The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
Rashida Jones and Ezra Koenig not legally married but are in the ‘eyes of god’
‘I’m sure we’ll get married at some point, but we basically are,’ Jones says
![Rashida Jones attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on 10 March 2024 in Beverly Hills, California](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/10/00/newFile.jpg)
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
![Louise Thomas](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/louise-thomas.png)
Louise Thomas
Editor
Rashida Jones reveals she and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig are married in the “eyes of god.”
In an interview with the New Yorker, the 48-year-old Parks and Recreation star spoke about her long-term relationship with the Vampire Weekend frontman, whom she’s dated since 2016. She clarified that she and Koenig may not be legally married, but call each other husband and wife.
“We’re not married,” Jones said. “We just kind of call each other that. But we are what we are, in the eyes of God!”
“My parents only got married when my dad had his first brain aneurysm and my sister was six months old, because of rights stuff,” she continued, Jones is the daughter of iconic producer Quincy Jones and model Peggy Lipton. “I’m sure we’ll get married at some point, but we basically are.”
The Office alum also reflected on whether she embodied the rockstar girlfriend role, joking that she had outgrown certain staples of the lifestyle.
“Like, vintage fur coats and bus life? No. Too old for bus life. But I’m extremely proud,” she said, adding that she is supportive of Koenig’s art. “He takes a very long time to make his albums, which is so lucky for me, because it means he’s home a lot of the time. This is our second tour cycle really, so we’ll see how far I go with rock wife.”
A decade ago, Jones opened up to The Guardian on how she felt about getting married and having children. At the time, she said: “I had the full princess fantasy: the white horse, the whole being saved from my life, which is ridiculous. What do I want to be saved from? My life’s great!”
“But it’s just this weird thing that’s been hammered into my head culturally: That’s the only way to succeed, that’s the only thing that counts for a woman,” continued Jones. “I’m happy, but the fact that I’m not married and don’t have kids — it’s taken me a long time to get to a place where I actually am okay with that, where I actually don’t feel like I’m some sort of loser.”
In April of this year, Koening sat down for an interview with People amid the release of Vampire Weekend’s fifth studio album, Only God Was Above Us. At the time, the 40-year-old frontman clarified why he calls Jones his wife despite not being legally married, stating they were “married in the eyes of God.”
Jones and Koenig were first linked after being spotted together at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. They later welcomed their son Isaiah, who is now 5 years old, on 22 August 2018.
“I just think having those things on either side of you starts to make you realize, right, I’m neither a kid nor am I elderly. I’m an adult,” he told the outlet. “We’re the grown-ups now. We’re the people. I don’t know. In some ways it’s interesting to have that correspond with the last five years, but certainly it just makes me feel older in a deeper way or something.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments