Hannah Simone: New Girl's "Cece" Talks to Pop on the Pop

On Fox's "New Girl," all of Jess' male roommates love her best friend Cece. Cece, played by Hannah Simone, is the hot model who comes over to Jess' loft to hang out sometimes. Hannah is clearly beautiful, but she's also down to earth. She was one of the easiest celebrities to talk to, and I can't attribute that to her newfound success. She's seems like an all-around lovely person.

I met up with Hannah to find out about what her character will be getting into, what her ethnicity is (it's not like you didn't wanna know), and who's hitting her up now on Facebook. *** Part 2 of my exclusive with Hannah where she talks about whether or not she's single, what Jess' landlord is like, if she'd ever date one of her co-stars and more will be posted next Friday!

POTP: What’s in store for you this season that you can tell me about.

Hannah: Well there’s a Valentine’s Day episode coming up where Ryan Kwanson from True Blood makes an appearance for my best friend, Zooey Deschanel. And Christmas Kyle, what I call him, the guy I dated in the Christmas episode, the world’s biggest idiot. He also is my Valentine’s date. 

POTP: So you’re gettin' it in.

Hannah: I mean, I have terrible taste in men on this show! You have to watch to see what he does to me on Valentine’s day, but if there’s been a worse Valentine’s Day story than that, I’d like to hear it.

POTP: Are you still with him after that Valentine’s Day?

Hannah: I don’t know if he’ll come back. Cece has such terrible taste in men, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kyle pops up again, but I hope not.

POTP: But what about Schmidt, though? Cece likes Schmidt. Do you think that’s a good or a bad thing?

Hannah: Schmidt is putting in work! Let’s be honest, he really wants a little Cece, but she had a little shine for him at Thanksgiving, so who knows what’s in store.

POTP: I have to just be real with you right now. What’s your ethnicity?

Hannah: My mother is half German-Italian, half Greek and my father is Indian.

POTP: Do you just roll with it when people sometimes say that you’re a certain ethnicity?

Hannah: I love it, to be honest with you. I used to be a VJ on Much Music in Canada and it was so cool to watch young fans, how they would embrace me as one of their own because they could kind of see themselves in it, so I was never gonna tell anyone they were wrong [laughs]. I was like ‘Ya, true, I’m from the south of Spain!’ I think that’s really important to be represented on TV for little kids to see themselves fitting in the fabric of everyday life and not as a stereotype. I’m just a friend on the show. It’s not like I’m “the Indian friend” and I have to have a funny accent or weird things happening.

POTP: I was talking to Lamorne about how they don’t really mention his race and I guess that’s the same for you. You’re Jess’s friend and that’s why I asked what are you because we aren’t told every week that you’re not white and 'this is your race' or whatever. I think that’s great.

Hannah: YEAH!

POTP: A lot of shows usually harp on those racial issues when they have people of color on their shows.

Hannah: I’ve never really quite understood it and it always kind of makes me crazy, like how you have to explain how they would be friends. But if you look at most people’s lives, especially in like big cities, young people. It’s a big mix.

POTP: And how tall are you? I know you play a model on the show and I’m standing next to you and I’m all, ‘Hmmm. Well I’m in flats but she’s not that tall!’

Hannah: I’m 5’7 [laughs], but I’m always in like big heels because I’m a model because I think being statuesque is very good on the show.

POTP: Are you working out to stay slender? Do you diet?

Hannah: I’ve always been healthy and in shape, and I love food so much that I will never ever compromise what I want to eat! Nobody’s gonna tell me no.

POTP: You just work out.

Hannah: Ya, and I keep it very simple because life is too short.

POTP: How has the show changed your life? Do people recognize you? Do you have to wear disguises?

Hannah: If I take my bangs away [laughs], no one recognizes me, which is AMAZING!

POTP: Do you do a ponytail too, or a bun?

Hannah: Sometimes. Usually in my real life I’m running around getting stuff done and I don’t wear a lot of makeup and I’m wearing flats and I can’t be bothered. Ya, my hair is always tied up. I’m always just racing around. The show makes me feel pretty and I have long cute hair.

POTP: Have you heard from any of your exes or any old friends now that you’re on New Girl?

Hannah: People have resurfaced for sure. Old friends have resurfaced but it’s kind of nice cause they’re only saying really nice things and that’s really cool. My family moved countries every 3 or 4 years, so it’s not like I was in high school for 17 years so I had a lot of people I hated and who hated me.

POTP: Is it fake when people come out of the woodwork and they’re like ‘OMG, you’re amazing!’

Hannah: It’s just really nice. I mean, that’s Facebook for ya [laughs].

POTP: Are you actually being friends with them or are you just saying thank you?

Hannah: Oh no, I’m just saying thank you. It’s not like I’m searching for new friends in my life [laughs]. I think when you’re this busy, you really have to make the time to make sure that you are very present and there with your friends and your family. It’s not like if someone hit me up from 15 years ago and is like ‘What’s up? I’d be like, oh we should be best friends forever!’ It’s still nice when people say positive things about you and remember you from way back.

POTP: How long have you been acting?

Hannah: I started doing theater since i was 9, so I think it was always in my blood. It’s so nice I never thought that I’d be able to do it for a living, and the fact that I’m somehow able to do it now?

POTP: And it’s such a great show.

Hannah: It’s literally a dream come true.

POTP: Dream big!

Hannah: YES [laughs].

*** Find out whether or not Hannah's single, how many languages she speaks, and if she'd ever date one of her co-stars when I post part 2 next Friday! New Girl airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.