What Happened to Hannah Simone?
The Short Answer: Mom, Wife, Podcaster
Hannah Simone chose family over fame. The 46-year-old actress (born August 3, 1980, in London) - beloved as Cece Parikh on Fox's New Girl (2011-2018) - married musician Jesse Giddings in 2016, welcomed a son in August 2017, and stepped back from full-time acting. Since January 2022, she's co-hosted Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast, with co-stars Lamorne Morris and Zooey Deschanel.
She didn't disappear; she reprioritized. The model-turned-VJ-turned-actress is now a mother, a wife, and the keeper of the New Girl flame - exactly where she wants to be.
Who She Was: Cece Parikh (2011-2018)
Simone's path was international: born in London to a British Indian father and a mother of German, Italian, and Greek Cypriot descent, raised partly in Calgary, Canada, schooled across three continents. Before acting, she was a MuchMusic VJ in Canada - hosting The NewMusic and Much News Weekly - and a model.
Then came Cecelia "Cece" Parikh: the stunning, deadpan model best friend on New Girl. Across seven seasons (2011-2018), Cece evolved from Schmidt's unattainable crush to his wife - one of sitcom's great slow-burn romances. Simone's comic timing - the withering looks, the perfect delivery - made Cece a fan favorite and Simone a star.
She was 31 when the show premiered, 38 when it ended - her entire thirties spent as Cece. It's the kind of defining role actors dream of and then spend years escaping.
Marriage and Motherhood: Jesse Giddings and Their Son
In 2016, after nearly four years of dating, Simone married Jesse Giddings - a musician who, like Simone, was a former MuchMusic VJ. It was a Canadian media love story: two VJs, grown up, grown serious.
She announced her pregnancy in April 2017 and gave birth to their son in early August 2017 - just as New Girl was filming its final season. Motherhood at 37, in the middle of a hit show's farewell: the timing was intense, and Simone has spoken about the juggle with honesty.
The family keeps a low profile - no reality show, no influencer pivot. Their son is now 9. Simone's social media is personal but guarded: family moments, not brand deals.
Welcome to Our Show: The Podcast Era (2022-present)
In January 2022, Simone launched Welcome to Our Show with New Girl co-stars Lamorne Morris (Winston) and Zooey Deschanel (Jess) - a rewatch podcast distributed by iHeartRadio. The premise: three friends rewatching their own show, with behind-the-scenes stories, guest stars, and the chemistry that made the series work.
It's been a genuine success - a hit with the show's devoted fanbase and a reminder of Simone's wit. The podcast lets her stay connected to New Girl without the grind of series television: she gets the love, the laughs, and the flexible schedule of a working mother.
The dynamic is the selling point: Morris's chaos, Deschanel's charm, Simone's dry perfection. Four years in, it's one of TV rewatch podcasting's best.
Acting After New Girl: Selective by Choice
Simone hasn't quit acting - she's just selective. Post-New Girl credits include hosting Kicking & Screaming (2017) and film roles, but nothing approaching a series-regular commitment. She's turned down the treadmill: no pilot seasons, no multi-year contracts, no relocation.
This is increasingly common for actresses who became mothers in their late thirties: the math changes. A series-regular role means 10 months away; a podcast means a studio near home. Simone chose home.
At 46, she's left the door open - the right role, the right schedule - but she's not chasing. Cece was the role of a lifetime; everything else is optional.
Where Is She Now: 46 and Content
At 46, Hannah Simone is a wife, a mother of a 9-year-old, a successful podcaster, and an actress on her own terms. She lives a quiet, family-centered life - the opposite of the fame game she could have played.
What happened to Hannah Simone? She got the thing Cece wanted: the love, the family, the happy ending. The cameras just aren't always there to film it - and that's the point.
The MuchMusic Days: Canada's VJ
Before Cece, Simone was a MuchMusic VJ, Canada's answer to MTV's veejays. She hosted The NewMusic (interviews with musicians) and Much News Weekly from the channel's Toronto headquarters, becoming one of the network's most recognizable faces in the late 2000s.
It was perfect training: live television, quick wit, celebrity interviews, all the skills she would later use as Cece and as a podcaster. She met Jesse Giddings there (he was also a MuchMusic VJ), making the network the unlikely matchmaker of her marriage.
What Is Next: The Right Role
Simone has not closed the acting door. She is just picky about when it opens. The right role (a limited series, a film, something near home) could bring her back; the wrong one (a 22-episode network grind) will not. At 46, with a 9-year-old and a hit podcast, she has the luxury of choice.
Welcome to Our Show continues to thrive. The New Girl rewatch industrial complex shows no signs of slowing, and Simone's dry wit is its secret weapon. Whether the next chapter is more podcasting, a return to acting, or something new entirely, she has earned the right to decide on her own schedule. Cece got her happy ending; Hannah's is still being written, privately, as she prefers.
The Podcast Empire: Welcome to Our Show
Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast Simone co-hosts with Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris, is a genuine hit: millions of downloads, live tours, and a fanbase that never left. The chemistry is real: three friends, a decade later, rewatching the show that made them.
Simone's role is the dry wit: the Cece energy, but real. She interviews guest stars, shares behind-the-scenes stories, and provides the perspective of someone who lived it. The podcast has run for years with no signs of stopping; the New Girl rewatch industrial complex is eternal.
It is the perfect post-sitcom career: low pressure, high reward, and built on genuine affection. At 46, Simone has the podcast, the family, and the freedom to choose. The acting door is open; the podcast pays the bills. Cece got the happy ending; Hannah got the better one.
The MuchMusic Days: Canada's VJ
Before Cece, Simone was a MuchMusic VJ, Canada's answer to MTV's veejays. She hosted The NewMusic (interviews with musicians) and Much News Weekly from the channel's Toronto headquarters, becoming one of the network's most recognizable faces in the late 2000s.
It was perfect training: live television, quick wit, celebrity interviews, all the skills she would later use as Cece and as a podcaster. She met Jesse Giddings there (he was also a MuchMusic VJ), making the network the unlikely matchmaker of her marriage.
What Is Next: The Right Role
Simone has not closed the acting door. She is just picky about when it opens. The right role (a limited series, a film, something near home) could bring her back; the wrong one (a 22-episode network grind) will not. At 46, with a 9-year-old and a hit podcast, she has the luxury of choice.
Welcome to Our Show continues to thrive. The New Girl rewatch industrial complex shows no signs of slowing, and Simone's dry wit is its secret weapon. Whether the next chapter is more podcasting, a return to acting, or something new entirely, she has earned the right to decide on her own schedule. Cece got her happy ending; Hannah's is still being written, privately, as she prefers.
The Podcast Empire: Welcome to Our Show
Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast Simone co-hosts with Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris, is a genuine hit: millions of downloads, live tours, and a fanbase that never left. The chemistry is real: three friends, a decade later, rewatching the show that made them.
Simone's role is the dry wit: the Cece energy, but real. She interviews guest stars, shares behind-the-scenes stories, and provides the perspective of someone who lived it. The podcast has run for years with no signs of stopping; the New Girl rewatch industrial complex is eternal.
It is the perfect post-sitcom career: low pressure, high reward, and built on genuine affection. At 46, Simone has the podcast, the family, and the freedom to choose. The acting door is open; the podcast pays the bills. Cece got the happy ending; Hannah got the better one.
New Girl: The Cece Legacy
New Girl (Fox, 2011-2018) was Simone's breakthrough: Cece Meyers, the model best friend, the deadpan foil, the heart of the loft. Seven seasons, 146 episodes, and a character who grew from stereotype to soul.
Cece's arc was the show's quiet triumph: the model who became a mother, the party girl who became the group's anchor. Simone played it with wit and warmth, and the Welcome to Our Show podcast keeps the legacy alive.
At 46, Cece is the role that defined her: the model-actress who became a sitcom icon. The MuchMusic VJ became Cece; Cece became the podcaster. The circle is complete.
The MuchMusic Days: Canada's VJ
Before Cece, Simone was a MuchMusic VJ, Canada's answer to MTV's veejays. She hosted The NewMusic (interviews with musicians) and Much News Weekly from the channel's Toronto headquarters, becoming one of the network's most recognizable faces in the late 2000s.
It was perfect training: live television, quick wit, celebrity interviews, all the skills she would later use as Cece and as a podcaster. She met Jesse Giddings there (he was also a MuchMusic VJ), making the network the unlikely matchmaker of her marriage.
What Is Next: The Right Role
Simone has not closed the acting door. She is just picky about when it opens. The right role (a limited series, a film, something near home) could bring her back; the wrong one (a 22-episode network grind) will not. At 46, with a 9-year-old and a hit podcast, she has the luxury of choice.
Welcome to Our Show continues to thrive. The New Girl rewatch industrial complex shows no signs of slowing, and Simone's dry wit is its secret weapon. Whether the next chapter is more podcasting, a return to acting, or something new entirely, she has earned the right to decide on her own schedule. Cece got her happy ending; Hannah's is still being written, privately, as she prefers.
The Podcast Empire: Welcome to Our Show
Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast Simone co-hosts with Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris, is a genuine hit: millions of downloads, live tours, and a fanbase that never left. The chemistry is real: three friends, a decade later, rewatching the show that made them.
Simone's role is the dry wit: the Cece energy, but real. She interviews guest stars, shares behind-the-scenes stories, and provides the perspective of someone who lived it. The podcast has run for years with no signs of stopping; the New Girl rewatch industrial complex is eternal.
It is the perfect post-sitcom career: low pressure, high reward, and built on genuine affection. At 46, Simone has the podcast, the family, and the freedom to choose. The acting door is open; the podcast pays the bills. Cece got the happy ending; Hannah got the better one.
The MuchMusic Days: Canada's VJ
Before Cece, Simone was a MuchMusic VJ, Canada's answer to MTV's veejays. She hosted The NewMusic (interviews with musicians) and Much News Weekly from the channel's Toronto headquarters, becoming one of the network's most recognizable faces in the late 2000s.
It was perfect training: live television, quick wit, celebrity interviews, all the skills she would later use as Cece and as a podcaster. She met Jesse Giddings there (he was also a MuchMusic VJ), making the network the unlikely matchmaker of her marriage.
What Is Next: The Right Role
Simone has not closed the acting door. She is just picky about when it opens. The right role (a limited series, a film, something near home) could bring her back; the wrong one (a 22-episode network grind) will not. At 46, with a 9-year-old and a hit podcast, she has the luxury of choice.
Welcome to Our Show continues to thrive. The New Girl rewatch industrial complex shows no signs of slowing, and Simone's dry wit is its secret weapon. Whether the next chapter is more podcasting, a return to acting, or something new entirely, she has earned the right to decide on her own schedule. Cece got her happy ending; Hannah's is still being written, privately, as she prefers.
The Podcast Empire: Welcome to Our Show
Welcome to Our Show, the New Girl rewatch podcast Simone co-hosts with Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris, is a genuine hit: millions of downloads, live tours, and a fanbase that never left. The chemistry is real: three friends, a decade later, rewatching the show that made them.
Simone's role is the dry wit: the Cece energy, but real. She interviews guest stars, shares behind-the-scenes stories, and provides the perspective of someone who lived it. The podcast has run for years with no signs of stopping; the New Girl rewatch industrial complex is eternal.
It is the perfect post-sitcom career: low pressure, high reward, and built on genuine affection. At 46, Simone has the podcast, the family, and the freedom to choose. The acting door is open; the podcast pays the bills. Cece got the happy ending; Hannah got the better one.
New Girl: The Cece Legacy
New Girl (Fox, 2011-2018) was Simone's breakthrough: Cece Meyers, the model best friend, the deadpan foil, the heart of the loft. Seven seasons, 146 episodes, and a character who grew from stereotype to soul.
Cece's arc was the show's quiet triumph: the model who became a mother, the party girl who became the group's anchor. Simone played it with wit and warmth, and the Welcome to Our Show podcast keeps the legacy alive.
At 46, Cece is the role that defined her: the model-actress who became a sitcom icon. The MuchMusic VJ became Cece; Cece became the podcaster. The circle is complete.
The Seven-Country Childhood
Simone's childhood reads like a passport. Born August 3, 1980, in London to a British Indian father and a British mother of German, Italian, and Greek Cypriot descent, with a brother named Zack, she spent her early childhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. From ages 7 to 10, she moved through three continents, attending schools in each one.
At 13 she was living in Cyprus and working as a fashion model. At 16 she lived in New Delhi and attended the American Embassy School. At 17 she returned to Canada, settling first in White Rock, British Columbia, then Vancouver, where she attended the University of British Columbia. After her first degree, she returned to London for a year, working as a human rights and refugees officer for the United Nations.
The UN Officer Who Became Cece
The pivot is the story. Following her 2005 graduation from Ryerson University, Simone became host of HGTV Canada's Space for Living for its first season, then the role that defined her: Cece Parikh on Fox's New Girl. The UN human-rights officer became the sitcom's breakout star, the model became the comedian.
She married Jesse Giddings, became a mother, and launched the podcast Welcome to Our Show with her New Girl co-stars. The seven-country childhood, the UN year, the modeling, it all fed a performer who could play anyone because she had been everywhere. At 46, she picks her projects and keeps the family first.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Hannah Simone?
After New Girl ended in 2018, she married Jesse Giddings (2016), had a son (2017), and co-hosts the New Girl rewatch podcast Welcome to Our Show (since 2022). She's 46.
How old is Hannah Simone?
She was born August 3, 1980 - 46 years old in 2026.
Who is Hannah Simone married to?
Musician Jesse Giddings, a former MuchMusic VJ like Simone. They married in 2016 after nearly four years together.
Does Hannah Simone have kids?
Yes - a son born in early August 2017.
What is Welcome to Our Show?
The New Girl rewatch podcast Simone co-hosts with Lamorne Morris and Zooey Deschanel, launched January 2022 on iHeartRadio.
What was Hannah Simone before New Girl?
A MuchMusic VJ in Canada (hosting The NewMusic) and a model.
Is Hannah Simone still acting?
Selectively - she's stepped back from series television to focus on family and podcasting, taking occasional roles.
Where is Hannah Simone from?
Born in London, raised partly in Calgary, Canada - British and Canadian.
Sources
- Hannah Simone - WikipediaWikipedia
- New Girl - WikipediaWikipedia
- Welcome to Our Show - iHeartRadioPodcast launch, January 2022