# Aubrey Plaza
**Aubrey Plaza** (full name Aubrey Christina Plaza) is an American actress, producer, and comedian who rose to prominence playing [April Ludgate](https://www.edgepedia.org/april-ludgate) on the NBC sitcom *Parks and Recreation* beginning in 2009[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2201555/). Her later work spans the FX series *Legion*, the second season of HBO's *The White Lotus*, the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe) series *Agatha All Along*, and independent films such as *Ingrid Goes West* and *Emily the Criminal*, which she also produced through her company Evil Hag Productions[2](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/) • [3](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/aubrey-plaza).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Wilmington, Delaware[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza) |
| Training | Ursuline Academy in Wilmington (graduated 2002); film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2006[5](https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/content/dam/HelpCentre/ife/refresh/magazine/vera-march-22.pdf) |
| Signature TV roles | April Ludgate on *Parks and Recreation* (2009), Lenny Busker on *Legion*, Harper Spiller on *The White Lotus*, Rio Vidal on *Agatha All Along*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2201555/) • [6](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/) |
| Producing | Evil Hag Productions; credits include *Black Bear*, *Ingrid Goes West* (Independent Spirit Award as producer), and *Emily the Criminal*[2](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/) |
| Awards | Named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2023"[7](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2024/05/174074.pdf); SAG ensemble prize and Emmy nomination for *The White Lotus*[8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-06-12/aubrey-plaza-white-lotus-emily-the-criminal) |
| Signature screen persona | Deadpan, ironic delivery, first perfected as the intern April Ludgate[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza) |
## Early life and education
Plaza was born in [Wilmington, Delaware](https://www.edgepedia.org/wilmington-delaware) in 1984[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza), to a Puerto Rican father and an Irish mother, and was named after a soft-rock song by the band Bread[9](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/aubrey-plaza-interview-black-bear-b1834604.html). She attended the Ursuline Academy in Wilmington before studying film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2006[5](https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/content/dam/HelpCentre/ife/refresh/magazine/vera-march-22.pdf).
She began her career as an intern, performing improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and appearing in the web series *The Jeannie Tate Show*[3](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/aubrey-plaza). Her appearance as an angry, eye-rolling teenager in that web series led to her casting as April Ludgate[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza). She has spoken publicly about having a stroke at 20 years old and the perspective it gave her on life and women's health[3](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/aubrey-plaza).
## Breakthrough: Parks and Recreation
In 2009 Plaza was cast as April Ludgate, the deadpan, over-it intern on NBC's *Parks and Recreation*, a role that earned her a Peabody Award in 2012 and made her a fan favorite over the show's seven seasons[10](https://www.nyfa.edu/alumni/aubrey-plaza/) • [11](https://time.com/3720402/parks-and-recreation-stars-next-projects/). During the show's run she took supporting film roles: her film debut came in *Mystery Team* (2009), followed by *Funny People* (2009) opposite [Adam Sandler](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-sandler) and [Seth Rogen](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rogen), and [Edgar Wright](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgar-wright)'s *Scott Pilgrim vs. the World* (2010), in which she played an unhinged ex[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2201555/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza).
## Independent films and producing
After *Parks and Recreation* ended in 2015, Plaza moved into leading roles, including the zombie romantic comedy *Life After Beth* (2014), *Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates* (2016), and *The Little Hours* (2017)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza). She also produced and starred in Matt Spicer's *Ingrid Goes West*, about a mentally unstable young woman obsessed with a social media influencer played by [Elizabeth Olsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-olsen); the film premiered at the 2017 [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival) to rave reviews, and Plaza won the Independent Spirit Award as a producer[12](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/media%2Fpublicwebassets%2FIngridGoesWestPressKit_%7Bac6438ce-9fde-4956-893a-db7e7a416e5d%7D.pdf). Other producing credits include *Black Bear* and *The Little Hours*[2](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/).
**Emily the Criminal.** In the 2022 crime thriller *Emily the Criminal*, directed by John Patton Ford, Plaza plays a young woman with a criminal record, student debt, and few job prospects who is drawn into a credit card scam[13](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-01-02/emily-criminal-aubrey-plaza-actor-producer). She chose the role because it was something different from her earlier work, and the film was shot in just three weeks[13](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-01-02/emily-criminal-aubrey-plaza-actor-producer). The role earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and she also produced the film[8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-06-12/aubrey-plaza-white-lotus-emily-the-criminal). Reviewers noted the departure from her persona: *The A.V. Club* wrote that Plaza sacrifices her signature irreverence for a bone-deep frustration, calling it the most true-to-life performance of her career[14](https://www.avclub.com/emily-the-criminal-movie-review-aubrey-plaza-1849392378).
Through Evil Hag Productions she is set to star in and produce *The Heidi Fleiss Story*, a biopic of the "Hollywood madam"[2](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/). On Rotten Tomatoes, her highest-rated film is *Megadoc* (2025) at 98% and her lowest is *Dirty Grandpa* (2016) at 10%[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza).
## Television after Parks and Recreation
Plaza played Lenny Busker, a gender-bent parasitic mutant living within the mind of David Haller ([Dan Stevens](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-stevens)), in [Noah Hawley](https://www.edgepedia.org/noah-hawley)'s FX Marvel series *Legion* (2017)[15](https://www.etonline.com/scene-stealers-2017-aubrey-plaza-legion-92647). In 2022 she played Harper Spiller, an unhappy wife trapped on a double-date vacation in Sicily, in the second season of Mike White's HBO series *The White Lotus*, winning a SAG ensemble prize and receiving an Emmy nomination for the role[16](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/articles/2024-wsj/) • [8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-06-12/aubrey-plaza-white-lotus-emily-the-criminal). She has said Harper was the most personal role of her career[17](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/aubrey-plaza-podcast-interview-white-lotus-agatha-75705/).
In September 2024 she starred as Rio Vidal in *Agatha All Along*, her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut[6](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/). In 2024 she also appeared as older Elliott in *My Old Ass*, advising her younger self ([Maisy Stella](https://www.edgepedia.org/maisy-stella)) after a mushroom trip, and as Wow Platinum in [Francis Ford Coppola](https://www.edgepedia.org/francis-ford-coppola)'s *Megalopolis*; Coppola sought her out while she was still filming *The White Lotus* in Taormina, Italy[18](https://apnews.com/article/4284542ce59f044210b86684fd15fc49) • [6](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/) • [16](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/articles/2024-wsj/). She was named one of Time's 2024 Latino Leaders[19](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/2024/09/aubrey-plaza-is-one-of-times-2024-latino-leaders/).
**Animation and stage.** In 2025 she appeared in [Ethan Coen](https://www.edgepedia.org/ethan-coen)'s dark comedy *Honey Don't!* as MG Falcone[6](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/), and made her [Off-Broadway](https://www.edgepedia.org/off-broadway) stage debut in [John Patrick Shanley](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-patrick-shanley)'s *Danny and the Deep Blue Sea* at the Atlantic Theater Company, playing Susan[2](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/). She also co-created, with Joe Wengert, the animated series *Kevin*, voicing Dana alongside Jason Schwartzman; Amazon Prime Video canceled it in June 2026 after one season, and Plaza called the decision "very disappointing since we were just getting going"[20](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/aubrey-plaza-says-kevin-canceled-161108161.html).
## Personal life
Plaza met the independent filmmaker Jeff Baena in 2011, worked with him on four of his five films, and the couple married in 2021[21](https://apnews.com/article/d626ce1923a9802ba0eb2b951fa45c3c). Baena, director of *Life After Beth* and *Spin Me Round*, died in January 2025 at age 47 in Los Angeles; his death was ruled a suicide[21](https://apnews.com/article/d626ce1923a9802ba0eb2b951fa45c3c) • [22](https://apnews.com/article/37551204bfba21bce5f91f69a28a85a1). In August 2025 she spoke in detail about her grief on Amy Poehler's podcast *Good Hang*, describing it as "a giant ocean of awfulness" and saying, "I'm here and I'm functioning"[22](https://apnews.com/article/37551204bfba21bce5f91f69a28a85a1).
Her professional relationship with *Parks and Recreation* co-star Nick Offerman has remained prominent in her recollections of the show; she has recalled his paternal advice on set as a transformative part of her early career[23](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/aubrey-plaza-reveals-parks-and-rec-star-nick-offermans-paternal-advice/).
## References
1. [Aubrey Plaza, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2201555/)
2. [Aubrey Plaza, Atlantic Theater Company biography](https://atlantictheater.org/bio/aubrey-plaza/)
3. [Aubrey Plaza: Biography at a Glance, CAA Speakers](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/aubrey-plaza)
4. [Aubrey Plaza, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/aubrey_plaza)
5. [Aubrey Plaza CV, Virgin Atlantic Vera magazine](https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/content/dam/HelpCentre/ife/refresh/magazine/vera-march-22.pdf)
6. [Aubrey Plaza Online, recent projects](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/)
7. [Cannes 2024 Megalopolis press kit](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2024/05/174074.pdf)
8. [Can Aubrey Plaza play a 'normie'? Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-06-12/aubrey-plaza-white-lotus-emily-the-criminal)
9. [Aubrey Plaza interview, The Independent (2021)](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/aubrey-plaza-interview-black-bear-b1834604.html)
10. [Aubrey Plaza, New York Film Academy alumni](https://www.nyfa.edu/alumni/aubrey-plaza/)
11. [This Is What the Stars of Parks and Recreation Are Doing Next, Time](https://time.com/3720402/parks-and-recreation-stars-next-projects/)
12. [Ingrid Goes West press kit, About the Cast](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/media%2Fpublicwebassets%2FIngridGoesWestPressKit_%7Bac6438ce-9fde-4956-893a-db7e7a416e5d%7D.pdf)
13. [Don't tailor roles to me, says Aubrey Plaza, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-01-02/emily-criminal-aubrey-plaza-actor-producer)
14. [Aubrey Plaza scams to survive in Emily the Criminal, The A.V. Club](https://www.avclub.com/emily-the-criminal-movie-review-aubrey-plaza-1849392378)
15. [How Aubrey Plaza Broke Out of the Box in 2017, Entertainment Tonight](https://www.etonline.com/scene-stealers-2017-aubrey-plaza-legion-92647)
16. [Aubrey Plaza WSJ profile, aubrey-plaza.com reprint](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/articles/2024-wsj/)
17. [Aubrey Plaza on The White Lotus and Agatha, Backstage podcast interview](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/aubrey-plaza-podcast-interview-white-lotus-agatha-75705/)
18. [My Old Ass filmmaker Megan Park, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/4284542ce59f044210b86684fd15fc49)
19. [Aubrey Plaza is one of TIME's 2024 Latino Leaders, aubrey-plaza.com reprint](https://www.aubrey-plaza.com/2024/09/aubrey-plaza-is-one-of-times-2024-latino-leaders/)
20. [Aubrey Plaza Says 'Kevin' Is Canceled at Amazon After First Season, Yahoo/Variety](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/aubrey-plaza-says-kevin-canceled-161108161.html)
21. [Indie filmmaker Jeff Baena found dead at Los Angeles home, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/d626ce1923a9802ba0eb2b951fa45c3c)
22. [Aubrey Plaza describes grief over husband Jeff Baena's death, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/37551204bfba21bce5f91f69a28a85a1)
23. [Aubrey Plaza Reveals 'Parks and Rec' Star's 'Paternal' Advice, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/aubrey-plaza-reveals-parks-and-rec-star-nick-offermans-paternal-advice/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Pi to Q*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license