New Girl Cast Gathers for Charity Event After Max Greenfield's Revival Joke
The New Girl cast came together at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in Los Angeles, where they were honored with the Rising Phoenix Award and Max Greenfield served as host. The gathering followed Greenfield's false claim that revival scripts had been written, which prompted jokes among the cast and creator Liz Meriwether and a clarification that no reunion is currently in the works. Zooey Deschanel and Greenfield acknowledged the mix-up onstage, saying it had drawn attention to the nonprofit's mission.
The 2026 Chrysalis Butterfly Ball took place Oct. 10 in Los Angeles at The Beehive. Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone and Damon Wayans Jr. attended, accepted the Rising Phoenix Award, and Greenfield hosted. The fundraiser supported Chrysalis, a Southern California nonprofit that helps people overcome barriers to meaningful employment.
The event also recognized Jared Wolff, chairman and CEO of Banc of California, with the Corporate Trailblazer Award, and Guadalupe Rios, a former Chrysalis participant and Caltrans employee, with the John Dillon Award. The reunion followed Greenfield's false Today claim that Liz Meriwether had written revival scripts; she and the cast joked about it, and no reunion is currently planned.
The mix-up may have given Chrysalis unexpected visibility, potentially drawing new donors or volunteers to its employment mission. For fans, the cast's playful response could temper disappointment over no revival while reinforcing affection for the show. For the actors, the charity appearance may strengthen public goodwill without committing them to a project. Any broader effect likely remains modest, tied to the nonprofit's immediate outreach rather than signaling a real reunion.