Zooey Deschanel might be best known now for her role as Jess Day in the sitcom New Girl, and as hard to believe as this is, she wasn’t the only actress considered to play the character. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, New Girl debuted on Fox in 2011 and came to an end in 2018 after seven seasons. The series was very well received from the beginning, with critics praising its tone and sense of humor, as well as the performances of the main cast, with Max Greenfield becoming season 1’s breakout star and Jake Johnson the one of season 2.

New Girl followed Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel), a young, bubbly teacher who moved into a loft with three men after finding out that her boyfriend of six years was cheating on her. After a period of adjustment, Jess and her roommates Nick (Johnson), Schmidt (Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris) became very close, with Jess’ best friend Cece (Hannah Simone) becoming an important part of Schmidt’s life. Jess ended up being a combination of Meriwether and Deschanel, which is why it’s hard to imagine someone else playing the role.

Related: New Girl: How Old Is Jess At The Beginning & End Of The Show

While Jess seems like she was made for Deschanel, the producers had another actress in mind for the role, and had she been cast, the series (and its fate) would have been very different.

New Girl: Amanda Bynes Almost Played Jess

New Girl Amanda Bynes Jess Day

At some point during pre-production of New Girl, Amanda Bynes was considered for the role of Jess Day. Amanda Bynes rose to fame in the 1990s thanks to her roles in All That and The Amanda Show, where she became known for her comedic style. After that, she starred in the films Big Fat Liar, What a Girl Wants, and the sitcom What I Like About You, alongside Jennie Garth. She last appeared as Marianne Bryant in Easy A, before going through a series of personal problems involving substance abuse and mental health issues. Bynes has stayed away from TV and film ever since, and it’s inevitable to wonder how playing Jess Day would have impacted her career.

Although Jess was not written specifically for Deschanel as many believe, the producers found her to be a great match, and she ended up blending with the character. Her performance is a big part of why the series was such a hit, along with the chemistry she had with her co-stars, especially Jake Johnson, so it’s hard to say if Amanda Bynes playing Jess would have had the same impact. Of course, there’s also Bynes’ personal issues, which would have also been affected by her role in New Girl – though whether it would have been for better or worse is impossible to say. New Girl is still an important part of Zooey Deschanel’s career, and she was definitely the best option to play a peculiar character like Jess Day.

Next: What Happened To Jess After New Girl Ended