Rising Star: Zooey Deschanel

It's hard enough releasing one movie a year, but rising star Zooey Deschanel has six flicks that are ready to make a killing at the box office in 2002.

The 22-year-old brunette first drew attention with her supporting effort as the stewardess sister in Almost Famous. Now she's turning heads with a variety of roles that will prove she is ready for the spotlight.

The first of six films to be released is the ensemble comedy Big Trouble, in which Zooey stars as Jenny Hark, a straight-A student whose stepfather gives new meaning to the word dumb. Originally scheduled for release in October 2001, the studio decided to hold the date because a scene involving an airplane-hijacking scare would have been too offensive to audiences immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks.

However, Zooey feels the film's April release is appropriate. "I think with the time that they've taken to let it sit a little, it's going to be something that's sort of more relevant in a way," Deschanel told Katrillion. "Thus, I think it might be funnier. Basically it's not offensive in the sense that the people that are hijacking are the bad guys. It just happens to have a scene where a plane is hijacked."

Following the comedy crime caper, Zooey will be hitting the teen scene with DJ Qualls in The New Guy. Opening May 10, the film features Deschanel as Nora, Qualls' best friend who plays guitar in a funk band. "I got to sing which was really exciting," Zooey dished. "I did musicals all through high school so DJ and me sang."

After The New Guy, Zooey is teaming up with some A-list stars. First up is the indie comedy, The Good Girls, with Jennifer Aniston. "This movie is dark but really funny," Deschanel said. "Jennifer Aniston is incredibly talented and this is definitely something no one has ever seen her do before. It's darker and completely different from the sort of thing we're used to seeing her do on Friends."

But if Aniston isn't your idea of an A-list star, how about Katie Holmes? That's right, Zooey and Katie are starring together in the thriller Abandon, which opens this fall.

"Katie is the sweetest, most wonderful girl who is incredibly intelligent and incredibly professional," Deschanel gushed about her co-star. "She's incredibly smart about acting and she has a lot of ideas. I think she's very versatile."

Zooey's other films in the running for 2002 are Manic, a dramatic teen film that deals with intense topical issues, and the indie flick All the Real Girls.

She's only been in the business for a few years and already, this talented actress has shown her wide range of skills. "I like to stretch myself and explore other boundaries," Zooey explained. From straight-A students to burned-out teenagers, this young talent is about to hit it big.