Elsie Otter Pechenik – Interesting Details About Zooey Deschanel’s Daughter

Elsie Otter Pechenik is the first child and daughter of Jacob Penchenik and Zooey Deschanel. Her mother, Zooey, is an American artist, model, and actress, and she has a younger brother named Charlie Wolf Pechenik.

Born on 18 July 2015, Elsie Pechenik is 9 years old and already a popular young American celebrity child. But unlike most celebrity kids, Elsie does not appear in public as often. Apart from a few pictures the paparazzi took, her life is relatively private.

Elsie Otter Pechenik Was Born in 2015

Elsie Otter Pechenik is 9 years old. She was born on July 18, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Her zodiac sign is cancer, and she is multiracial by ethnicity;  her parents are of mixed Caucasian and German descent, and as such, she is German-American.

Elsie’s mother has English, Swiss, Dutch, Irish, and French ancestry. Also, her paternal great-grandfather hails from France, specifically Oullins, Rhône. Likewise, her paternal great-grandmother originates from a Quaker family. Besides, Elsie and her family practice the Judaism religion.

Elsie was born to Jacob Pechenik and Zooey Claire Deschanel. Her mother, Zooey, is a popular model, artist, and actress who has had numerous film credits to her name, including Elf, 500 Days of Summer, Yes Man, and New Girl, amongst others. On the other hand, her father, Jacob, is a professional filmmaker, investor, and entrepreneur.

Furthermore, Elsie has a brother named Charlie Wolf Pechenik, who was born on 9 May 2017. Similarly, Emily Deschanel and Mary Jo Deschanel are her maternal grandparents. Regarding her education, Elsie is believed to be currently undergoing her elementary class. However, the name of her school hasn’t been made public.

Her Parents Are Famous Hollywood Stars 

Elsie Pechenik is only famous because she comes from a home of celebrities. Her mother, Zooey Deschanel, is a well-recognized actress, model, and artist. Some of her notable appearances include playing Stella in The Driftless Area (2015), Jovie in Elf (2003), Nora in The New Guy (2002), and Cheryl in The Good Girl (2002).

In addition, between 2011 and 2018, Elsie’s mom portrayed Jess Day in an acclaimed Fox sitcom titled New Girl. For her role in the film, she earned nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award.

On the other hand, Elsie Otter Pechenik’s father, Jacob Penchenik, is a renowned producer. He is recognized for producing movies such as The Immigrant (2013), The Skeleton Twins (2014), and Solace (2015). He is also a filmmaker, investor, and entrepreneur.

She is Named After Her Mother’s Favourite Mammal 

When Zooey Deschanel had her first baby with her husband, Jacob Pechenik, it took the actress almost three months to disclose her daughter’s name – Elsie Otter. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Zooey, explained that she chose the unusual middle name, “Otter,” out of her love for animals.

The renowned actress further explained that Otters are her favorite mammals because they’re “cute, playful, and fun.” She also revealed that she and her husband, Jacob Pechenik, gave Elsie the name because it is “unique and classic.” She continued by saying that since Elsie is a special name, the middle name should be a bit wild.

So, they gave her the name because they both loved the freshwater carnivorous mammals, Otters. Furthermore, Zooey extolled the amazing qualities of otters, including their smartness, sweetness, how they use and keep their tools, and how they hold hands while sleeping. However, it took Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik three months to come up with a name for their baby.

Elsie’s Parents Divorced in 2020

Elsie Otter Pechenik’s Parents, Zooey Deschanel, and Jacob Pechenik, are divorced. The couple started dating in early 2014 after meeting on the set of a comedy titled Rock the Kasbah. Then, in January 2015, the pair got engaged.

Furthermore, Jacob and Zooey tied the knot in June 2015. And on 18 July 2015, they welcomed their first child Elsie. In addition, they bore a son named Charlie on 9t May 2017.

Unfortunately, the marriage between Elsie’s parents would experience a setback. So, in September 2019, Jacob and Zooey announced their separation after nearly four years of marriage. The two decided they were better off as friends, co-parents, and business partners than life partners.

She Lives in Los Angeles With Her Mother

On 1 June 2020, Pechenik and Zooey Deschanel finalized their divorce. However, the pair continues to co-parent their kids. Zooey has custody of Elsie and her brother Charlie Wolfe while their father has visitation rights. This entails that they will visit him regularly, and as such, he will maintain an active presence in their lives as they grow up.

After their divorce, Zooey started dating Jonathan Scott, a Canadian TV personality, illusionist, construction contractor, and television and film producer. Elsie Otter Pechenik and her stepdad Jonathan Scott currently live in a 5-bedroom apartment in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, US. Jonathan and Zooey purchased the house in early 2020 for about $9.5 million.

Does Elsie Otter Pechenik Have Downs Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is a rare but complicated genetic disorder caused mainly by the presence of all or several third copies of chromosome 21. It affects physical growth and causes moderate intellectual disability and, in some cases, changes in facial features.

Elsie Otter Pechenik has been suspected, by sections of the media, of having Down Syndrome since she was born in 2015. Her parents, however, haven’t confirmed or denied any of her health challenge rumors and speculations. So we cannot confirm if the celebrity kid is suffering from the ailment or not. Moreover, her lack of public appearance makes it difficult to ascertain.