Cooper

Welcome to some seriously meta casting, bitch Schmidt.

Plumbing the depths of O.C. canon, New Girl has tapped Peter Gallagher to guest star as Schmidt’s (Max Greenfield) never-before-seen father, TVLine has learned exclusively.

As any self-respecting acolyte of Josh Schwartz’ late Fox soap knows, Greenfield portrayed the younger version of Gallagher’s The O.C. patriarch, Sandy Cohen.

Gallagher, who is currently recurring on The Good Wife, is set to appear in one episode of New Girl‘s upcoming fifth season, which is slated to debut in January. According to sources, Schmidt’s previously-introduced mother, played by SNL vet Nora Dunn, is not expected to appear in the episode.