The cast of “New Girl” reunited Saturday night, though not in a way that involves a revival. Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone and Damon Wayans Jr. appeared together at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in Los Angeles, where they received the Rising Phoenix Award and Greenfield hosted.
The gathering followed a rumor Greenfield started himself. Appearing on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” this summer, he said: “As far as I know, it’s happening.” He also claimed that creator Liz Meriwether had written “amazing” scripts for a revival. Fans responded with a renewed push for new episodes. Meriwether answered on Instagram, joking that the scripts were fine until everyone started giving her notes.
Greenfield soon walked it back. He told Variety he misread the invitation and saw only a subject line reading “New Girl Reunion.” No revival has been officially announced.
The cast made the mix-up part of the evening. Deschanel thanked Greenfield from the stage, saying his claim “made our lives so very annoying” while the group organized the event. Greenfield said his intention was to draw attention to the charity, and that people take notice when the six actors come together. Johnson, for his part, teased Greenfield about his delivery.
The award carried real weight for the charity. Chrysalis president and CEO Mark Loranger said the year’s honorees reflect the resilience and second chances at the heart of the organization’s work. The event came 15 years after the show premiered. The sitcom ran seven seasons on Fox from 2011 to 2018.
Greenfield’s original remarks suggested a different outcome. He had said the show deserved more time to finish properly after its rushed final season, and that a return would arrive only 18 months late rather than 10 years. Nothing in the available coverage indicates that talks about a revival have begun, and no one involved has pointed to a production plan.
The night gave fans what they could get. The six leads shared a stage, traded jokes at one another’s expense and kept the rumor alive without confirming it.
