Rashida Jones Opens Up If She Is Married To Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig; 'We Are What We Are, In The Eyes Of God’

Rashida Jones, the actress best known for her role on Parks and Recreation, recently opened up about her relationship with Vampire Weekend's frontman, Ezra Koenig. Here's what she said.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Jul 11, 2024 | 10:38 AM IST | 85.4K

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

Rashida Jones, the beloved actress from Parks and Recreation, recently spoke out about her relationship with Vampire Weekend's frontman, Ezra Koenig. Jones revealed some personal details about their relationship during an interview with The New Yorker on Sunday, July 7.

Despite frequently referring to each other as husband and wife, Jones clarified that they are not legally married. "We're not married," the 48-year-old actress revealed. "We just kind of call each other that. But we are what we are, in the eyes of God!"

Jones and Koenig have been together since 2016, and they welcomed their son, Isaiah, in 2018. The couple has decided not to formalize their relationship with a marriage certificate, instead finding fulfillment in their existing bond. "I'm sure we'll get married at some point, but we basically are," Jones concluded.

Rashida Jones' family influence

Jones' views on marriage are influenced by her family background. Her parents, producer Quincy Jones and late model Peggy Lipton, took an unconventional approach to marriage. She said that her parents only got married when her dad had his first brain aneurysm and her sister was six months old because of rights. This history influences Jones' perspective on the importance of a formal marriage.

Rashida Jones living with a rock star

Despite her partner's rock-star lifestyle, Jones has not fully adopted the traditional role of a rock star's girlfriend. "Like vintage fur coats and bus life? No. Too old for bus life. But I’m extremely proud," she said. Jones values Koenig's love for his craft and the time they get to spend together.

She said that he takes a long time to make his albums, which is great for her because it means he is home a lot of the time. She said this is their second tour cycle, so she will see how far she can go with rock wife.

Koenig has also publicly referred to Jones as his wife, reinforcing their shared belief in being married "in the eyes of God." In an April interview with PEOPLE, Koenig shared this point while talking about the release of Vampire Weekend's fifth studio album, Only God Was Above Us.

The couple made a rare public appearance together at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills. Their relationship has weathered significant personal challenges, including Jones' mother, Peggy Lipton, who died of cancer in May 2019. Lipton died just eight months after the birth of their son, Isaiah.

Jones spoke with NPR in 2021 about the intense emotions she felt at the time. "The thing that's the craziest about birth and death is just the utter rawness of feeling," she said. She said she still feels as if something is cracking. She added that it's very binary, both becoming a mother and losing a mother, as if there is a life before and after. She also added that there was something unrecognizable before those two events occurred.

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