Whatever Happened To Zanab Jaffrey From Love Is Blind?
"Love is Blind" Season 3 is perhaps the most dramatic, and that's considering Season 1's awkward love triangle between Barnett, Amber, and Jessica. Just like the previous two seasons, it sought to answer a singular question: Is love truly blind? Thirty contestants, under the guidance of hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey, date in the hopes of officially tying the knot by the end of the series. But here's where things get interesting — couples aren't allowed to meet face-to-face before getting engaged, per Netflix Tudum. Ultimately, the experiment forces connection through conversation rather than physical attraction. For some relationships, love and mutual respect just aren't enough to carry them past the altar — in fact, only a few "Love is Blind" couples are still together.
Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett were one of Season 3's stand-out pairings. They bonded over their shared beliefs and left the so-called "pods" engaged and in love. But things weren't smooth sailing once they made it back to real life, and Zanab ultimately broke up with Cole at the altar. "You have disrespected me, you have insulted me, you have critiqued me, and for what it's worth, you have single-handedly shattered my self-confidence," she told him at the ceremony, per Glamour.
Since filming wrapped and the show debuted on Netflix, Zanab has gone through quite the journey of self-discovery.
Zanab has opened up about her mental health
Though "Love is Blind" Season 3 dropped on Netflix in October 2022, filming wrapped over the summer of 2021 (via Bustle). In the interim, Zanab worked to process the on-set intensity and prepare for the media scrutiny coming her way. "After the wedding a year and a half ago," she told Entertainment Weekly in a November 2022 interview, "I went to therapy because I was like, 'Help me. This is what's happened...'"
The reality star has spoken openly about her struggle with an eating disorder on the set of the show. "I left that relationship [with Cole] pretty beaten down and broken," she said. "Plenty of women deal with [disordered eating], and there are a lot of societal standards for what is a beautiful size on a woman."
Her "Love is Blind" co-star, Colleen Reed, spoke about the effect Zanab's then-fiancé, had on her friend. "Whether she asked about it or not, [Cole] still said that she was a nine out of a 10 and two other women were 10 out of tens," Colleen told Us Weekly. "She definitely became a shell of a human being." Ultimately, Zanab — along with many of her "Love is Blind" castmates – is an advocate for therapy. As she joked with Entertainment Weekly, she also worked on "avoiding men at all costs" in the months between her final "I don't" and the show's release. Reportedly, Zanab is on her recovery journey and doing "really well."
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
Zanab faced internet backlash
Zanab accused her ex-fiancé, Cole, of controlling her diet in the "Love is Blind" Season 3 reunion special. "People had known things that had happened," she explained. "Like the trying to control what I ate and changing my eating habits."
Specifically, Zanab remembers Cole critiquing her for eating two clementines as a snack. The now-infamous cuties scene, which aired at the end of the reunion special, inspired a barrage of internet hate directed towards Zanab. As reported by BuzzFeed, many fans accused the reality star of overblowing the intensity of the incident, with some calling Zanab a liar and promoting #Justiceforcole (via Twitter).
Shortly after, Zanab addressed her former fiancé directly on her Instagram, writing, "I'm sorry your insecurities are different than my own. I'm sorry your online hate says so much more of you than it ever will of me," ending the since-defunct post with, "I'm sorry I'm your bad guy – I promise you I'm not. One thing about me, I choose my words carefully and I stand by everything I said." "Love is Blind" co-stars Raven, Colleen, and Alexa have been outspoken about their support for Zanab, per BuzzFeed.
The star has since poked fun at her on-screen persona, captioning a November 2022 Instagram post, "Cutie Sighting #juicy." Given her over 460,000 Instagram followers and similarly-impressive TikTok platform, Zanab has been able to reclaim her narrative. She also alluded to meeting up with Cole's ex-wife for a coffee chat in a November 26, 2022 post...
Zanab is working as a realtor in Texas
According to Zanab Jaffrey's LinkedIn, she's been working as a realtor in Texas since December 2020. She's also a part-time spin instructor (and former international flight attendant), as per her bio at Ebby Halliday, Realtors.
Despite the turbulence of her season and the media backlash it inspired, Zanab is grateful she participated in "Love is Blind." As she told Variety, "Would I repetitively do it again? No. But I don't regret Cole coming into my life. I don't ever regret being that happy and in love with him at one point. To do it again would be so I could experience that high with him again, even knowing where it came to."
In a New Year's Day 2023 Instagram post, the star shared resolutions including, "Being more intentional," "Speaking kindly to [herself]" and "Drinking more water." Clearly, she's living her best life.