The Truth About Leslie Jones And Kate McKinnon's Relationship

These ladies of "Saturday Night Live" are fan favorites for a reason. Kate McKinnon joined the "SNL" family in 2012 as the first openly gay female cast member and won audiences over for her spot-on impressions of Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, and, later on, Rudy Giuliani. McKinnon's secret to imitating the political and Hollywood elite? In a 2021 interview with Variety she explained, "You've got to find something you admire in them and that you like. I try to do that." McKinnon's comedy skills are so sharp, she famously made Bill Hader laugh during her "SNL" audition.

Leslie Jones' journey to the front of the camera was less conventional. After auditioning in 2013, Jones was hired to strictly write for the series, but after scoring a hilarious guest spot on "Weekend Update" where she ranted about her dating life, Jones was quickly bumped up to featured player, becoming the oldest person to ever join the cast.

Both McKinnon and Jones have acted in a number of sketches together and even co-starred in feature film "Ghostbusters." But what is their relationship like off-screen?

In a 2016 interview with Refinery 29, Kate McKinnon said of her former "SNL" co-star that they became "sisters for life" after filming "Ghostbusters." "Leslie and I have worked together for two years at 'SNL,'" McKinnon stated. "We were very close by the time we got there to film and got so much closer, pathologically closer, over the course of the summer in fact." We're glad to hear it!

The ladies' friendship has gotten so tight that there was even a rumor circulating in January 2021 that the two were married! According to Snopes, a deceiving online ad showed Jones and McKinnon embracing along with the caption, "[Pics] Celeb Couples We Totally Forgot Were Married." Adding to the confusion, a second advertisement popped up online with the same picture and click bait title, "17 LGBTQ Celebs that Overcome Many Challenges and Eventually Became Couples." 

While its a romance we'd totally ship, McKinnon and Jones are strictly platonic best friends.

The two comediennes take friendship to a new level in a number of ways, such as showing genuine joy for each other's achievements. When McKinnon won Best Supporting Actress at the 2016 Emmy Awards for her work on "Saturday Night Live," Jones sent out a supportive tweet, cheering her BFF on, stating "IM SCREAMING ... SHE WON YALL!!"

In fact, Jones only agreed to sign on to the 2016 "Ghostbusters" remake after hearing that McKinnon would be involved. Jones revealed to Refinery 29, "I had some doubts in the beginning, but after I saw who was cast and who was directing, I didn't have any." More details on the "Ghostbusters" experience can be found in Jones' memoir.

When Jones left the "SNL" family in 2019, she made sure to personally thank a number of her hilarious co-stars, including McKinnon. Jones took to her Twitter account and stated, "To the incredible cast members: I will miss working, creating and laughing with you ... I will miss Kate's loving hugs and talks when I needed."

While both women are successful in their own right, the fame hasn't come without its challenges. Both Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones dealt with harsh feedback and sexist remarks when filming 2016's "Ghostbusters" remake. The ladies chose to shut out any haters in a similar manner. McKinnon told Refinery 29, "It's disappointing. It was surprising to me that people think that in this decade or century. There are legitimate concerns whenever something is being redone, but some of it was just pure, misogynistic vitriol." Jones agreed with her co-star stating, "At least see the movie before you start something." 

The women's strong friendship extends all the way to a shared stance on body hair removal. In a joint interview with Entertainment Weekly, both Jones and McKinnon bonded over a hatred of shaving their legs. McKinnon earnestly asked, "Why are we getting rid of the stuff?" with Jones nodding in agreement, "I never shave my legs."

Hopefully, Jones and McKinnon's best friendship follows the trajectory of another famous "SNL" duo, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. If the Golden Globes are looking for future hosts, we know who to call.

Thanks to the "Saturday Night Live" 50th Anniversary special in 2025, fans of the sketch comedy show witnessed some iconic moments, including Cher's show-stealing blonde updo. Most of all we got to see the reunion of a lifetime: Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon — and their red-carpet interview certainly didn't do anything to stop their marriage rumors. On the carpet, Jones and McKinnon greeted each other with a platonic smooch on the lips. They exchanged some next-level flirting, with Jones telling McKinnon, "You're my queen," and McKinnon's response: "You're my queen, and my king, and everything in between" (via NBC). "Ooooh, don't get romantic with me," Jones bantered back. "We're friends," McKinnon made sure to note to the camera.

They continue to be unbothered by the rumors about their relationship, even after all these years. Their bond is nothing if not coveted. "Can i love someone the way kate mckinnon and leslie jones love each other," someone wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). 

Of all the characters McKinnon has played in her time on SNL, she revealed to Jones that her dream role has yet to come, and it would be to play her bestie, Jones herself. We're not sure how that would turn out, but McKinnon assured us that it will never happen. "I'm too short," she quipped, as Jones laughed.