Lamorne Morris Clarifies What Happened When He Asked Out Nasim Pedrad

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Prank Sinatra went too big with this joke.

Lamorne Morris from New Girl recently asked his former co-star Nasim Pedrad out on a date during an episode of the podcast he co-hosts with Hannah Simone. He’s since explained exactly what led to that moment.

He clarified that it wasn’t a date. “Nasmin and I have been friends for ages,” he explained while on Jake Johnson’s podcast, We’re Here to Help. “We even played a married couple on New Girl.”

Though fans have wanted the pair to date in real life for years. 

On the show, I did a skit where I pretended to ask Nasim out on a date. I called her and said something like, ‘I’m going to date Nasim! Hey, what’s up? Want to go out? You seem single.’ She immediately turned it around and asked if we were just going to talk about my dates on Raya.

But fans took the joke and ran with it.

“People think it’s real,” the dad to 5-year-old daughter Lily said. “People are asking me.”

Added Hannah, “It’s a funny bit. We’re all in on it, we’re all laughing.”

Although Lamorne and Hannah put the rumors to rest, he’s still stoking the flames a bit.

He playfully asked, “Would I ever?” Then he joked, “Have you ever seen Nasim in a dress? Sometimes he comes out looking really fancy, even regal.”

I have smart lights throughout my house that can be set to any color. When I put them on purple, it makes me feel romantic. I especially like to rewatch certain episodes of ‘New Girl’ – the ones with a lot of Nasim Pedrad – and I’ll turn the lights purple to recapture that feeling.

So no, he’s not mad about the connection. 

He told Glamour in 2020 that she’s one of his favorite people to collaborate with. They’ve played a couple multiple times – as husband and wife on New Girl and in the Netflix film Desperados – which leads fans to constantly message him thinking they’re a real-life couple or should be.

Love New Girl? Here are some of the most memorable behind-the-scenes details about the show!

Zooey Deschanel perfectly embodied the unique character of Jess Day, a fan of Nancy Drew who writes fan fiction, right from the start. According to series creator Liz Meriwether, they felt an immediate connection when they met. Meriwether told TopMob News shortly after the show premiered in 2011 that Deschanel read the script and instantly captured everything she had envisioned for the character.

Meriwether explained that the show’s lead character was loosely based on herself. She shared a funny story: her cousin in Florida, unaware she was involved in the show, saw a preview and called their mom, saying, ‘There’s a show on Fox where Zooey Deschanel is acting just like Liz!’ Meriwether felt it showed a strong connection between herself and the character.

Zooey Deschanel, known for her role in Elf, clarified in a 2015 interview with the Huffington Post that she doesn’t identify with the label “adorkable,” often used to describe her character Jess. She explained that the term was created by the Fox marketing team for the first season of the show and applied to the character, not to her personally.

The real problem for Meriwether wasn’t how the show was received, but how it was marketed from the beginning. She told Glamour before the 2018 finale that she never intended the show to be seen as “cute.” She felt the marketing team focused on Jess’s glasses, and that approach almost prevented the show from succeeding. It was frustrating for her because the show she’d envisioned was simply about quirky people living together in Los Angeles, not a traditionally ‘cute’ comedy.

With the right actors playing them, Jess’s roommates were just as lovable as her consistently positive personality. However, the character of Schmidt wasn’t originally meant to be appealing. According to creator Liz Meriwether, he was first envisioned as a shallow and foolish character, similar to someone you might see on Jersey Shore.

Actor Max Greenfield, known for his role in Veronica Mars, really impressed us with his interpretation of the character. He was determined to play Schmidt as a fundamentally good person, and he portrayed him as secretly insecure. That choice added a lot of depth and made the character much more interesting, especially during the audition process.

A key piece of advice came from approaching executive producer Jake Kasdan. As Greenfield told Entertainment Weekly, he simply asked to make the character ‘as not-douchey as possible,’ and Kasdan replied, ‘Just don’t play him that way.’

Greenfield intentionally emphasized his habit of mispronouncing words, like “Jay Cut-uh-ler,” “chut-ta-ney,” and “yooths.” He explained to TopMob News that this was a deliberate choice, stemming from his work with dialect coaches to lose his New York accent.

Occasionally, someone will ask me to say a word wrong on purpose, and I’ll always respond that I would never do that – it just doesn’t make sense to me. But I enjoy figuring out who’s asking, and then deliberately saying the word correctly to annoy them. I’ve even done it during table reads, and they’ll say they just wanted to hear how it sounded.

Jake Johnson was asked to lose weight after being cast in his role. He shared on the Slate podcast Thirst Aid Kit that he almost cried when his manager told him Fox wanted him to lose 10-15 pounds to play Nick Miller, the sarcastic and broke bartender who eventually becomes Jess’s love interest. However, he wasn’t upset about the request itself.

Johnson was on his way to a Mexican restaurant with his wife, Erin Payne, to celebrate a successful booking. He was already planning his order – chips and guacamole, a blended margarita, a quesadilla to share, and a chicken burrito for himself. He knew Erin would likely order tacos, and they’d share a bit of everything. However, he ended up eating something completely different: chicken salad without any dressing.

He explained on the Thirst Aid Kid podcast that after becoming a regular on the show and maintaining a reasonably fit physique, the writers started making jokes about his weight. Once a joke from Liz and a follow-up from Max Greenfield landed well with the audience, he felt like everyone at the network finally accepted him as the show’s ‘chubby guy.’ He said that after that joke, he felt comfortable enough to relax and go back to eating normally, enjoying both solid food and margaritas.

Lamorne Morris initially tried out for the role of Coach, and his audition was… memorable. He told Backstage he wore jeggings and a halter top to the audition, explaining it was for a Halloween-themed scene. He even admits to covering his legs in Vaseline, which he now says was a mistake! While his performance wasn’t the issue, he didn’t get the part at first. The casting directors asked him to come back, but specifically requested he not wear the same outfit, as it was too distracting.

Morris told TopMob News he made it to the last audition for the show New Girl, but then received an offer to be in a CBS pilot called The Assistants. He explained that while he really wanted the role on New Girl, he had to consider which show was more likely to give him a job. He didn’t want to risk auditioning for New Girl and not getting the part, only to lose the CBS opportunity as well.

As a lifestyle expert, I always find it fascinating how things work out in Hollywood! Originally, Damon Wayans Jr. was our guy for a super confident personal trainer role. But then, great news! His show, Happy Endings, got a second season – which meant he had to step away. Meanwhile, another actor’s pilot wasn’t moving forward, so the creators brilliantly brought him in to play the endearingly goofy Winston Bishop. It’s a perfect example of how unexpected changes can lead to amazing casting choices!

Morris said the hardest part of the audition process was having to try out again against everyone in town – literally everyone was competing for the role. He ended up auditioning for New Girl a total of 15 times.

Winston “Prank Sinatra” Bishop’s character shares a lot of personality traits with the actor himself. As the actor explained, details like being from Chicago and a love for the Bulls were intentionally incorporated. Both the actor and his character are big LeBron James fans, and the character also happens to be a former professional basketball player originally from Latvia.

He acknowledged the show drew heavily from his own experiences, but with exaggeration. “I’m definitely not as clueless as Winston sometimes is,” he explained. “After the show ended, I had to consciously remind myself who I was – Lamorne – and stop acting like the character.”

Damon Wayans Jr.’s return to New Girl wasn’t initially sparked by the show’s producers. According to Wayans, it was actually Jake Johnson who first approached him about potentially reprising his role as Coach for the third season. They were filming the movie Let’s Be Cops in 2014 when Johnson mentioned the possibility. Wayans told TopMob News that when the opportunity became real, it felt natural, like reuniting with family, especially after Happy Endings ended.

Morris said he and Wayans clicked immediately. He explained to TopMob News that Wayans significantly improved his character. Morris recalled moments on set where Wayans would quietly suggest jokes, adding, “He’s incredibly funny and a fantastic joke writer. When he offers something, it’s gold – you have to use it.”

Morris admitted it felt a bit strange initially, but not among the actors themselves. People kept asking him if he was leaving now that Damon was returning. He didn’t understand the question, wondering why he’d have to leave just because Damon was coming back. He pointed out there was room for both of them and that the network could easily afford to pay them both.

During a particularly intense round of questioning at a Golden Globes event, Morris remembered Johnson becoming defensive. Someone had been asking about Damon’s involvement with the show, and Johnson responded sharply, asking what they were suggesting. He pointed out that Damon had only appeared in one episode, while Lamorne had been with the show for twenty, making Lamorne a clear part of the cast.

During a discussion at the 2020 Vulture Festival, Johnson defended the show’s approach to diversity. He stated, “The questions were really bad,” and added, “It’s not enough to just have one Black actor—you can include many!”

The show also explored Nick’s friendship with Tran, a quiet neighbor. Showrunner Dave Finkel told The A.V. Club in 2013 that Johnson initially pitched the idea with a text to Meriwether: “What if I have a Vietnamese friend in a park?” Meriwether added that the idea was for Tran’s family to be upset with Nick for spending time with him, because Tran wouldn’t speak English.

Shortly after, Ralph Ahn was chosen to play a character who appeared in seven episodes, but only said two lines of dialogue.

Oh my gosh, it’s just amazing how much creative freedom Zooey and the rest of the cast had! I remember reading their interview with Collider back in 2012, and Zooey was just glowing talking about it. She said they were genuinely encouraged to contribute their ideas and act – which sounds so simple, but apparently, it’s rare! She was so happy that it wasn’t a stifling environment, that they could actually play around and have fun while working. It just made everything seem even more special, knowing how much they all loved the atmosphere on set. It’s honestly one of the things I adore most about the show!

She explained that she’s often had to stick to a script word-for-word, which she doesn’t enjoy. As an actor, she believes it’s important to be able to shape a character’s delivery. Ideally, there’s some flexibility to experiment and find a good balance. Usually, they receive the script as written, but they also like to add some improvisation or try different approaches.

Oh my god, Morris said it best! He was talking about how amazing the show is because Liz Meriwether and the writers – seriously, Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, they’re geniuses – really captured us. Like, they took all the funny, real stuff we did when the cameras weren’t rolling, our actual personalities, and just blended it perfectly into our characters. It’s what makes the show so special, you know? It doesn’t feel like acting, it feels like…us!

The drinking game ‘True American’, featured on the show, is famously chaotic. While a website now details its rules – originally appearing in season one, episode 20 – those rules weren’t created by the show’s writers; they developed organically among the characters.

Johnson recounted that when the cast read the script and came to the scene with the drinking game, Lamorne Morris asked what the rules of ‘True American’ were. According to Johnson, the writers admitted they hadn’t actually figured it out. He explained that the game didn’t really have rules – it was just about getting drunk, shouting out U.S. presidents, and throwing beer around. “That’s it,” he said.

The fun wasn’t limited to what viewers saw on screen. Morris shared that they had a blast making the show, and the behind-the-scenes photos are hilarious. They’re considering putting together a photo book for fans to see all the fun they had.

Despite working incredibly long hours – sometimes 14 hours a day – it often didn’t feel like work, he explained to TopMob News. He recalled instances where guest directors became frustrated because the cast and crew were simply having fun, joking around, and being playful. This energy naturally carried over to the filming, and sometimes they’d still be in character and improvising when the cameras were rolling, which meant the editor had the challenging task of separating the actor from the character in the final cut.

Even though stars like Jessica Biel, Adam Brody, Megan Fox, and even Prince made guest appearances on the show, the cast and creators had a much longer list of people they wished they could have included.

The producers initially considered Zooey Deschanel’s real sister, Emily Deschanel, known for her role on Bones, but scheduling conflicts made it difficult. As executive producer Baer explained to TopMob News, they frequently passed Emily’s soundstage on their way to their own, and she was consistently busy. Both Zooey and the producers expressed interest in working with her, but ultimately they cast Linda Cardellini as Jess’s sister. Baer stated they were looking for someone beautiful, talented, and funny, and they believe Cardellini was a perfect fit, calling her performance fantastic.

The cast also suggested a few fun ideas: Greenfield wished Ray Romano could play his father, calling him a personal hero, while Johnson proposed Peyton Manning as his boss at the bar. Morris had a particularly ambitious request – he wanted both Beyoncé and Rihanna to appear on the show at the same time.

After proving themselves, Prince personally contacted Zooey and Hannah Simone, asking them to participate in his show, according to Baer in a 2014 interview with TopMob News.

I always advocate for making smart choices with content, and that’s exactly what happened with ‘New Girl’. When an episode called ‘Virgins’ didn’t quite feel right – honestly, it was a bit too edgy – we decided to hold off. Luckily, we had another opportunity coming up! The timing was ideal – we were able to slot something else into that post-Super Bowl slot, and it really worked out for us.

He was excited for his team to come to his party, but he had one request: he wanted to influence the main romantic storyline. As Baer put it, he really wanted to see that couple get together!

He had many specific requests for the production, as Meriwether explained to Vulture. These included choosing the name of a silent chef character, designing the costumes for both chefs and Zooey, selecting the artwork and linens, and even the music and pancakes. He went so far as to have a piece of art – a poem shaped like an egg – flown in from Minnesota to be displayed on set.

During the night shoot, he came to Meriwether with a new idea. He wondered if it would be funnier if, instead of using a flashlight to surprise Jess while she was in a dark closet, he lit a lighter under his chin. Meriwether remembered trying to remain calm and responding, “Yeah, that’s funnier. Let’s do that.” She later reflected that getting to bring Prince’s visions to life was one of the greatest joys of her career.

Taylor Swift is a fan of New Girl too! Creator Elizabeth Meriwether told Entertainment Weekly that Swift actually recited lines from the show when she guest-starred as Elaine, the character who disrupted Cece’s wedding in the season two finale. Meriwether said Swift did a fantastic job and that the show always aims to integrate guest stars naturally, rather than just having them make a brief, attention-grabbing appearance.

Johnson actually found working with Taylor Swift a bit challenging, despite her pleasant demeanor. He explained the scene was complex, with around 70 background actors – though Swift is used to performing for much larger audiences. She flawlessly delivered both her original lines and several alternate jokes and lines provided by Liz, which Johnson admitted was ‘frustrating’ because she was so good.

It took a long time for couples like Nick and Jess, and Cece and Schmidt, to find lasting happiness, and there’s a good reason for that. According to creator Elizabeth Baer, the characters needed to mature and become fully realized adults before they could build healthy relationships. She explained to TopMob News that everyone had to grow into their best selves to even have a chance at a successful partnership.

No good show would wrap up with everything perfectly resolved. According to Baer, just because the characters are now in a relationship doesn’t mean their issues will disappear. He explains that all relationships involve ongoing challenges and constantly learning new things about the other person – it’s just a natural part of being together.

Similar to how Nick and Jess eventually found their way to each other on the show, Zooey Deschanel and Damon Wayans Jr. had to fight to get a final season. After the sixth season wrapped, Wayans explained on the Thirst Aid Kit podcast that Fox told them, “We don’t want to cancel the show, but ratings are low.”

He explained that he and Deschanel actually emailed the leaders at Fox and 20th Century TV, requesting more episodes for the dedicated fans who had stuck with the show. He felt season six ended too abruptly and wanted Liz Meriwether, the show’s creator, to have enough time to wrap things up properly. The solution was to jump ahead to the year 2020 and give each character a satisfying conclusion.

Looking back on the show, there are definitely things I’d change, but when we made a highlight reel for the wrap party, I rewatched old episodes and actually enjoyed them for the first time,” Meriwether shared with Glamour before the 2018 finale. “While we were making the show, I was too exhausted and focused on every little mistake or joke that didn’t make the cut. But rewatching it, I realized, ‘Hey, this is actually pretty funny!’ It’s easy to forget how much work went into it all.

Even now, the actors from the show are very close, like a family. Morris explained that they stay in touch through group chats and often meet up to spend time together and visit each other’s families. He said that after spending so much time together, they genuinely became a family.

He explained that during the seven years of filming, the cast and crew became like a second family. You spend so much time with them, they often feel closer than your actual family, and that strong bond remains long after the show ends. Everyone truly enjoys each other’s company.

A reunion isn’t impossible. The show has gained renewed popularity during quarantine—Greenfield told TopMob News it’s “so ridiculously funny and mostly about silly, unimportant things, making it a great escape.” This renewed interest suggests a reunion could happen.

In 2020, Rob Johnson told TopMob News that if writer Liz Meriwether could come up with a compelling story, he’d be excited to reunite the cast of ‘New Girl.’ He added that getting everyone back together wouldn’t be difficult, as he’s still in regular contact with his former co-stars. He recently texted with Hannah Simone, and still exchanges messages with Zooey Deschanel. The entire male cast also has a group text chat, meaning everyone remains connected and he’d be surprised if they didn’t find a way to work together again at some point.

Morris is even more enthusiastic, explaining to TopMob News that a revival of Dexter is definitely happening. He believes it’s one of the best shows ever made and predicts it will be a huge success. He’s also very hopeful about bringing back New Girl, potentially for a final season or even a movie. He’s talked to other cast members who share his excitement, but acknowledges that a lot of details would need to work out first.

He playfully hinted that something exciting is on the way, promising a return and encouraging followers to watch their social media for clues.

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2026-04-10 22:19