Emily Deschanel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emily Deschanel
Deschanel in 2017
Born	Emily Erin Deschanel (1976-10-11) October 11, 1976 (age 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Boston University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	David Hornsby ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2
Parents	Caleb Deschanel (father) Mary Jo Deschanel (mother)
Relatives	Zooey Deschanel (sister)

Emily Erin Deschanel (born October 11, 1976) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan in the Fox television series Bones from 2005 to 2017.

Early Life and Family

Emily Erin Deschanel was born in Los Angeles, California. Her family is full of talented people. Her father, Caleb Deschanel, is a director and cinematographer (the person in charge of the camera and lighting for a movie). Her mother, Mary Jo Deschanel, is also an actress. Emily's younger sister is Zooey Deschanel, who is a famous actress and singer.

Her family has roots in many countries. Her grandfather on her father's side was from France. She also has Swiss, Dutch, English, and Irish family history.

When she was in elementary school, Deschanel was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. She attended the Crossroads School in Los Angeles. After high school, she went to Boston University and graduated in 1998 with a degree in Fine Arts.

Acting Career

Deschanel at the 23rd Genesis Awards in March 2009

Deschanel's first movie role was in the 1994 film It Could Happen to You. Her father was the main cinematographer for that movie. A few years later, in 2002, she appeared in a horror mini-series based on a Stephen King book called Rose Red.

She also had roles in movies like Cold Mountain and Glory Road. In 2004, Interview Magazine called her one of "six actresses to watch."

The Success of Bones

In 2005, Deschanel landed her most famous role. She was cast as Dr. Temperance Brennan in the TV show Bones. The character is a smart forensic anthropologist who helps solve crimes by studying human bones. The show was based on the books and life of a real-life author and scientist named Kathy Reichs.

Bones was a huge hit and ran for 12 seasons, from 2005 to 2017. For her work on the show, Deschanel was nominated for a Satellite Award and a Teen Choice Award. She and her co-star, David Boreanaz, also became producers of the show, which means they helped make important decisions about it.

Other Roles

While she was still working on Bones, Deschanel appeared as her character Dr. Brennan on other TV shows, including Sleepy Hollow and BoJack Horseman.

More recently, she starred in the 2022 Netflix mini-series Devil in Ohio.

Charity and Activism

Deschanel is a vegan, which means she does not eat or use any animal products. She is a strong supporter of animal rights. She decided to become vegan after watching a movie called Diet for a New America.

She has worked with organizations like PETA to encourage people to think about how animals are treated. She also joined the board of directors for Farm Sanctuary, a group that protects farm animals.

Personal Life

Deschanel was raised in the Roman Catholic faith but now considers herself a spiritual person.

On September 25, 2010, she married actor and writer David Hornsby. They have two sons, born in 2011 and 2015.

In 2015, Deschanel and some of her colleagues from Bones had a disagreement with the Fox company over payments for the show. After a long process, they reached a private settlement in 2019.

In January 2025, the house where Emily and her sister Zooey grew up was destroyed in the Palisades Fire in California.

Selected Film and TV Shows

Here are some of the movies and television shows Emily Deschanel has been in.

Movies

• It Could Happen to You (1994)
• Cold Mountain (2003)
• Spider-Man 2 (2004)
• Boogeyman (2005)
• Glory Road (2006)
• My Sister's Keeper (2009)
• Unity (2015) - Narrator

Television

• Rose Red (2002)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2002)
• Bones (2005–2017)
• The Simpsons (2018) - Voice role
• Animal Kingdom (2019)
• The Rookie (2021)
• Devil in Ohio (2022)

Awards and Nominations

In May 2025, Deschanel gave the graduation speech at her old school, Boston University. She also received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

Here are some of the awards she has been nominated for, mostly for her role in Bones.

See also

In Spanish: Emily Deschanel para niños