She & Him is the somewhat unlikely pairing of country-folk artist M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel. While starring in the 2007 film The Go-Getter, Deschanel was asked by director Martin Hynes to perform a duet with Ward, who had agreed to helm the movie's soundtrack. The two recorded a cover of Richard & Linda Thompson's "When I Get to the Border" and later reconvened in Portland, where they began recording Deschanel's own songs (which the actress had previously kept secret) in Ward's studio.