Zooey Deschanel's 2 Kids: All About Elsie and Charlie

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Zooey Deschanelhas co-parenting down to a science.

TheNew Girlactress and her ex-husband, Jacob Pechenik, share two children: daughter Elsie Otter and son Charlie Wolf.

Although Deschanel and Pecheniksplit in 2019, the former couple remain on good terms. Additionally,Property BrothersstarJonathan Scott, whoproposed to Deschanelin August 2023, has also taken an active role in Elsie and Charlie’s lives and considers himself their “Bonus Dad.”

However, in a snippet of aJune 2023 interviewshared with PEOPLE, Scott admitted that being a “Bonus Dad” isn’t always so simple.

“One thing that was a struggle early on was that the kids didn’t necessarily run up and jump in my arms and give me a big hug,” he explained. “I also remember several times where they’d be out with other kids and someone would say, ‘Oh your daddy’s so funny,’ and they’d be like, ‘That’s not my daddy, he’s my Jonathan.’ So that would hurt a little bit.”

Scott added that he had to realize “that in their mind, that’s not a mean thing to say — it’s how they know me.”

More recently, Deschanel’s kids have become interested in her career in the entertainment industry and have even started “making little movies” themselves.

“I make little short films with them. But then they start doing them on their own too, so it’s kinda awesome," she toldE! Newsat the2025 SAG Awardsin February.

Keep reading to learn more about Zooey Deschanel’s kids.

Elsie Otter Pechenik, 9

Jacob Pechinek Instagram

Deschanel and Pechenikwelcomed their first childtogether in late July 2015, a daughter named Elsie Otter. Elsie was born in Austin, Texas, though her exact birth date is not known.

The former couple announced both the news of her birth and their wedding at the same time, though they did notshare their daughter’s nameuntil a few months later.

At the October 2015 premiere of her movie Rock the Kasbah,Deschanel and Pechenik revealed their daughter’s moniker. “It’s Elsie …” Deschanel began, while Pechenik finished, “Otter.” “Like the animal,” the actress explained, while Pechenik added, “Sea otter!”

She later elaborated on her name choice during an appearance on theTodayshow.

“We just really liked the name Elsie and then we both love otters — they’re very sweet and they’re also smart,” she explained. “They use tools … they hold hands while they sleep, there’s so many amazing things about otters. They’re wonderful animals.”

Deschanel was still starring onNew Girlwhen Elsie was born. During her maternity leave, her character Jess went off to serve jury duty, andMegan Foxhad a guest spot on the show as a new roommate.

When Elsie was just 3 years old, she began to develop her own sense of style. “She likes to put together outfits and she has very distinct opinions on what she will or will not wear,” Deschanel told PEOPLE during a March 2019 interview. “It’s very sweet to see her say, ‘I like this’ or ‘I don’t like that,’ and express herself in that way.”

However, there was one clothing item she refused to wear at the time: a jacket. “She doesn’tever want to wear jackets. So that’s hard in the rain and when it gets cold,” her mom added. “It’s been an unusually cold winter in L.A. and it’s been hard that she just will not wear a jacket. Or a sweater, she won’t wear a sweater even.”

Like her mom, Elsie is very passionate about environmental awareness. “The sweetest moment was whenElsie wrote a letter to our senator,” her “Bonus Dad” Scott recalled during the 2021 Environmental Media Association Awards. “It was the sweetest thing in the world to know that a 6-year-old wrote a letter to her senator and it was all about waste.”

Deschanel added, “She said that people are throwing away too much trash. And she was 5 when she wrote it. She’s very conscious.”

Charlie Wolf Pechenik, 7

Zooey Deschanel/Instagram

The former couple’s son,Charlie Wolf, was born in early May 2017 in Los Angeles.

When discussing whether or not her children will follow in her footsteps and pursue acting, Deschanel toldAccess: “It’s hard to say ….my son likes to make up dinosaur moviesall the time, and make up songs. My daughter does too, they both kind of like to make up stuff.”

In December 2023, Deschanel shared a sweet moment with Charlie at the family’sChristmas Eve party. The little boy held his mom in a tight embrace as singer Chantal Kreviazuk belted “O Holy Night” in the background.

During an appearance onLive with Kelly & Markin July 2024, Deschanel shared that Charlie “loves dinosaurs” and can spend hours at the Natural History Museum. “We went to the Natural History Museum in London and he was like in his element,” she added.

source: people.com