(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Zooey Deschanel acted as a musical narrator for the Winnie the Pooh film, say the co-directors of the movie.

It was too late for the 31-year-old actress to be given a role in the Disney animation when she joined the project, so instead she recorded several songs for the soundtrack. Even though Zooey doesnt voice a character, she still has an integral part in the family film. Stephen J Anderson and Don Hall, who co-directed the big screen adaptation of A.A. Milnes classic childrens tale, have praised Zooey for bringing her quirky personality to the picture.

"Zooey came into the project quite late on when we were already under way with the film, he explained. "We had already cast the film, and the only female part is Kanga, which went to Kristen Anderson-Lopez. She was so great. She's like our musical narrator in a way."

She opens and closes the movie with her songs, Don added. So she did musically remain a voice through the film."

Winnie the Pooh features the voices of John Cleese, Jim Cummings, Bud Luckey, Travis Oates and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

It will be released worldwide from later this week. (C) Cover Media