Zooey Deschanel opens up about here polarizing character in the popular series New Girl. She has also starred in several romantic comedies throughout the 2000s, including Elf and Yes Man. Deschanel rose to prominence with her lead role as Summer, an off-beat young woman, in 500 Days of Summer.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in the film as Tom, a hopeless romantic desperate to find his soulmate. When Tom meets Summer, he falls head over heels, while she is determined to keep their relationship casual. As Tom falls deeper over their similar tastes in art and music, it becomes clear to Summer that their relationship is shallow and unsustainable. When the two break it off, Tom spirals into a depression while Summer is able to move on and gets engaged.
During an interview with Deschanel describes the reaction she received to her character, Summer. When asked about the negative fan perception, Deschanel reveals that she received an intense emotional response from the very beginning. She defends Summer's motivations, stating the character is direct and clear about her feelings on a serious relationship with Tom. Deschanel goes further to suggest that anyone who still thinks Summer is the villain of the story needs to "think a little deeper." Read her full comments, below:
"I got that take from day one. It’s a very emotional response. People want the characters to be together, but that not happening makes the movie interesting. She is upfront that she doesn’t want a relationship, but he ignores her. The most telling scene is when she tells him: “I’ve never told anybody that before,” and he makes it about himself. He is fixated on external details – such as her liking the Smiths – that has nothing to do with who she is as a person. To anyone who thinks Summer is the villain, I say: think a little deeper."
Zooey Deschanel defends her character's choices and invites fans of 500 Days of Summer to approach the film with a different perspective. When the film was initially released, Deschanel's character was criticized for leading Tom on and breaking his heart. Summer was viewed overall as a flighty and indecisive woman, unconcerned with Tom's emotional well-being. The actor highlights the way Tom refuses to see Summer beyond the superficial details and as a result fails to appreciate her as a person. Deschanel's comments encourage audiences to look past Tom's narration of events to understand Summer's viewpoint.
Since the film's rise to cult classic fame, there's been an ongoing debate over whether Summer is the villain of 500 Days of Summer. Over time, audiences grew to understand Tom as someone who projected all of his fantasies onto Summer, bringing about his own misery. However, some critics of the film blast Deschanel's portrayal of Summer as a sexist "manic pixie dream girl" trope. The actor defends herself, stating that roles for women are often written as one dimensional and it is her responsibility as an actor to bring complexities to the character. As the culture has shifted over the last decade, there are more opportunities now for actors to take on complex female roles.
Source: The Guardian
