Rashida Jones is so much more than a pretty face (and killer bangs, and a fun sense of style, and on-point comedy chops). One only needs to peruse a few of her sharp-witted, insightful quotes over the years for proof that the actress, writer, and Harvard grad is not only wise beyond her 40 years, but an incredible inspiration [1] for women at any age. We're highlighting Rashida's wisdom with a roundup of her best quotes, covering everything from love to family to her unique brand of feminism. Keep reading to see them all now.
On Her Education, Career, and Being Self-Aware
- "I’ve always wanted to be perceived as perfect and right, and there’s so much other [stuff] going on inside of me that’s not perfect and not right [2]. I’m pretty flawed, y’all. You might not be cool with that, but here you go. Sorry, this is just who I am. There’s something that’s really a relief about [saying] that."
- "I am who I am, and I wanted to go to Harvard [3] when I was four years old, and I still wanted to go when I was 18, and so I went. I was never going to be like, 'You know what my last name is, right?'"
- "I realized I was in this small space with all these super-talented women vying for one part in one movie, and it was always the sh*tty part in that year's one good movie: someone's wife, or someone's shrew girlfriend. So that has definitely played a part in my decision to act a little less and create a little more [4], because I want to add more to that conversation about what it takes to be a woman."
On Beauty Ideals and Her Inspirations
- "You can’t invest in your looks as your only thing because it’s a depreciating asset. It’s like putting money into a stock that’s going down. Invest in your brain, invest in your talents [5]. Those things can appreciate and they get better as you get older."
- "Ads featuring real women and real beauty are such a necessary component to offset the potentially dangerous programming out there for little girls. They should love themselves [6] and feel good about that. That should be their priority."
- "There is really only one way to really exude beauty and that’s from your own contentment in your life [7] and your own satisfaction within yourself."
- "I really like the relaxed glamour of the '70s. That kind of Lauren Hutton, Diane Keaton [8] thing. And then really, my mom [actress Peggy Lipton] in the ‘70s; she was absolutely gorgeous, and she didn’t try hard at all. She just exuded this ease about her [9] and the way she felt about herself that was so great."
On Her Family and Facing Racial Stereotypes
- "I definitely felt different as a kid. But my parents [actress Peggy Lipton and music producer Quincy Jones] are hippies in the right way, in that they supported anything I was interested in [10]. So when I would talk about being interested in the law as a kid, they would be like, 'That's so cute! She has her own thing!' The big twist in events is that, after college, I realized I wanted to be an actor, because that wasn't what I had thought I wanted from my life."
- "I was lucky enough to have parents whose focus was never about being famous, or just being famous for no reason [11]. They were both incredibly hardworking and loving, and that was never really an option for us, to just get spoiled and hang out. It was always instilled in me and all of my siblings that you’re never gonna really appreciate what you’ve accomplished unless you work hard for it. It’s never gonna feel good."
- "Look, my mom was a white Jewish woman. My dad a black man, in the early '70s. It was definitely not that cool yet. They had to push through some stuff to be together, and their whole thing was predicated on love. And that's all they've ever taught me … love what you do, love who you're with, who gives a sh*t about race, who gives a s**t about what anyone else thinks, just make decisions based on love [12], that's it. So for people to impose all these weird, cultural, socio arguments on the way I look is really kind of an out-of-body experience because I don't relate to it at all."
- "I identify with the Jewish culture, [and] I identify with black culture. There's still a lot of ignorance that comes my way [13] when people go, "You don't look black." But I mean, mixed race genetics are like that. I have six brothers and sisters. We all look totally different: blonde hair, curly hair, green eyes, dark eyes, dark skin, light skin. It's just how it is."
On Feminism and Being Sexy
- "The fact that I was accused of 'slut-shaming,' being anti-woman, and judging women's sex lives crushed me. I consider myself a feminist [14]. I would never point a finger at a woman for her actual sexual behavior, and I think all women have the right to express their desires. But I will look at women with influence — millionaire women who use their 'sexiness' to make money — and ask some questions. There is a difference, a key one, between 'shaming' and 'holding someone accountable.'"
- "Women can do anything, and I want to see that. I want them to make more movies for girls, and just for girls. I want studios to start doing that. I feel like until you show every side, you’re not doing the gender justice [15]."
- "Let's at least try to discuss the larger implications of female sexuality on pop culture without shaming each other. There's more than one way to be a good feminist [16]."
- "There's more than one way to be a woman and be sexy [17] — like, you're a really great dancer, or you're really f*cking smart."
- "I think there’s just an inherent burden of being alive and being a woman. No man would ever admit that, but I think women know it, which is: You know more than men, you know more than most people you’re dealing with every day, and you know that’s it up to you to make things move forward, and you get paid half as much, but you just do it [18]. But it works out, because if you can figure out how to harness that femininity — there’s something we have that’s so mysterious to men — that if you can figure out how to use that, you’re good to go."
On Love, Heartbreak, and Dealing With Hard Times
- "I feel like sometimes I watch romantic comedies with these kinds of women [who] even when they’re at the lowest point in the movie, they’re so adorable, and it’s like: 'You know what? No you’re not!' I know what it’s like to have my heart broken [19]. It is not adorable."
- "[When I was younger] 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. 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 OK with that [20], where I actually don't feel like I'm some sort of loser."
- "I know that in life there will be sickness, devastation, disappointments, heartache — it's a given. What's not a given is the way you choose to get through it all. If you look hard enough, you can always find the bright side [21]."
- "Just because a situation is grim doesn't mean you don't have every right to smile. It isn't about "being strong" and pretending everything's okay; it's about finding joy [22] where you can. My dad has always said, "Approach life with love and not fear." It's such a dynamic way to live."