Hannah Simone
As Cece on 'New Girl,' she brought sharp wit and heart to the role, becoming a defining voice of millennial friendship.
Born 1980 (age 46)·British actress·Birthday: August 3·Generation X
Biography
Hannah Simone's path to acting was as global as her upbringing. Born in London and raised in Canada, Cyprus, and India, she worked as a VJ for MuchMusic and a human rights researcher before landing in Los Angeles. Her breakthrough came as Cece Parikh, the fiercely loyal and fashion-forward best friend on 'New Girl.' Simone infused the character with a grounded, sardonic cool that perfectly balanced the show's zanier elements, making Cece's journey from model to business owner and wife a central, relatable thread. Beyond the sitcom, she has hosted shows for National Geographic and advocated for animal welfare, crafting a career defined by eclectic curiosity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Hannah was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hannah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Hannah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the series regular role of Cece Parikh for all seven seasons of the hit Fox sitcom 'New Girl'.
- Hosted the National Geographic wildlife series 'Hannah's World of Wildlife'.
- Served as a correspondent and host for the CBC and the Fox Reality Channel early in her television career.
Did You Know?
She worked as a human rights and refugee officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in London.
She is a dedicated animal rights activist and has worked with organizations like PETA.
She is of Indian, German, Italian, and Greek Cypriot descent.
“I am a product of everywhere I've lived, and I carry those places with me.”
