment became so terrifying because I felt like I was a bird. It was. It was.

And it never made it right into it. Yeah. Welcome to my world. Like the most fabulous things I think I have ever done in my life. Didn't make it into the movie. No one ever saw it. I also have to share another memory with you because it was also in that first year we got nominated for a golden globe. I don't know if you remember this conversation. And I was like, the only person I need to talk to is Deborah. And I had found a dress that,

And I loved it so much. And it was green. And I remember having you come to my trailer and I was like, I want to talk to you in confidence about something. I really like this dress. It's great. My first time I'm ever going to wear like a fancy designer on a red carpet, like,

And I was so worried that Zoe would be wearing the same color and that I would in any way distract from her by wearing the same color. It was like old school, like high school thinking. Like I was just so worried that, you know, like I didn't know the rules of the red carpet. And I remember you gently sitting down with me and explaining of,

of all these people's like dresses that you'd had made and had done for every like award show. And you were like, it doesn't matter. Wear the dress that you want to wear, whatever it is. Everybody's going to be wearing every color. And it was the kindest moment of education ever.

It's something that had nothing to do with our show, but just in terms of my own confidence of being able to stand in what felt good to me, not in a character, to be able to go to this honoring. And I had no one else to kind of turn to that I would have believed.

And I think about that all the time, even now when I choose an outfit. I'm always like, oh, it doesn't matter when anybody else is wearing or doing or the palette. In those moments, you can just express yourself and what feels good. And that was you. That was you teaching me and taking the time. And I think it was pretty crazy, as always, on that show. But you found like, I don't know, 15 minutes and sat down and just like walked me through it.

Those moments. I don't know if you realize. I like that memory. That's so sweet. Yeah, it was a really powerful one for me. I just have the fondest memories of us being in that trailer. And we would do these huge fittings. And we would talk about our lives and our families and our parents. Always. Yeah. Always. And it was, you just always had that time to share. And it was really like,

You and your department was really, I think, Lamore and I talk about all the time, like that was like family. Like it's what made it feel like we were so cared for because it was really, and you've been on a lot of those shows where it's people's first experience being kind of thrust out there. And they're looking at our bodies and then how you guys outfit us, you know, gives us the confidence or makes us self-conscious and out of our body. Yeah.

Well, we had Kathy and Megan who are like my daughters. So Kathy just became a grandmother, if you can believe it. No, I cannot. Yes. What? Yes. Oh, but that's so sweet. I know. Ivy had a baby. So I know I feel like she just had, you know, her baby not that long ago, but it's crazy.

Wow. Yeah. How did you? Okay, so the big question is, I have been put in charge of this because we put out like a call to action out to the fans about this. And I would say about 50% of those questions coming in were about Lamorne, about Lamorne and the bird shirt. And so I'm going to read you this from a fan. Her name is Amy Caruso. She wrote,

Um, I love listening to the show every week. Hearing that Debra will be on got me so excited because I have a question that's been haunting me for years. I think this is a big fan theory that we all want to know. So season four, episode 21, Jess and Nick talk about who they are growing old with. After Nick says he just sees himself next to Winston, Jess says, yeah, me too. I just see an ancient Winston eating handfuls of bird seed right out of the bag.

He just really gets into birds. Could you please confirm if this was foreshadowing of or the triggering idea to Winston's obsessions with bird shirts for the very next season? What's the background on the birds? Interesting question. So I don't think that's the case. However, I do believe in all of these things that we do, that there is a level of synchronicity that exists with everything.

And, you know, what happens in a television show sort of mirrors real life. You know, that when people ask me, you know, about the characters and from season to season, it's like everybody evolves in the same way that we evolve as human beings because we're going through these periods of time.

So I don't think there's a direct correlation between the bird seed and the bird. And I think also what the fans should know is that the biggest evolution was Schmidt's evolution in terms of him as a person and his personal style. I mean, if you remember, he was in polo shirts for, you know, a few seasons, I think. I mean, and, you know, a lot of that

doesn't necessarily have to do with me and my ideas, but has to do with sort of the next level of writers and people who are giving us the information about the characters so we can best satisfy. Sometimes we're at odds, but I am a servant to them. They do not serve me. That being said,

A lot of decisions don't necessarily come from me directly. They come from above, from the writing. You know, a lot of it and a lot of the ideas that get generated are things that we have to process from information that we get from The Powers That Be. And in doing that and evolving his character to those great shirts, and that became sort of an obsession with us,

because it was a really good place for us to be creative, which we're always looking for. And, you know, sometimes, you know, once we get into who these characters are,

There's only so much creativity that we can insert unless, of course, we have a fabulous wedding or we have a reason to create something. The day-to-day is pretty much within its little bubble. Yeah, New Girl had a lot of those fun episodes, it seems like, with Halloween episodes. Halloween episodes, definitely. And hello, we had Prince. I mean...

Hello. Probably one of the greatest experiences ever. Wow. I mean, still to this day, it feels really surreal. We're recapping season three right now, which comes off the heels of Taylor Swift being in the season two finale. Did you pick that Elaine dress? Was that provided by wardrobe? Was that hers? No, we, those are our dresses.

How did you decide on that iconic? So many people said that they went to the Taylor Swift concert dressed as Elaine. So like they remade the dress. They have like altered dresses to be the Elaine dress. Okay. So just so you know, you know, I'm old. What can I say? You know, like she falls within a category that like I.

Didn't really know, you know, it didn't have any more importance than, you know, anybody else being on the show. The idea, you know, I don't, I didn't equate her with Prince. Let's put it that way. Okay. Okay. Prince is my wheelhouse. So for me, Taylor Swift was like dealing with any other actor that comes in, you know, and, um,

So the dress, you know, we had picked out dresses and she was very agreeable. You know, she was lovely to work with, easy. So, you know, I don't remember that much except looking at pictures on her phone of her cats, you know.

That's so, it's funny, right? Those moments for you are just like another day, another, you know, a guest star. Yeah. So cool. No big deal. I was focused on you, Hannah, because your outfit, you were like, that's what I cared about. You know what I mean? Oh my gosh. That outfit. That was my first time ever going to Artesia. Ever. Well. Going there. And I was like, and you were like, I've been here many times.

here many times. Let me take you to the best stores. And I was like, what? You opened up that whole part of LA to me. I had no idea. The best. And was...

So overwhelmed. Like anybody who's gone like Indian wedding dress shopping, I had never done that before. It's not like even going just for like your white wedding dress, like times it by a million in terms of options. It's true. So how did, how did, I can't even, I can't remember like how we landed on what we chose for the wedding dress. Oh, when I took you there and we tried stuff on, it was like hands down. It was the most...

Magnificently embellished, gorgeous sari ever. It was like, oh my God. So it was, there was no competition. We, you put it on and it was like, whoa, that's it. Yeah. That was amazing.

It was incredible. I just remember being like, what's Little India? Like, I truly had no idea because I was still so new to L.A. and being like, wow. Okay, so you mentioned Prince, so we've got to talk about it. Like, how did he – was that also wardrobe bringing clothes to him? I know he does a whole dress-up sequence with Zoe in phenomenal clothes. What was that? So he – we were in touch with his people, and they were going to bring –

Sort of, we gave them sort of things we were looking for and they were like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's so tiny and his feet were so tiny. So they were going to bring the shoes and dah, dah, dah, dah. Oh my God. I'm just thinking about those shoes. Oh my God.

They were like a wedge and it was a clear heel that you could see through and they were just outrageous. Yeah, everything he brought was outrageous, but we also had really taken it very seriously and had gotten some of the most amazing things from Palace Costume in different places.

And, um, so we just had an assortment of stuff. So he wore his stuff and he wore a little bit of our stuff. And then Zoe wore some stuff as well. Right. She put stuff on. Yeah. Um, but it was like, it was really like an out of body experience because it was so normal that it was weird. Like it was so weird. It was so normal. And like my conversation with him sitting in the director's chair next to him,

We talked about the weather in Minneapolis. Like we had like the most normal conversation that you'd have when you meet your cousins in the Midwest and you have a little conversation. That's what it was like. And I remember the end of the day just thinking,

Oh my God. And I don't know, I'm sure you remember Hannah when he like in between, he just was sitting on the couch and then he started playing the guitar. We were just all trying to be so cool. And it was so not cool. It was like, oh my God, Prince is sitting five feet away from me and he's playing the guitar and singing. Oh my God. Like it was, and I,

And nobody could emote or express themselves really until after because we all had to be so cool. You know, we were so cool. And it was so normal. Everybody trying to hold it together was the greatest thing in the world because everyone's just like trying to just be like casual. And then you would watch people like step out for, you know, craftier to get a snack or something. And then just being like, oh my God, oh my God. Like these like mini heart attack moments of like,

And then Hannah, it's true, right? Like the reason he wanted to do it is because he had a crush on our little Hannah. He had a crush on you. Yeah, it was. Yeah. Yeah. He tried for a very long time. He tried for a very long time to find a way to be in the same room together. Yep. And, um,

I was not interested in that way. Love a Prince song. Happy to know Prince record. I was not interested in anything else. So I was never in the same room with Prince. And then, yeah, he was like a teenage boy, showed up at my job, which was really funny. And then that's apparently with people that he really likes that to have that quality time with. He likes to he liked to play ping pong.

And so that's why they, I don't know if you were still there at that point, but at the night, it was like five in the morning, they had to write in the tag.

Because how were they going to incorporate ping pong into the show? And they had to write this tag where Prince would get his request, which was he wanted to play ping pong with me. And they saved it as the last thing that we shot because they were low key scared that if we shot that early, he would be, he's Prince. So he could be like, okay.

I'm going to go now. And so we saved it for the end. And the thing that I'll never remember is I don't play ping pong. I'm not a good ping pong player. I was so tired. It had been a 20 something hour day and I just slammed the shot. And he, cause I was just so tired. My body just went like, we're doing it. And then he was like, he genuinely did walk off, which was really funny. But you guys have put me in that gold place.

Like bandage dress. And to this day, I don't think I've ever looked as good as I did on the day that I met Prince. Because that dress, I mean, it didn't seem like on the hanger, you're like, oh, it's nice. But somehow it was like made for my body. I don't know. You guys had the most amazing way of just like pulling it in here, pulling this part up here, cinching this thing in here. We're going to take it up an inch. And then it was like, it was like Cinderella every time. Like it was made for me.

to hide the things you don't want seen and to compliment the things and to give you body parts you didn't even have. And it was like, you guys were magicians that way. It was wild to me. And I watched that episode and I was like, that dress gave me the confidence to be, like, that was a real high pressure episode. That was like their biggest one. So wild.

Right. And he was there. And I feel like somebody told me too about like the Zoe, like the outfit changes. It was all with like a Stevie Nicks. Yeah. Right. Like that was her thing she was going for at the time. Yeah.

How fun. It was so much fun. What's the most, I guess aside from Prince, because how can we like compare anything to that day? That was crazy. Aside from Prince, what was your favorite episode or moment or fashion moment in the show that you, you're like, that was a good time? Well, the Indian wedding and the dancing and that whole thing was just amazing. And, um,

Yeah, and that was sort of the prequel to the movie when I did Murder Mystery 2.

I don't know if you saw it, but I saw it. Yeah. Indian. And, and I had everything made in India for like 300 dancers, but I got a taste of that from having done new girl. And I met this woman in Artesia who had a factory in, um, Mumbai and she ended up doing all the manufacturing for me. So yeah, it was really, really special.

And yeah, those, I just love that. And I loved, you know, Schmidt and his funny outfit. Or the swoot. Were you guys part of that? The development of the swoot? Yeah, that was crazy. Did you guys have to make that? Yeah. Yeah.

People love that. People talk about that all the time, especially when the pandemic hit. Yeah. It had like a resurgence. Oh, that's so funny. People were like, where can we get it? It's got to be real. So funny. No, I should probably watch it, the whole thing again, because I have to tell you, it's hysterical. So I had Kathy and Megan with me, of course, and we'd read the script and then I'd go, okay, you guys,

you have to tell me like what does it mean like am i that old that i don't get the jokes they got the biggest kick out of it we'd go through the script together and they'd be like yeah and then they'd have to explain it to me i was like oh my god not another generation

it was like humor had gotten to another level i was like oh my god i don't even understand it oh the other question i wanted to ask you another person asked me this and i was like i'll ask deborah we get on the show it was about the raining cats and dogs halloween cape right that was on it was that something you guys had to make too with the cats and dogs

That was fantastic. Yeah. But that's like, we love doing it. Like that's what we do. Right. Right. That's like what I do. You know what I mean? Like, um, so when we have the ability to do anything like that, we're down on it, you know? Um, yeah. Like it's a fun episode to read. Exactly. I mean, anybody can like go shopping or do it's like, that's not really what we do. We're I'm a costume designer and,

You know, Kathy's gone on to become a big designer. You know, she's Post Malone's designer and all these rock stars. I heard that. Yeah, for years.

And has done like the most amazing things. So yeah, we're always looking for like the creative moment. Yeah, of something that you can kind of inject your creativity into. Yeah. Do you remember the biggest like challenge you had a new girl where you fought for something and you're like, this is, this needs to happen. Trust me on this one.

I can't really go there without getting myself in trouble. Fair. Okay. So, you know, we had some powers that be that it's a little arm wrestling going on at times, but, um, uh, yeah. You know, what's funny is I remember there were very few moments where I,

I feel because we worked together so long. And so there's always going to be a moment, I guess, right? Where you're just like, well, I don't understand or whatever it is. We all have good days, bad days. We're again, we're family at that point. So we just had to have a lot of grace for each other going through the things when it happened and know that, you know, we loved each other and we're all good people. But I remember, I feel like it was for the Ferguson funeral. Yeah.

And, you know, like they did that dramatic open, like they were at a funeral and to look like a cast member died or something.

I don't, I can't remember because it was so long ago if it was me and it was like either I wanted to wear a coat or I didn't want to wear a coat. Either it was cold and I wanted a coat or it was sweltering. Maybe it was sweltering, but we had to wear coats. I don't know what it was. And I just remember, I don't know. And I was like, I really don't want, and I don't know why that was like this little hill I wanted to die on that day or something.

And I don't know what those moments were sometimes. And then now, of course, with time and you pull back from it and you just go like, girl, sometimes, you know, yeah, you got to wear things you don't want to wear, even if it's uncomfortable. You're selling a story and it's a cohesive look. And as I've moved down into producing and executive producing, I have such a deeper understanding of those moments and

And I'll tell you, like you had some really great like mom energy sometimes where you're just sort of like, well, I know you feel that way. We're going to put the coat on. And it was sort of like and then that's what we had to do. And I was grateful for that because otherwise it starts to for me, at least I think, you know, it's like you get an inch, you maybe start to push a mile a little.

But I remember, I feel like it was around that Ferguson thing. And I feel like that was those moments of somebody being like, no, that's what's happening. This is what we're doing. So be uncomfortable on a hot day. That's we're all a little uncomfortable sometimes in this business, but I appreciated it. I, I,

have a visceral reaction to what you're saying. So inside of me, I remember, but in my brain, I don't exactly remember, but the emotion came up of remembering that. And, and, and that's how it is with a lot of what happens, you know, like how far do you push and how important is it? And, um, you know, for the most part, I, for me to care has to mean something. Cause really, um,

I don't really give a shit about a lot of stuff that has to do with things that aren't important, especially for things on the screen. You know, it's, it's really important for me of what we see, but there's a lot of stuff that we don't see that there's a lot of energy put into unnecessarily. Um, and, um,

I think sometimes that happens on shows like this where a lot of energy gets spent on things that are not that important. And then sometimes when something is important, it's only obvious to very few people. So it's the nature of the beast of working on a collaborative show, which I love. But yeah, it's...

And, you know, I'm so used to being in charge and being in charge of my life and my family and the things that I'm involved in that, you know, in this work, I'm just a messenger. So I have to really use a lot of self-control to kind of, you know, keep myself in a place where it's not about my ideas. It's not. Not even, you know, doesn't matter what it is, you know.

whether it's a $200 million movie that I'm designing or not. You present what you have, and then you deal with what the feedback is, and you make it work.

So, you know, it's definitely a collaborative thing. Nobody is really in charge. Yeah. I feel that deeply. I feel like that, again, as I've stayed longer in the industry, I understand that more and more. I love how you keep learning. Yeah.

How important and unimportant it all is. And that hopefully you're all on the same team. Right. And we're all here for the win because as soon as one person starts to make it fully just about them and their experience, that's what starts to feel bumpy because then it starts to have this weird domino effect on everything. And so I,

those moments those little teaching moments that i had on new girl i always feel like new girl prepared me for going out into the world to be on other shows because it was very loving but there was there was boundaries of things were like well this is kind of where that moment is and this is kind of like where we're drawing the line and sometimes we'd push but then i feel like we'd all find a way to come back together and i think that's the when people talk about the chemistry of this show

Lamorne and I always say like, it goes well beyond what you guys saw on screen. Like every department really, that was the thing that always blew my mind is you would hear like, you've worked with every movie star in the world on every huge TV show. You've worked with the greatest directors in the world. And there isn't a single drop of apathy that has ever felt like

When you walked into our trailer, like five times a week coming in, cared about like every, you know, pair of jeans that I put on or this t-shirt or here's options for your accessories, but wear one. Trust me, you want to start wearing these accessories, Anna. I remember those conversations. Like, how do you not, yeah, how do you not get jaded?

How do you just keep that passion alive no matter what? Because you had it every time you walked in the room. Well, I couldn't, you know, I'm doing this. This is my third career and I'm 34 years into this career. So, you know, I mean, but I'm at a different place in my career even now than I was then. Yeah.

It's not that I don't care because I care maybe even more now, but I have a really different approach to how I work. And I only work for people that I love. I don't, my agent calls me and she'll go, I know you like this person, but do you love them? And I'm like, no, I just like them. Pass.

Wow. Yeah. And that's beautiful. It makes every project orgasmic, literally like amazing because it's not just creative and interesting, but fun and, um,

And there's a different flow that happens. It really is collaborative. It's not just pretending to be where someone is really in charge and then pretends that we're being collaborative. The things I work in are very collaborative. And, you know, I...

I'm at just at this point in my career that I can't do it any other way. And I feel like I have learned a lot to be where I am and make the decisions that I make. I was saying that to someone the other day of a sense maybe of what you're saying, which is the greatest part is like when you in this industry is when you get your career to the point where you can really embrace the power of no.

You can say no. And so you're only doing the work you want to do with the people you want to do it. And then, of course, then it becomes highly enjoyable because they fully trust you and you fully trust them and you don't have to deal with any of that stuff. Right. So all of a sudden the battles are less and the excitement is higher. And it's because you have the privilege and luxury at a certain point from working for it where you can say, yeah, pass.

Yeah, no, it took a long time. You know, it took a long time to get to this place. It didn't just happen. You've worked on everything with everyone. Truly, like truly, I mean, your career is so aspirational. Is there like what's left on like your bucket list of things you want to do or types of stories you would like to be part of telling? You know, Hannah, I never...

I didn't take the route of doing those interesting projects, of those working with the Michael Manns of the world. And I had the option to do all of that, but I was raising children and I had a husband and I was in LA. And I needed to create a career trajectory that was going to work for them. And I'm a workaholic. So, I mean...

There were those years when I had to do five and six projects at the same time in order to make enough money to support my family. And I worked my ass off. I just, you know, for almost 30 years, I worked my ass off. And I had a goal, which was to...

take care of my family and make sure that we could live the way we needed to live. And my husband's a therapist and works in a school with kids with learning disabilities, so our income wasn't going to come from there. And I had to make those decisions early on, which I did. So I never took those interesting projects that I was offered

because I couldn't leave the country and I couldn't leave my family. So I did a lot, you know, Friends was 10 years, You Guys was seven years, like a lot of the projects I did in LA I did because I could be here and I could be with my family. Now I'm in a place where my kids are grown where I travel all the time. I was gone all year last year doing a movie all over the world and I travel a lot and I work for people who do movies out of the country a lot.

And I just want to keep working for people that I adore, you know, where it's like this last project, you know, I've known them. Oh, my God. Well, I work for John Daly and Jonathan Goldstein, who are partners, writing and directing partners. And John Daly was my little boy on Freaks and Geeks, you know.

came up to my chin and now he's six foot four, gorgeous, fabulous, brilliant director, writer. And Jonathan Goldstein, who's his partner, grew up in Beachwood, Ohio, which is where I'm from. So working for these boys and their families and their children, it's like, I don't know, it's not like working. It's like going off with your family, you know, and being together and having fun. And yeah, yeah.

It's pretty amazing. I still manage to do Shabbat every Friday night, no matter where I am in the world, and with crews of 35 people, some of whom are no one's Jewish, and everybody is just loving the idea of coming together once a week to have a moment. So that's kind of my priority. And in terms of stories that I want to tell,

You know, I'd love to do an opera. I'd love to do a Broadway show, but it's probably not going to happen at this point in my life. And I think that's okay.

I am gonna write a book which I've started just about the creative aspect of my careers, all three of them, and you know sort of what it takes to sort of move through the creative process and all of these things and making these life changes that you have to make in order to sort of get where you need to be.

But, you know, New Girl was, it was a very special time. And I had a really wonderful relationship with Zoe as well. And she's another person I haven't seen since then, which is crazy. And yeah, and there was a time, you know, when we would go to synagogue together. Right, of course. Remember? Yeah. When the kids were little. Yeah. So, yeah, so life, you know, everybody has their own journey and...

I just hope that everybody is, you know, happy and healthy and has nice long futures and careers to look forward to. You always were the wisest woman.

I feel like walking around our set and I remember our fittings always gave me such a sense. I always said you remind me like a lot of my dad in the sense my dad's Buddhist and he is such a sage and a teacher. And it's the way he talks about what's important, what's success, what truly fills our cup.

And, you know, my dad was living in another country and I was, you know, by myself. I had no family here in L.A. I remember. And I really just would treasure those conversations we would have because those weren't all the conversations that were being had about what was important or where energy was being given on what's important. And even now talking about like what your, you know, your career going forward, what the priority is of what's filling your cup.

Takes me back to those days in that trailer of like what we would really talk about and what was really important, which made then everything else we were doing, which was like trying on nine pairs of jeans, feel fun. I remember we had very deep conversations while you were like putting...

shirts on and off and Kathy was taking pictures and you and I were just like really into it yeah we had some yeah we got into it and I and I I cherish those times together too because for me that's really important and if you can have those kind of conversations in the middle of a day of doing a sitcom it's pretty fabulous Debra

I loved you then. I love you now. I am so grateful that this magical show somehow has kept us connected and brought us together to talk. I can't wait for your book. When your book comes out, please come and talk on this show. And Lamorne will be here probably knowing Lamorne in a full bird shirt and sunglasses and trying to make everybody laugh. I love you. Thank you for your time. And thank you for everything you did on this show. We appreciate you so deeply. You're welcome. Love you, Hannah.