Red Flags In Zooey Deschanel And Jonathan Scott's Relationship, According To Our Experts

"New Girl" star Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott, one half of the "Property Brothers," met in August 2019, and barely two months later, they made their relationship public. While the two still seem head-over-heels in love with each other, there are a few things that kind of give us a bit of an ick when it comes to their relationship.

So, to delve deeper into the potential red flags we've noticed in Deschanel and Scott's relationship, we reached out to Susan Winter, a bestselling author and relationship expert, and Nicole Moore, the founder and CEO of Love Works Method and a celebrity love and relationship coach. While it's hard to figure out just which things might constitute a red flag, Winter explains what direction to look in. "Is the happiness sustainable? Are the relationship issues solved? Does the love continue to grow and deepen?" she shares. "These are the factors that make for a healthy relationship." Now, exclusively for Glam, Winter and Moore explain just why Deschanel may be navigating an anxious attachment style and why Scott's twin could cause trouble in paradise.

When fans learned about Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott's relationship in October 2019, it's safe to say that not all of them were immediately supportive of the couple. In fact, in an interview with People, Scott admitted that the reaction of Deschanel's followers on social media caught him off guard. "When we first started dating, Zooey posted a picture of us together," he revealed in 2023. "And I remember I looked at it and I saw the first comment right below was, 'Why the hell is she with a Property Brother?!' I was like, 'Excuse me — rude!'"

Of course, while neither of the two cared what her fans thought, Nicole Moore explains to us exclusively just why this reaction from Deschanel's fanbase could hint at a red flag. "It's possible that Jonathan felt insecure about dating Zooey when they first started dating due to her audience's lukewarm reception of their relationship," she says. "He's said that he felt a huge crush upon meeting her before they even started dating, so it's possible that the power dynamic when this couple first started dating was imbalanced with Jonathan putting Zooey on a pedestal." While this red flag may not have existed were the two not famous, the scrutiny of the public ended up resulting in a potential red flag. However, Susan Winter clarifies that at the end of the day, what fans think shouldn't really matter to the two stars. " ... Zooey took control of the narrative by clamping back on negative comments with grace and conviction," Winter explains. "This speaks well of her commitment, and the fact that she won't roll over just to please her fans."

In a 2023 conversation with People, Jonathan Scott revealed that at one point, Zooey Deschanel thought that he was ghosting her. For those who aren't familiar with the term, it's when someone stops communicating with you out of nowhere — and getting ghosted can be a very tough thing to handle. "We talked or texted every single day ... except for the [time] I went up on a packed trip up into the middle of the Rocky Mountains, where there was no cell service," Scott revealed. "She thought I was just blowing her off because I didn't respond for, what, three days or something?"

Nicole Moore clarifies exclusively to us that assuming someone is ending things with you just because they are not available at the moment could be a red flag. "Zooey may have an anxious attachment style or trust issues that she brought into the relationship as someone more secure might assume he didn't call because he was busy, not because he's not interested," she reveals. "The fact that Zooey's initial response was to assume that she was being rejected may point to her having relationship insecurities or fears that a partner will leave." 

Apart from fearing that she got ghosted, the fact that the two didn't communicate with each other about potential upcoming plans could also hint at a red flag. After all, a trip to the mountains certainly sounds like something you'd mention to the person you're seeing — even if you are still just casually texting. This could indicate that the two had communication troubles early on.

In October 2019, Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott made their Instagram debut, and only a month later, the two had their red-carpet debut as a couple at the 2019 Critic's Choice Documentary Awards. None of this would have been odd were it not for Deschanel's divorce, which was announced in September 2019, making this couple's timeline rather cramped. In fact, Nicole Moore and Susan Winter believe that Deschanel and Scott rushed into a relationship way too quickly. "It's a bold move to come out as a couple so quickly after meeting. This indicates an 'all-in' mentality," Winter tells Glam exclusively. "The couple became Instagram official two months after their initial meeting, so they do move quickly."

"It's unlikely that Zooey had full time to process her previous relationship before becoming official with Jonathan, so she may have brought some baggage into the relationship," Moore explains. "When one partner is so fresh out of another relationship, it can cause the other partner to worry that they're just a rebound or that their partner still has lingering feelings for their ex." While it doesn't have to be a major red flag, rushing into a new relationship after just having ended one generally isn't a good idea, which is why it's not surprising that some may believe Deschanel and Scott's relationship won't be forever.

While everyone falls in love at a different pace, it's safe to say that some people tend to lose themselves in a relationship, and Nicole Moore explains exclusively to Glam just why Zooey Deschanel may be one of them. "When people move quickly from one long-term relationship into another one, it can often be a red flag signifying a fear of being alone," Moore notes. "It's possible that Zooey loses herself too much in relationships and may have a hard time establishing an identity for herself outside of being someone's partner."

In fact, in January 2020 — only about four months into their relationship — Deschanel posted a selfie with Jonathan Scott on Instagram, captioning it with, "Once in a lifetime you meet someone who changes everything." Moore adds that while "it's possible that she felt her connection with Jonathan was too good to pass up," it would have been "healthier for Zooey to move more slowly into her new relationship with Jonathan rather than rushing right into another long-term commitment." There are lots of signs that someone is rushing into a relationship, and even though Moore clarified why it matters, it doesn't take an expert to realize that Deschanel quickly jumped from one relationship into another.

However, Susan Winter believes that Deschanel's excitement about the relationship early on isn't too odd. "Zooey's gushing Instagram post just four months after meeting Jonathan is typical for the 'honeymoon phase' of a new relationship," she says. "It's an absolutely blissful time for romance when everything about our partner is perfect." 

Balancing a relationship with flourishing careers takes plenty of figuring out, which is why a lot of couples in the spotlight tend to break up because of their busy schedules. "Zooey [Deschanel] and Jonathan [Scott] seem like a very connected couple; however, it's possible that they don't always get as much one-on-one time as they'd like," Nicole Moore shares exclusively with Glam, explaining that the two "have very busy and demanding schedules and this could be a red flag if it prevents the couple from having time to connect romantically." Being mindful of which projects they take on, and always discussing plans with each other is crucial for the survival of their relationship. 

Additionally, Moore says that Jonathan's close bond with his twin Drew Scott could cause trouble in his romantic relationship. "Jonathan is incredibly close to his twin which can be a good thing, but it can also be a red flag if the twin dynamic starts to impede on his relationship with Zooey," Moore explains. "Twins, in particular, can sometimes create such an insular bond that their romantic partners can feel they come second and that the twins trust and rely on each other more than they do on their romantic partners." Of course, neither the busy schedules nor Jonathan's relationship with his twin have to be red flags — that is entirely dependent on how the couple deals with both.