Actors turned indie rockers

Zooey Deschanel (She & Him)

Main claim to fame: Serenading Will Ferrell as a cynical department store worker in “Elf.”

Indie credentials: Teamed up with singer-songwriter M. Ward, who has indie cred to burn, to form the retro folk-rock duo She & Him; their debut album, “Volume One” was released on Merge Records (giving her another instant jolt of indie cred) in early 2008 to near-universal acclaim.

What the critics are saying: “Deschanel's songs are simple and sad tales of heartbreak and missed connections, with hooky melodies and not a single artless moment to be found.” – All Music Guide

Random factoid: She’s engaged to Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard.

Read Metromix’s interview with Zooey Deschanel