Rashida Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rashida Jones
Jones at the 2017 Peabody Awards
Born	Rashida Leah Jones (1976-02-25) February 25, 1976 (age 49) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Harvard University (AB)
Occupation	Actress filmmaker
Years active	1997–present
Works	Full list
Partner(s)	Ezra Koenig (2015–present)
Children	1
Parents	Quincy Jones (father) Peggy Lipton (mother)
Relatives	Harold Lipton (grandfather) Kidada Jones (sister) Quincy Jones III (half-brother) Kenya Kinski-Jones (half-sister) Richard A. Jones (uncle)

Rashida Leah Jones (born February 25, 1976) is an American actress, director, and writer. She is famous for her roles in popular TV shows. You might know her as Karen Filippelli on The Office or as Ann Perkins on Parks and Recreation. She also starred in the comedy series Angie Tribeca.

Jones has also appeared in many movies, including I Love You, Man (2009), The Social Network (2010), and The Muppets (2011). She co-wrote the movie Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012), which she also starred in. She was also one of the writers for the story of Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 4 (2019).

In 2018, she directed a documentary about her father called Quincy. The film won a Grammy Award. In 2025, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Early Life and Education

Rashida Leah Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was actress Peggy Lipton, and her father is the famous musician and producer Quincy Jones. She has an older sister, Kidada Jones, and five half-siblings from her father.

Her father is of African-American and Welsh descent, and her mother was of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Rashida and her sister were raised in the Jewish faith. She grew up in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles.

As a child, Jones loved to read. Her father said he would often find her under her bed covers with a flashlight, reading five books at once. She has described herself as a "straight-up nerd" when she was young. She also showed musical talent and learned to play classical piano.

Jones attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. After her parents divorced when she was 14, she moved with her mother to Brentwood.

After high school, Jones went to Harvard University. At first, she wanted to be a lawyer. However, she changed her mind and became interested in acting and music. She was the musical director for an a cappella group and acted in several plays. She graduated in 1997 with a degree in religion and philosophy.

Acting and Filmmaking Career

Early Roles and The Office

Jones began her acting career in 1997. One of her first major roles was as Louisa Fenn on the TV show Boston Public from 2000 to 2002. This role earned her a nomination for an NAACP Image Award.

In 2006, she joined the cast of the popular comedy series The Office. She played Karen Filippelli, a saleswoman who becomes Jim Halpert's girlfriend for a time. She was a main character in the third season and returned as a guest star in later seasons.

During this time, she also appeared in movies like The Ten and Role Models. She also appeared in the music video for the Foo Fighters' song "Long Road to Ruin."

Parks and Recreation and Movie Success

Jason Segel, Jones, and Paul Rudd at the Austin, Texas premiere of I Love You, Man

In 2009, Jones began starring in the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation. She played Ann Perkins, a kind nurse and the best friend of Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler). She was on the show for six seasons and returned for the final episode.

While on Parks and Recreation, Jones also had a busy film career. She co-starred in the comedy I Love You, Man (2009) with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. In 2010, she appeared in The Social Network, a movie about the founding of Facebook.

In 2012, she starred in the movie Celeste and Jesse Forever, which she also co-wrote with her friend Will McCormack. Her other films from this period include The Muppets (2011) and Our Idiot Brother (2011).

Expanding Her Career

From 2016 to 2019, Jones starred in the lead role of the comedy series Angie Tribeca. The show was a funny take on police dramas and was created by Steve Carell and his wife, Nancy.

In 2018, Jones directed the documentary Quincy, a film about her father's life and career. It was released on Netflix and won a Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2019.

Jones was also part of the writing team for Pixar's Toy Story 4 (2019). She and her writing partner left the project early. Jones later explained she felt that the company needed to give a more equal creative voice to women and people of color.

In recent years, she has starred in the Netflix series #blackAF and the Sofia Coppola film On the Rocks (2020) with Bill Murray. She also voiced a character in the animated movie Spies in Disguise (2019). In 2024, it was announced that she is co-writing a new animated Tom and Jerry movie.

Other Work

Music and Videos

Jones is also a talented singer. She has provided backing vocals for the band Maroon 5 on their album Songs About Jane. She also appeared on a tribute album to the rapper Tupac Shakur.

She has appeared in several music videos. In 2013, she made her directing debut with the music video for Sara Bareilles's song "Brave".

Advertising

Jones has been a spokesperson for several brands, including Dove, Almay, and Zenni Optical. She has also appeared in commercials for Verizon, Southwest Airlines, and Toyota.

Personal Life

Jones in 2017

Jones was raised Jewish and continues to practice Judaism as an adult. She has spoken about her identity, saying, "I have gone through periods where I only feel black or Jewish. Now I have a good balance."

In 2003, she was engaged to music producer Mark Ronson, but they separated about a year later. Since 2015, she has been in a relationship with musician Ezra Koenig of the band Vampire Weekend. They have a son, who was born in 2018.

Jones is also involved in charity work. She supports Peace First, an organization that teaches children how to solve problems peacefully. She has also helped raise money for organizations that fight cancer, poverty, and AIDS.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Rashida Jones para niños