Zooey Deschanel & ‘Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott Relationship Timeline

Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott and actress Zooey Deschanel are absolute couple goals. We’ve been fawning over them ever since they connected during fall 2019. But how did the paths of a Canadian reality TV contractor and L.A. actress and singer-songwriter cross? Surprisingly, with a little help from James Corden. Here’s a look at their love story.

How It All Began: A Timeline of Zooey and Jonathan

August 2019: Jonathan and Zooey met

Jonathan Scott and Zooey Deschanel met while filming Carpool Karaoke, where the Scott Brothers were pitted against the Deschanel sisters. The four seemed to have really hit it off, as both Zooey and Jonathan shared moments from the episode on Instagram, referring to each other as “friends.” From that first moment, you could spy the pair getting just a little flirty, but as far as the public knew, Zooey was still married.

A source told People that the two became friends after the show “…and then started talking as friends and realized there was more to it.” The source also noted that Zooey was drawn to Jonathan’s sense of humor and that they bonded over their shared interests.

September 2019: Jonathan and Zooey are spotted holding hands

News broke that Zooey had split from husband Jacob Pechenik, and that the two had allegedly been separated for a few months prior to announcing it (now it makes more sense why they sold their Manhattan Beach house over the summer). One week later, Zooey, 40, was spotted holding hands with Jonathan, 42.

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October 2019: Jonathan and Zooey stepped out for their first public date

The pair attended Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. They posted the same group picture on Instagram, where Zooey can be seen snug in his arms. The morning after, Jacob Pechenik officially filed for divorce from Zooey, asking for joint legal and physical custody of their daughter, Elsie Otter, 5, and son Charlie Wolf, 3. He cited the date of separation as January 8, according to court papers obtained by Us Weekly.

November 2019: Jonathan and Zooey confirmed their relationship on Instagram

Jonathan and Zooey finally gave the people what they wanted: their first selfie together!

Also in November, Zooey placed her Manhattan Beach three-story home on the market for $5.975 million, according to Variety. She had purchased the home almost two years ago with her then-husband, Jacob Pechenik, for $5.6 million.

December 2019: Jonathan and Zooey spent the holidays together

The couple made their red carpet debut at the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker at the El Capitan Theater. It was a double date with Jonathan’s twin brother and Property Brothers co-host Drew Scott and his wife Linda Phan.

Jonathan and Zooey got into the holiday spirit by icing festive sugar cookies together. The cookies wore elf hats with their names iced on. They also were photographed posing with famous magician David Copperfield.

In the days leading up to Christmas, Jonathan teased a scene from the iconic Christmas movie Elf, where Zooey played Jovie. He put his own spin on the photo by inserting himself into the scene as Buddy the Elf, who played Jovie’s love interest.

The couple ended 2019 on a strong note. “A truly Happy New Year with my sweetie,” Zooey wrote on Instagram. Jonathan replied in the comments of the post (and this is the part where I cried) “New Years Resolution…continue being the kinda fella you deserve ❤️.”

January 2020: Drew Scott opened up about his brother’s newfound happiness

The Property Brothers appeared on Today where Drew pointed out Jonathan’s smile. “See this smile? I haven’t seen him smile like this in a very long time, and I think it’s amazing to see him so happy.”

March 2020: Jonathan and Zooey quarantined together

The couple self-isolated for a few months together in 2020. Jonathan shared a photo carousel to Instagram which depicted how the couple kept busy: “Zooey Deschanel and I have been playing games, making music, and of course doing puzzles,” he wrote.

April 2020: Jonathan became a New Girl stan

Jonathan watched all of New Girl, the comedy series in which Zooey starred in from 2011 to 2018, for the first time ever. He revealed this during an episode of podcast At Home With Linda and Drew Scott. “True love is driving five hours only to see your love for one, or watching their whole show,” he said.

August 2020: Jonathan and Zooey marked one year since meeting

The couple celebrated the anniversary of meeting one another on Carpool Karaoke. Jonathan shared a sweet video montage of their most special moments. “Who would’ve known that exactly one year ago my life would change forever. When I count my blessings, I count you twice,” he wrote.

October 2020: Jonathan and Zooey and the most epic Halloween costumes

In early October, the couple stepped out together for an important cause— to vote. Since Jonathan is a Canadian native, this was his first time voting in the United States. “It really is a privilege that not everyone in the world has the ability to exercise. I am humbled and proud to be surrounded by a partner and loved ones who also cherish the importance of having your voice heard” he wrote, alongside a photo of him and Zooey, proudly donning their “I Voted” stickers.

A few days later, they dressed up for Halloween in a Harry Potter and Hermoine Granger matching set. While this getup is by no means unique, the sentiment behind Jonathan and Zooey’s selection was special.

As a refresher, Zooey had starred in the 2008 comedy Yes Man (which you can stream on Netflix here). In the film, she and her co-star Jim Carrey dressed up as Hogwarts students to attend a Harry Potter-themed Halloween party… where they didn’t exactly fit in. Now, Jonathan and Zooey brought the iconic and hilarious scene back to life with their witty choice of costumes.

November 2020: Jonathan shut down engagement rumors

Jonathan shut down media speculation that he had “wedding fever” and had proposed to Zooey. During an episode of SiriusXM podcast Covino & Rich, he said there was no truth to any rumors going around that he and Zooey had taken the next step in their relationship. “I’m pretty confident that I will ask my girlfriend to marry me before I tell a reporter,” he quipped of the false narratives the media had fabricated about his personal life.

December 2020: Zooey guest-starred on Jonathan’s show Celebrity IOU

The couple made their first-ever TV appearance together as Zooey guest-starred on Jonathan and Drew’s show, Celebrity IOU. As a refresher, Celebrity IOU follows the Scott brothers as they help well-known celebrities surprise loved ones with special renovation projects. In this particular episode, Drew and Jonathan helped Zooey surprise her lifelong friend with an updated lower level. As Drew third-wheeled, Jonathan and Zooey were more smitten than ever. However, Zooey made it clear that construction wasn’t exactly her cup of tea.

“I love spending time with Jonathan more than anything in the world… he’s the best,” she said during the episode. However, she joked that she’d “rather watch him do it from afar… with headphones on,” referring to how noisy the construction site was.

January 2021: Zooey turns 41 and the couple celebrates Robbie Burns Day

In honor of Zooey’s 41st birthday (which fell on January 17), Jonathan penned her a sweet note on Instagram. “Today is my favorite person’s birthday. You are caring, talented, hilarious, sweet, and just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside,” he wrote, adding that while they would not be able to celebrate as they had the year prior (due to the ongoing pandemic), he did have “a few surprises up my sleeve.”

When it came to those surprises, Jonathan sure delivered. He shared a photo to his Instagram Story of a gorgeous floral arrangement and a cake made in the shape of a Z for Zooey. The bouquet was put together by Westwood Flower Garden, and the cake was from Karma Baker, which specializes in vegan and gluten-free goodies. Peep the macarons and strawberries crowning the cake!

Later in January, the couple celebrated Robbie Burns Day, a Scottish holiday commemorating the life of poet Robert Burns. Jonathan’s brother Drew and wife Linda Phan joined them in person while JD Scott and wife Annalee Belle and Jim and Joanne Scott joined them over Zoom. For the occasion, Jonathan donned a kilt and showed off his bagpipe skills on his Instagram Stories.

February 2021: Jonathan and Zooey celebrate Valentine’s Day

Jonathan penned a sweet and cheesy note to Zooey on Instagram in honor of Valentine’s Day. “There’s a lot to love about this lady right here. To list it, I’d need a LOT more paper. Happy Valentine’s Day, ” he wrote. Zooey also shared a sweet post dedicated to Jonathan for the occasion (and peep the Darth Vader ice cubes in his wine glass!)

July 2021: They spend some quality alone time under the California sun

The happy couple kicked off the summer with a lovely weekend in San Francisco.

“From steep romantic strolls and yummy food to an excessive amount of escape rooms (3 for 3),” Jonathan posted on his Instagram. “Safe to say…it was awesome. We make a great team @zooeydeschanel 🥰”

September 2021: Jonathan gets nominated for an Emmy

Zooey praised her beau for receiving an Emmy nomination as executive producer on Property Brothers: Forever Home, which was up for the Outstanding Structured Reality Program award.

October 2021: They celebrate Halloween together in style

These two take Halloween very seriously. Last year, they celebrated with a trip to Universal Studios for the theme park’s Horror Nights. (Frightful attractions include several haunted mazes, three “scarezones,” and the Terror Tram.)

December 2021: The duo drops big (real estate) news

In the Winter 2022 issue of Drew + Jonathan Reveal, the pair divulge that they bought a house together in May 2020. “When we first brought her kids by the property, they dubbed it the ‘Park House,’” Jonathan wrote. “And you know what happens when you name something, whether it’s a mangy stray dog or a beautiful home of your dreams? You keep it. The next thing you know, Zooey and I owned the Park House.”

January 2021: Zooey turns 42

“Happy birthday to the one and only @zooeydeschanel. You make life so much better 🥰,” Jonathan wrote on Instagram to honor Deschanel turning 42. The accompanying post featured a series of adorable photos of the pair.

March 2022: The pair shines at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

The former New Girl star turned heads in a Christopher John Rogers gown at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, where they struck a pose on the red carpet.

“You’ve affectionately held my heart for almost 3 years,” Jonathan wrote in an Instagram post commemorating the glam night. “The least I could do is hold your train for 3 hours 🥰 You looked beautiful as always.”

April 2022: Jonathan turns 44

The Trolls World Tour actress posted a sweet message on April 28 bidding her other half a happy birthday:

“Happy Birthday to the most wonderful and kind man who lets me wear his jacket when I’m cold, helps me carry the train of my dress all night and never complains. I’m excited to wake up every day just to see him,” she wrote, adding: “So happy to celebrate @jonathanscott today (and every day).”

June 2022: The couple return to Carpool Karaoke!

In the fifth and latest season of Carpool Karaoke, Zooey and Jonathan reminisce about meeting on the show (while their siblings were in the backseat) and recall their very first date. Posted by the series, the playful promo clip below recalls their first time sharing a milkshake, playing darts, and robbing a bank (ha!).

The couple celebrated Jonathan and Drew’s parents’ anniversary together recently, prompting Jonathan to post a sweet photo of him with them and Zooey. The caption says it all: “Happy 56th Anniversary! Challenge accepted.”

Well, it looks like these two are head-over-heels for each other! While we never expected the pair to link up, we love this relationship. Here are a few more reasons why we think Jonathan and Zooey are the perfect match:

They’ve Both Been Divorced Before

Sure, this probably isn’t a highlight for either one of them, but their similar pasts means that they each have gone through some serious heartbreak that hopefully helped them narrow down what they really want in a partner. Jonathan opened up about his divorce in the brothers’ memoir It Takes Two: Our Story, noting that “The pain ended up outlasting the marriage.” They tied the knot back in 2007 before he was famous, then split. His next serious girlfriend was Jacinta Kuznetsov, who was the development producer of Scott Brothers Entertainment at the time. They dated for two and a half years, calling it quits in 2018.

Zooey, of course, separated from husband Jacob Pechenik in September 2019 after four years of marriage. They now share two kids together: Elsie, 4, and Charlie, 2. Deschanel was also married to Death Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard from 2009 to 2012.

They Both Love Dogs

Both Jonathan and Zooey have and love dogs. Zooey actually adopted her pups Dot and Zelda, who are sisters, in 2013 and shared the adorable story on The Ellen Show. Meanwhile, Jonathan is the dad to two pint-sized pups, Stewie and Gracie. While he grew up on a ranch in Canada surrounded by big dogs, he’s had a change of heart and is now infatuated with smaller furry friends. Regardless of size, he’s just an avid dog lover all around. “I don’t trust people who don’t like dogs,” he told People last June. “How could you not love a creature that is always excited to see you?”

They Both Can Sing

I think the world fell in love with Zooey’s voice in Elf with her rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Zooey has got pipes for sure and is also half of the indie musical duo She and Him. But Jonathan is no stranger to the recording studio either. The Scott Brothers have actually released three country songs on iTunes.

They’re Both Charming, Adorkable Goofballs

These two both have a bit of a dorky side but in the best way possible. On an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Jonathan confirmed he’s a magician and surprised the audience by making some dog treats vanish. He also noted that he can perform the classic bunny top hat trick, but in his version, he pulls his Chihuahua named Gracie out of the hat. And according to HGTV, he’s also a member of the Academy of Magical Arts.

And Zooey, whose character on New Girl inspired an entire “adorkable” ad campaign, is nothing short of goofy and fun-loving. Although it was a scripted character she played on TV, we can’t help but notice their similar style choices (headbands, colorful skirts, funky jewelry, etc.) and witty personalities. While Zooey seems a bit more confident than Jessica Day, she doesn’t seem to stray far from her leading role.

Drew Approves of Zooey

It’s always nice when your family actually likes the person you’re dating, but it’s even more important when you’re deeply involved in a business with your sibling. Drew Scott has only kind words to say about Zooey so far. “[They’re] both amazing people and I think it’s great,” he told US Weekly in September 2019. In fact, he and his wife go on double dates with Zooey and Jonathan.

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