| 1 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aubrey_plaza.jpg]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | ->''"I just met the weirdest girl I've ever met in my life. [[Creator/MichaelSchur You]] have to meet her and put her on your show."'' |
| 4 | -->-- ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' casting director '''Allison Jones''' on Plaza |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Aubrey Christina Plaza (born June 26, 1984 in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American actress and comedian. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | Plaza is well-recognized for the trademark DeadpanSnarker and EmotionlessGirl personae she brings to many of her projects, both of which were displayed in her StarMakingRole, April Ludgate on ''Series/ParksAndRecreation''. Cast while she was interning at a Post-It Note factory, the part was written specifically ''for'' her, following casting director Allison Jones' suggestion to showrunner Creator/MichaelSchur (quoted above). |
| 9 | |
| 10 | On the back of her ''Parks and Rec'' popularity, Plaza landed prominent roles in movies like ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', ''Film/FunnyPeople'', and ''Film/SafetyNotGuaranteed'' and even provided the voice of the well-known feline celebrity and internet meme "Grumpy Cat" in Creator/{{Lifetime}}'s film ''Film/GrumpyCatsWorstChristmasEver''. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Though mostly associated with comedic projects, Plaza has also appeared in more dramatic works, notably [[PlayingAgainstType playing against type]] as Lenny Busker in Creator/{{FX|Networks}}'s ''Series/Legion2017'', based on the Creator/MarvelComics character of the same name. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Plaza came out as bisexual in 2016. She married her longtime partner, director and screenwriter Creator/JeffBaena, in 2021. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | ---- |
| 17 | !!Works she's appeared in with TV Tropes pages: |
| 18 | [[folder:Film]] |
| 19 | * ''Film/MysteryTeam'' (2009) as Kelly |
| 20 | * ''Film/FunnyPeople'' (2009) as Daisy Danby |
| 21 | * ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' (2010) as Julie Powers |
| 22 | * ''Film/SafetyNotGuaranteed'' (2012) as Darius Britt |
| 23 | * ''Anime/FromUpOnPoppyHill'' (2013) as Sachiko Hirokouji (voice)[[note]]English dub[[/note]] |
| 24 | * ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'' (2013) as Claire Wheeler (voice) |
| 25 | * ''Film/TheToDoList'' (2013) as Brandy Klark |
| 26 | * ''Film/LifeAfterBeth'' (2014) as Beth Slocum |
| 27 | * ''Film/PlayingItCool'' (2014) as Mallory |
| 28 | * ''Film/GrumpyCatsWorstChristmasEver'' (2014) as Grumpy Cat (voice) |
| 29 | * ''Film/AboutAlex'' (2014) as Sarah |
| 30 | * ''Film/DirtyGrandpa'' (2016) as Lenore |
| 31 | * ''Film/MikeAndDaveNeedWeddingDates'' (2016) as Tatiana |
| 32 | * ''Film/TheLittleHours'' (2017) as Fernanda |
| 33 | * ''Film/IngridGoesWest'' (2017) as Ingrid Thorburn |
| 34 | * ''Film/AnEveningWithBeverlyLuffLinn'' (2018) as Lulu Danger |
| 35 | * ''[[Film/ChildsPlay2019 Child's Play]]'' (2019) as Karen Barclay |
| 36 | * ''Film/BlackBear'' (2020) as Allison |
| 37 | * ''Film/HappiestSeason'' (2020) as Riley Johnson |
| 38 | * ''Film/EmilyTheCriminal'' (2022) as Emily |
| 39 | * ''Film/SpinMeRound'' (2022) as Kat |
| 40 | * ''Film/OperationFortuneRuseDeGuerre'' (2023) as Sarah Fidel |
| 41 | [[/folder]] |
| 42 | |
| 43 | [[folder:Television]] |
| 44 | * ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' (2009–15) as April Ludgate (125 episodes) |
| 45 | * ''Series/{{Portlandia}}'' (2011–12) as Beth / Bookstore Customer (3 episodes) |
| 46 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' (2013–14) as Eska (voice; 12 episodes) |
| 47 | * ''Series/DrunkHistory'' (2013, 2016, 2019) as Sacagawea / Aaron Burr / UsefulNotes/{{Cleopatra}} (3 episodes) |
| 48 | * ''Series/{{Maron}}'' (2013) {{as herself}} (episode: "Jen Moves to L.A.") |
| 49 | * ''Series/WelcomeToSweden'' (2014–15) as [[AdamWesting Aubrey Plaza]] (6 episodes) |
| 50 | * ''WesternAnimation/GolanTheInsatiable'' (2015) as Dylan Beekler (voice; 6 episodes) |
| 51 | * ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}'' (2015–16) as Lucy (4 episodes) |
| 52 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' (2016) as Nocturna (voice; episode: "Mall Girl Pearl") |
| 53 | * ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace'' (2016) {{as herself}} (episode: "Family That Drags Together") |
| 54 | * ''Series/CriminalMinds'' (2016–20) as Catherine "Cat" Adams (4 episodes) |
| 55 | * ''Series/{{Legion|2017}}'' (2017–19) as Lenore "Lenny" Busker (27 episodes) |
| 56 | * ''Series/CrankYankers'' (2019–20) as Bernadette (2 episodes) |
| 57 | * ''Series/MuppetsNow'' (2020) {{as herself}} (episode: "Sleep Mode") |
| 58 | * ''Series/{{Calls}}'' (2021) as Dr. Rachel Wheating (2 episodes) |
| 59 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Duncanville}}'' (2021) as Nina (voice; episode: "Das Banana Boot") |
| 60 | * ''Series/TheWhiteLotus'' (2022) as Harper Spiller (7 episodes) |
| 61 | * ''WesternAnimation/LittleDemon'' (2022) as Laura (voice)[[note]]Also executive producer.[[/note]] |
| 62 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' (2022) as Amber Duffman (voice; episode: "From Beer to Paternity") |
| 63 | * ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (2023) {{as herself}} (episode: "Aubrey Plaza/Sam Smith") |
| 64 | * ''Anime/ScottPilgrimTakesOff'' (2023) as Julie Powers (voice) |
| 65 | * ''Agatha: Darkhold Diaries'' (2024) as TBA |
| 66 | [[/folder]] |
| 67 | |
| 68 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 69 | * ''WebVideo/MayneStreet'' (2008–09) as Robin Gibney (6 episodes) |
| 70 | * ''WebVideo/{{Troopers}}'' (2011–12) as The Princess (7 episodes) |
| 71 | [[/folder]] |
| 72 | |
| 73 | ---- |
| 74 | !! Her career provides examples of the following tropes: |
| 75 | * {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Was this in her first major role. |
| 76 | * {{Cuckoosnarker}}: Is this in many of her live and talk-show appearances, making a bevy of oddball, snarky remarks. |
| 77 | * CreatorCouple: With her now-husband, director Jeff Baena. They've worked together on ''Film/LifeAfterBeth'', ''Joshy'', ''Film/TheLittleHours'', and ''Spin Me Round''. |
| 78 | * DawsonCasting: |
| 79 | ** ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'': April Ludgate was 19 in the first season, while Aubrey began playing her at around 25. Possibly referenced in one episode when a bouncer refuses to let April into a bar because she is only 20 and April claims to be 24. [[spoiler:There is a three-year TimeSkip between Seasons 6 and 7 that brings the character closer to Plaza's actual age.]] |
| 80 | ** ''Film/TheToDoList'': 29 playing an 18-year-old high school graduate. Then again, so was most of the rest of the cast. |
| 81 | ** ''Film/DirtyGrandpa'': 31 playing a 21-year-old college student. |
| 82 | * MsFanservice: |
| 83 | ** While it isn't THAT egregious, she does have some steamy scenes in ''Film/TheToDoList''. |
| 84 | ** Season 2 of ''Series/Legion2017'' gives Lenny a nude scene when she [[NakedOnRevival comes back to life]] and, in a later episode, a pretty raunchy girl/girl scene. |
| 85 | ** No nudity but her role in ''Film/DirtyGrandpa'' is very sexual and with a lot of revealing outfits. |
| 86 | ** In ''Film/TheLittleHours'' she plays a lustful nun who briefly appears topless. |
| 87 | * PlayingAgainstType: In ''Film/AboutAlex'', as an insecure TeamMom with a boatload of neuroses. |
| 88 | * QueerCharacterQueerActor: She's bisexual, and has played LGBT+ characters in ''Film/AddictedToFresno'', ''Film/TheLittleHours'', ''Series/Legion2017'', ''Series/CriminalMinds'', ''Film/HappiestSeason'', ''Film/SpinMeRound'' and ''WesternAnimation/LittleDemon''. |
| 89 | * StarMakingRole: Her role as April Ludgate on ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' made her known to the general public. |
| 90 | * TheStoic: She was cast as April to run counter to the SpicyLatina. |
| 91 | * ThoseTwoActors: She has costarred with Creator/ZacEfron in ''Film/DirtyGrandpa'' and ''Film/MikeAndDaveNeedWeddingDates'', both released in 2016, and with Creator/AlisonBrie in ''Joshy'' (2016), ''Film/TheLittleHours'' (2017), ''Film/HappiestSeason'' (2020), and ''Spin Me Round'' (2022). |
| 92 | * TomHanksSyndrome: Plaza had her breakthrough as April Ludgate on ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', which got her typecast in dry-witted, {{emotionless|Girl}} DeadpanSnarker roles to the point that she was a popular fan casting to play a live-action [[WesternAnimation/{{Daria}} Daria Morgendorffer]] (which she herself acknowledged in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQXugKu8L4 fake trailer]] for Website/CollegeHumor) or a grown-up [[Franchise/TheAddamsFamily Wednesday Addams]]. In 2017, however, she won acclaim for her dramatic role on ''Series/{{Legion|2017}}'' as Lenny, PlayingAgainstType [[spoiler:as a swaggering and terrifying villain based on Music/DavidBowie]], as well as for her role as the AntiVillain title character in ''Film/IngridGoesWest''. Since then, she's increasingly taken on more dramatic roles in films like ''Film/ChildsPlay2019'', ''Film/BlackBear'', and ''Film/EmilyTheCriminal''. |
| 93 | * WhatCouldHaveBeen: |
| 94 | ** Originally auditioned to be a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast member for the 2008‒09 season (around the time that her ''Parks'' castmate-to-be Creator/AmyPoehler was due to leave and Creator/LorneMichaels hired two new female cast members [Abby Elliott and Michaela Watkins] instead of John Roberts, Creator/TJMiller, Creator/NickKroll, and Plaza herself). Had she been chosen, she would have been the first Hispanic female ''SNL'' cast member.[[note]]A Hispanic female cast member wouldn't come around until 2013 with Creator/NoelWells, who is part Mexican.[[/note]] |
| 95 | ** In 2009 comedy website Website/CollegeHumor made a fake trailer for a live-action ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' movie with Plaza as the title character. Sadly, nothing came of it. |
| 96 | ** She auditioned to play the killer in ''Film/Scream4'', but lost out on the part as she went method for her audition and they felt she would've been [[ObviouslyEvil too obvious.]] |
| 97 | %% |
| 98 | %% Don't trope real people as if they are fictional characters. |
| 99 | %% |
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