Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones at Digitas NewFront 2012. Photo By Digitas Photos – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Rashida Jones

If you are a fan of comedy, sitcoms, mockumentaries, or TV series, then you probably have seen Rashida Jones on your screen. Rashida is a bona fide actress with several nominations and awards. She is not only an actress but also a producer, writer, and film director.

Born on February 1976 in Los Angeles, California, Rasheda is the second-born child to Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton. She is one of seven siblings in her blended family. The Joneses are a talented group of models, music producers, actors, and singers.

Rasheda was voted ‘most likely to succeed’ by her high school classmates and surely lived up to it. She is a four-time nominee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Awards, and her co-written documentary series won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2019.

Jones made her onscreen debut in 1997 on the miniseries The Last Don. Rashida’s most popular films are Parks and Recreations (2009-2015), The Office (2006-2011), and Bost Public (2006-2009). She was the lead role in Angie Tribeca (2016-2018).

Rasheda has made appearances in music videos, namely Long Road Ruin by Foo Fighters, Flip and Rewind by Boss Selection, and More Than a Woman by Aaliyah. She is a model, humanitarian, and former brand ambassador for Zenni Optical, Dove, and Almay Cosmetics.

1. Rasheda Has Central African Roots

Cameroon Flag. Photo By jorono – Pixabay

Rashida’s parents were of mixed race. Her maternal bloodline had Jewish roots in Russia, and Dublin, Ireland. Her father was born in America with his paternal grandmother from Kentucky and his paternal grandfather from Wales, UK.

In 2006, Rasheda’s father took a genealogist DNA test revealing new information about his ancestral roots. According to the findings, Rasheda’s grandmother hailed from Cameroon in Central Africa. She was from the Tikar tribe, semi-Bantus who were well known for their great artistry and storytelling, making it a possible reason for her great skillset.

2. She Could Read And Play A Musical Piece By The Age Of Five

Playing the piano was one of Rashida’s earliest talents to be discovered. At age five, she had mastered the skill and could read and play a composed piece. Her favorite piece at the time was Two-Part Inventions by J S Bach.

Rasheda’s mother also credits her as an excellent songwriter and brilliant singer. Jones has featured in several songs throughout her career. In 2018, she showcased her raw vocals when she and Quincy were featured in the James Corden Carpool Karaoke series. 

3. She Wrote A Public Letter Addressing The Racial Insults On Her Family At The Age Of 17

Graphite with image on Tupac Shakur in the city of Vlasotince, Syria. Photo By Chigot – Wikimedia Commons

Before becoming a famous actress, Rasheda’s name garnered attention after her public remarks on Tupac Shakur’s racial commentaries about her family. In 1993, the American rapper Tupac called out Quincy for marrying a white woman in the name of betraying his race. In an interview with The Source Magazine, Tupac was vocal about his dislike of Quincy’s marriage and his children.

Rasheda, at 17, wrote a public letter to The Source Magazine three months after Tupac’s comments. She came to her father’s defense, stating he was why black Americans, like the rapper himself, were given a forum in the white-dominated country. Jones went further on, calling the rapper ignorant and disrespectful.

Two years later, Shakur apologized, and the two were able to squash the beef. Ironically, Tupac began a romantic relationship with Rasheda’s older sister, Kidada. She was Shakur’s fiancé until his assassination in 1996.

Read on the assassination of Tupac Shakur and other famous rappers here.

4. Jones Was Featured As A Backing Vocalist In The First Maroon 5 Studio Album

Maroon 5 at the Airbnb Open Spotlight. Photo By Justin Higuchi – Wikimedia Commons

Rashida has featured in four of Maroon 5’s songs, three from their debut album and one from their second album. She was the background vocalist in Tangled, Not Coming Home, and Secret in the album Songs About Jane (2002). She was part of vocals behind Kiwi, a single from their 2007 album It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.

Rasheda has also sung as a guest vocalist in two other albums, The Rose That Grew From Concrete (2000), a tribute to Tupac Shakur, and Home Field Advantage (1999).

5. Rasheda Took Up A Film Role So She Could Learn How To Dance

In 2014, Rasheda took up the role of Julia in the British rom-com Cuban Fury. She starred alongside British actors Nick Frost, Ian McShane and Kayvan Novak. She was the only American in the cast.

The James Griffiths film was a box office success. In an interview with Independent Magazine, Rasheda said she was drawn to the film because it presented an opportunity to learn salsa, and its humorous plot was a plus.

6. She Is A Bookworm

Rashida is a literature lover. When she was young, her father often caught her with a torchlight under her covers, reading novels past her bedtime.

She expressed interest in law and had dreamt of becoming a legal practitioner since she was six. However, the final verdict of the 1995 O J Simpson Murder Case redirected her into the entertainment industry. She was disappointed in the justice system for not charging a guilty suspect.

After high school, Jones joined Harvard University, where she studied Philosophy and Religion graduating in 1997. After a few years of acting, Jones wanted to pursue a master’s degree in Public Policy. She was just about to retire when she was offered a role in the hit series, The Office.

7. Rasheda’s ‘Thank You’ Note To Michelle Obama Was Excerpted In A Book

Michelle Obama. Photo By Joyce N. Boghosian, White House photographer – Wikimedia Commons

In 2016, Rasheda, Chimamanda Ngozi, Gloria Steinem, and Jon Meacham wrote an appreciation note to the then-first lady of America, Michelle Obama. In her letter, Jones was candid in expressing her gratitude for Michelle’s efforts on gun control and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights. She also acknowledged her contribution to enlightening Americans on the importance of college education.

All four written pieces were included in the 2016 October issue of New York Times Style Magazine, where Michelle was the front-page cover. Rasheda’s note was also featured in Nichola Haramis’ 2017 collection of essays named Courage is Contagious: And Other Reasons To Be Grateful for Michelle Obama.

Read other remarkable facts about Michelle Obama here.

8. She Made A Virtual Reality Movie Based On Her Experience In The Syrian Refugee Camp

When Rashida made her trip to Lebanon in 2016, she didn’t expect to be as touched as she was by the sight of refugees. Having come from a Jewish immigrant descendant, Jones instantly connected with the Syrian Camp refugees.

In a Vanity Fair article, Rashida narrates her experience and change of mindset once she understood and interacted with some of the people in the camps. She made a virtual reality video titled Four Walls describing her journey through the settlements in Lebanon. The film is featured on the International Rescue Committee website.

9. Rasheda Directed A Documentary Film About Her Father

Quincy Jones From 2001 Kennedy center honors . Photo By John Mathew Smith – Wikimedia Commons

Quincy (2018) is a Netflix documentary based on the life of the well-known jazz musician, record, and film producer Quincy Jones. The film starred Quincy and was written and directed by Rasheda and Alan Hicks. It won the Best Music Film Grammy Award a year after its release.

Quincy Jones, the father to Rasheda, began his career in showbiz at the age of 20, writing and playing the trumpet for Ray Charles and Elvis Presley in the 1950s. The We Are The World producer is one of 18 people in the world to receive an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award in their lifetime.

Throughout his career, Quincy’s music projects have had enormous success. Michael Jackson’s studio album Thriller (1982) remains his best-produced album, with up to 66 million copies sold worldwide.

Learn 10 incredible facts about Elvis Presley here.

10. Her Co-Written Film Was Nominated Over 50 Times And Won 29 Awards

In 2019, Walt Disney released Toy Story 4, an animated comedy-drama written by Rashida Jones, John Alan Lasseter, and six others. The film was a success receiving nominations from the Golden Globe, Hollywood Film, People’s Choice, and British Academy Film.

So far, the film has scooped 29 awards, with its latest win being the 92^nd Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. In the 2020 Hollywood Critics Association Awards, it won Best Animated Film.

The multi-talented actress has solidified her name in the Hollywood entertainment industry. She is not just Quincy Jones’ daughter; she is Rasheda Jones, the actress extraordinaire. Rasheda continues to impact society through her philanthropic efforts. She also advocates civil rights, often visiting campuses to encourage voter registration.