Zooey Deschanel's early days on New Girl were "stressful".

The 46-year-old actress played Jessica Day in New Girl, the hit TV sitcom, between 2011 and 2018, and Zooey admits that the early days were particularly tough.

The brunette beauty told People: "I liked the beginning. I love the whole experience of New Girl, but the beginning of it ... We were shaping it, and it was stressful and crazy, and we were working crazy long hours and everything."

Zooey - who starred alongside the likes of Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone and Damon Wayans Jr. - recalled developing an affinity with her on-screen character.

She said: "We were getting to grab these little sparks and be like, 'Oh, he does that really well. He does that really well. She does that really well'. It's all those little things, really finding our characters.

"It was so much fun. I loved being a part of getting the cast together and meeting everybody. I mean, it's what I love about making films. It's just that it's all about finding where those little sparks are and grabbing them."

Zooey previously suggested that she was perfectly suited to her New Girl role.

The actress told Channel 4: "I was so blown away by how perfect it was and how funny it was, and sweet, and smart.

"I hadn't seriously considered any television shows before, but this was just too great to pass up. They took a chance on me and I was able to do it."

The actress also described shooting the TV show as "really exciting" and "fun".

She shared: "I really have adjusted well because I just love being busy.

"I prefer to have constant stimulation. So, I like going to set every day and working with the same awesome people. Even though it's really long hours and it's a lot to memorise, it's really exciting and it's fun.

"It's fast moving, but I love not waiting around. I like getting everything done quickly. There's something really exhilarating about it.

"I also enjoy getting to develop a working relationship with a group of people; that there's always a little bit of summer camp sadness to doing a movie. If you're having a good time and then it ends. There's a certain amount of I think melancholy to that."