Zooey Deschanel Reflects on ‘Instant Chemistry’ With ‘Property Brothers’ Star Jonathan Scott

Zooey Deschanel and Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott have been going strong since they started dating in fall 2019. When they met while filming a special Carpool Karaoke with their siblings in August 2019, Deschanel felt “instant chemistry” between the two, she told Live with Kelly and Ryan hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest Friday. During another interview, while promoting The Celebrity Dating Game, Deschanel called Scott the “nicest person in the world.”

“We just got on so well,” Deschanel, 41, told Ripa and Seacrest. “Still, I’m always excited to see him.” Deschanel also said she can easily tell Scott, 43, from his twin brother, Drew Scott. The former New Girl star pointed out that Scott doesn’t wear a beard, while Drew does. “I honestly don’t think they look that much alike but everyone else thinks they look just (identical),” Deschanel said Friday. “I remember when we first met them, my sister [Emily Deschanel] was like, ‘They’re identical. How do you tell them apart?’ And I’m like, ‘They look so different.’”

Deschanel also gushed about her relationship with Scott during an interview with Us Weekly. She considers herself “really lucky” to land with “the nicest person in the world,” she said. “I just try to be as nice back as, you know, he is. And it works.” Deschanel is also inspired by Scott’s dedication to environmental activism, a subject important to her as well. Outside of his Property Brothers work, Scott produced his first documentary, Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip, which centers on green energy.

“It’s really inspiring how passionate he is about green energy and solar power,” Deschanel told PEOPLE. “He’s always working to try to figure out solutions for those problems, and really wants to support people who are being innovative on those levels.” Their shared passion for saving the environment also helped them connect, she said. “I remember actually when we first met, he sent me his documentary and I was like, wow, we are so aligned on this level,” Deschanel told the magazine. “Because we both really care about this one issue, but have different areas that we focus on.”

Deschanel will be back on TV screens Monday as the co-host of The Celebrity Dating Game with singer Michael Bolton. The series debuts on ABC Monday at 10 p.m. ET. Although she is also an executive producer on the series, Deschanel said she would not want to compete on a dating show. “I have the best boyfriend in the world, so I don’t even think about doing something like that,” she told Us Weekly.