A few years may have passed since the New Girl finale first aired, but the beloved characters of the sitcom have become mainstays in pop culture. From Jessica Day's signature straight across bangs and upbeat attitude to the many Schmidt-isms uttered throughout the show's 146 episodes, it's easy to see why fans love rewatching New Girl's funniest scenes.
But what would happen if Jessica Day moved into the Los Angeles loft in 1991 and not 2011? In a cast that boasts the likes of Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, and Max Greenfield on the brink of their true stardom, along with impressive guest stars, the 1990s New Girl counterparts would have tapped into the same star potential with the rising stars of the era.
Marie Osmond as Jess
Singer-songwriter Zooey Deschanel was taken with the New Girl pilot script and producers fine-tuned the character to fit the actress's disposition. One of modern television's most notable quirky leading ladies, Jessica "Jess" Day became a champion for creative, dorky optimists everywhere. Her charm is just one reason fans love Jess nearly as much as Nick Miller and her kind, selfless nature makes Jess a protagonist people want to support.
Marie Osmond has the musical talents and comedic chops to fill Jess's darling dress collection. Like Zooey, Osmond comes from a show business family. Known mostly as Donny Osmond's youngest sister, Osmond had years of variety show and television experience under her belt by the time the 1990s rolled around. She could bring her talent to this iteration of New Girl and match Deschanel's charm at every turn.
Matthew Perry as Nick
The show's gruff, sarcastic law-school dropout turned bartender, Nick Miller became the unforeseen breakout star of New Girl. Known for his sarcastic, more often clueless dialogue, his wisecracks instantaneously became part of the millennial mood board. His realistic outlook on life makes him butt heads with Jess, but it's when Nick lets his guard down that he has wonderfully tender, but still hilarious, moments with his friends.
Chandler Bing and Nick Miller are incredibly similar characters, which means Matthew Perry would fit the bill for New Girl if it premiered two decades earlier. An actor with a mastery of dry wit and the ability to balance comedy with more serious moments, Perry's take on Nick would feel similar to Jake Johnson's portrayal, meaning the character would remain as beloved as he is in the present day.
Eddie Murphy as Winston
Throughout New Girl's 7 seasons, Winston Bishop and his array of boldly patterned button-ups steal each scene. A dedicated cat dad and lover of puzzles, Winston is an awkward homebody and steadfast friend. A terrible prankster, he gives himself the nickname "Prank Sinatra" and creates mischief for his friends throughout the series.
Eddie Murphy would thrive with the chance to give a new take on Winston "Prank Sinatra" Bishop. Already a tenured comedy legend in the 1990s thanks to his years on Saturday Night Live and numerous film roles, Murphy's return to television as Winston could give New Girl the 1990s star power brought by Zooey Deschanel in the original and he'd be able to add similar zany quirks to the character as done by the original Winston, Lamorne Morris.
Eric McCormack as Schmidt
Schmidt's personality is a very mixed bag of douchy one-liners and germaphobic tendencies, but the overzealous perfectionist demands control over each aspect of his life. It takes a charismatic actor to help transform Schmidt from a typical bro into the fan-favorite he became with Max Greenfield in the role, so Schmidt's 1990s counterpart needs to have the same amount of charm.
Eric McCormack found great success with his leading role on Will & Grace, Will Truman filling a similar role as Schmidt would 13 years later in New Girl. A talented actor versed in the ways of playing a high-strung and controlling professional, McCormack would fit right in with the rest of the cast and would help make Schmidt a well-rounded loft mate.
Halle Berry as Cece
A snarky, street-smart model, Cece Parekh is Jess's best friend from childhood and the apple of Schmidt's eye. She is protective of her more awkward friend and supports Jess's slightly outlandish ideas with the same amount of fervor one sees in pageant moms. Her friendship with Winston is one of the sweetest on the show, and while she starts as Jess's friend, Cece forges relationships with each inhabitant of apartment 4D.
In the 1990s, Halle Berry would be a decade away from her historic Best Actress Academy Award win for 2001's Monster Ball. Similar to Cece's original actress Hannah Simone, Berry has a history of modeling and pageantry, giving her the insight to relate to the character. Coupled with her enormous talent, she would make an excellent retro-casting choice for Cece.
Damon Wayans Sr. as Coach
Coach, real name Ernie Tagliaboo, was the disappearing roommate of apartment 4D. The personal trainer's sudden return to the series in season 3 was celebrated by his old loft mates, and he has moments of growth over his time on the sitcom. Energetic and spontaneous, Coach's time on New Girl may be fleeting, but he holds a meaningful place in his friend group.
Damon Wayans Jr. brings his funny-man talents to the role of Coach, but his father Damon Wayans Sr. helped cultivate that comedic charm. Replacing a son with his father might not always work, but the men of the legendary Wayans family are all so incredibly funny, it makes sense to cast the eldest Damon in the same role.
Angie Harmon as Aly
There are few bumps in the road as Aly Nelson and Winston Bishop go from detective partners to romantic partners, with the more experienced officer slow to warm up to her protégé. Aly's personality starts out as direct and no-nonsense, though her goofier side starts to peek through as her relationship with Winston develops.
Angie Harmon has tons of experience playing police officers, her most notable modern role being Detective Jane Rizzoli. In the 1990s, she was known for her roles on Baywatch Nights and Law & Order. Harmon could bring Aly's practical point-of-view to life, while also cracking a joke once in a while, as she does on Rizzoli & Isles.
Demi Moore as Reagan
Reagan Lucas, a pharmaceutical sales rep, takes over Jess's room while she's sequestered on jury duty through most of season 6. The complete opposite of her room's former tenet, Regan is a stereotypical cool girl, a role Megan Fox has been filling for years, who has a very direct nature. Her introduction shakes up the New Girl group dynamics and even led to an unexpected friendship with temporary romantic-rival Jess.
In the 1990s, only a few people were as cool and sultry as Demi Moore. A member of the Brat Pack a decade earlier, she became a household name by her mid-20s. During the mid-to-late 1990s, Moore broke out of her cool-girl mold with leading roles in films such as The Scarlet Letter, Now and Then, and G.I. Jane. Though Reagan's time on the series is brief, Moore would use that screentime to her advantage and give a stellar performance.
Nicholas Brendon as Robby
A genuinely nice guy with a bit of a geeky side, Robby McFerrin starts his time out on New Girl as the anti-Schmidt. As Cece's first boyfriend following her breakup with Schmidt, he becomes a target of the man's bullying attempts and brushes them off with ease. But as his time on the show progresses, the two become unlikely friends and even help one another try to win Cece back. His relationship progression with Jess is one of the series's kookiest, going from acquaintance to friends to romantic partners to surprise third-cousins over the course of his 18 appearances on the show.
Nicholas Brendon found success in the late 1990s as the geeky and immature Xander Harris on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Robby feels like the man Xander could mature into, and through his multiple appearances, Brendon's portrayal would help fold the character into the mix without making his stick out like a sore thumb.
Gillian Anderson as Sadie
Jess's close friend and OB/GYN, Sadie is a wonderful recurring character. Her deadpan delivery and dedication to her friends shine even though she's only in a handful of episodes across the series. As a lesbian, she receives some unwanted attention from Schmidt in earlier episodes before the two strike an odd sort of friendship.
Best known for her role as Dana Scully, sci-fi icon Gillian Anderson would be a great replacement for the hilarious June Diane Raphael in the recurring role. Her schedule on The X-Files would keep her busy, so Sadie's sporadic appearances would still be doable. Plus, getting to hear her say some of the gynecologist's wittiest quips, namely "I know my way around a Grizzly Adams," would be comedy gold.