Zooey Deschanel - Zooey Deschanel: Bully Spat In My Face

Zooey Deschanel: Bully Spat In My Face

Zooey Deschanel once had a school bully spit in her face.

The 32-year-old 'New Girl' actress attended Santa Monica performing arts school Crossroads - which also counts Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson amongst its alumni - but had a hard time because she was a ''chubby'' 12-year-old that attracted unwanted attention from bullies.

Talking about the incident, Zooey said: ''I was ridiculed. I really don't know why she spat at me. I just talked to her. I guess I wasn't allowed to talk to her. I remember I couldn't believe it.''

As a result, she decided to transform herself over the next 12 months by losing 30lbs and becoming less ''stubborn''.

She said: ''All of a sudden everybody treated me differently.''

But once school was done, she made no effort to keep in touch with her tormentors.

She told Marie Claire magazine: ''I don't even know where they are now.''

Even now, the newly-single star - who ended her two-year-marriage to Death Cab For Cutie front man Ben Gibbard last November - picks up bad vibes from some.

She explained: ''People do think I'm weird, I don't know why.''