American actress Aubrey Plaza began her career performing improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. She made her feature film debut in the 2009 comedy film Mystery Team and gained recognition for playing April Ludgate on the political satire mockumentary sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015). She had her first lead film role as a magazine intern investigating a classified ad in the science fiction comedy Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) and voiced characters in the animated film Monsters University (2013) and television series The Legend of Korra (2013–2014). In 2014, she starred in the horror comedy Life After Beth and Hal Hartley's drama film Ned Rifle.

From 2017 to 2019, Plaza gained praise for her portrayal of Shadow King and Lenny Busker in the acclaimed FX superhero series Legion. She produced and starred in the black comedy film The Little Hours (2017) about medieval nuns and the dramedy Ingrid Goes West (2017) about a mentally ill social media stalker. She then starred in the 2019 horror film Child's Play. In 2020, Plaza played Riley Johnson in the romantic comedy Happiest Season and starred in and produced the experimental thriller Black Bear, for which she received critical acclaim. She made her directorial debut and wrote the episode "Quiet Illness" for the anthology series Cinema Toast (2021). In 2022, she portrayed the title character of the crime film Emily the Criminal, which she produced, and the lawyer Harper Stiller in the second season of HBO's anthology series The White Lotus, to further acclaim. She garnered Independent Spirit and Gotham Award nominations for the former, and an Emmy and Golden Globe Award nomination for the latter. In January 2023, she made her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live on January 21, 2023, the tenth episode and first show of 2023 of season 48, with musical guest Sam Smith. In 2024, she has portrayed the future Elliott Labrant in the comedy-drama My Old Ass, Rio Vidal in the Disney+ MCU miniseries Agatha All Along, and TV presenter Wow Platinum in Francis Ford Coppola's science fiction drama Megalopolis.

Acting credits Film

Year Title Role Notes 2006 Killswitch Girl with Head Wound Short film In Love Julie 2009 Mystery Team Kelly Peters Funny People Daisy Danby 2010 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Julie Powers 2011 Damsels in Distress Debbie Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You Jeanine Breemer 10 Years Olivia 2012 Safety Not Guaranteed Darius Britt A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III Marnie 2013 From Up on Poppy Hill Sachiko Hirokouji English dub She Said, She Said Woman in Park Short film Failure Woman The End of Love Herself The To Do List Brandy Klark Charlie Countryman Ashley Monsters University Claire Wheeler Voice Center Jenny Monika Nark 2014 Life After Beth Beth Slocum About Alex Sarah Ned Rifle Susan Playing It Cool Mallory 2015 Addicted to Fresno Kelly The Driftless Area Jean 2016 Dirty Grandpa Lenore Joshy Jen The Pistol Shrimps Herself Documentary Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Tatiana Darcy 2017 Take My Nose... Please! Herself Documentary The Little Hours Fernanda Also producer Ingrid Goes West Ingrid Thorburn 2018 An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn Lulu Danger 2019 Child's Play Karen Barclay 2020 Black Bear Allison Also producer Happiest Season Riley Johnson 2021 Best Sellers Lucy Stanbridge King Knight Pine Cone Voice 2022 Emily the Criminal Emily Benetto Also producer Spin Me Round Kat 2023 Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Sarah Fidel 2024 My Old Ass Older Elliott Megalopolis Wow Platinum 2025 Honey Don't! MG Falcone 2026 The Accompanist Sarah Also producer 2027 DEA Agent Post-production Brain Voice; Post-production

Television Year Title Role(s) Notes 2006 30 Rock NBC page Episode: "Tracy Does Conan" 2009–2015 Parks and Recreation April Ludgate Main role; 125 episodes 2011 Portlandia Beth / Bookstore Customer Recurring role; 3 episodes (seasons 1–2) Troopers The Princess Web series; 7 episodes 2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: The Rememberer Episode: "Wasila Hills Cop" 2013–2014 The Legend of Korra Eska Voice role; 12 episodes (seasons 2–4) 2013 Drunk History Sacagawea Episode: "Nashville" Maron Herself Episode: "Jen Moves to L.A." 2014–2015 Welcome to Sweden Herself Recurring role; 4 episodes (season 1) 2014 Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever Grumpy Cat Voice role; television film 2015 Golan the Insatiable Dylan Beekler Voice role; 6 episodes (season 2) Castle Lucy Uncredited voice role; 4 episodes (season 8) 2016 SpongeBob SquarePants Nocturna Voice role; Episode: "Mall Girl Pearl" Comedy Bang! Bang! Herself / Lady Aubrey Episode: "Aubrey Plaza Wears a Velvet Off-the-Shoulder Gown with Flowers in Her Hair" RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself / Guest Judge Episode: "Family That Drags Together" Drunk History Aaron Burr Episode: "Hamilton" HarmonQuest Hawaiian Coffee Episode: "Manoa Prison Hole" 2016–2020 Criminal Minds Cat Adams Recurring role; 4 episodes (seasons 11–12, 15) 2017 Easy Lindsay Episode: "Package Thief" 2017–2019 Legion Amahl Farouk / Shadow KingLenny Busker Main role; 27 episodes 2019 34th Independent Spirit Awards Herself (host) Television special Drunk History Cleopatra Episode: "Bad Blood" 2019 Crank Yankers Bernadette Voice role; Episode: "Tracy Morgan, Adam Carolla & Aubrey Plaza" 2020 35th Independent Spirit Awards Herself (host) Television special Muppets Now Herself Episode: "Sleep Mode" A Parks and Recreation Special April Ludgate Television special Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine Ashley 2021 Cinema Toast Karen Voice role Episode: "Quiet Illness" (also co-executive producer, writer, and director) Calls Dr. Rachel Wheating Voice role; Episodes: "Is There a Scientist on the Plane?" & "Leap Year Girl" Duncanville Nina Voice role; Episode: "Das Banana Boot" 2022 The White Lotus Harper Spiller Main role; 7 episodes (season 2) Little Demon Laura Feinberg Voice role; 10 episodes (also executive producer) The Simpsons Amber Duffman Voice role; Episode: "From Beer to Paternity" 2023 Saturday Night Live Herself / April Ludgate Episode: "Aubrey Plaza/Sam Smith" Scott Pilgrim Takes Off Julie Powers Voice role; 5 episodes 2024 Monsters at Work Claire Wheeler-Worthington Voice role; 3 episodes (season 2) Agatha All Along Rio Vidal / Death; also contributed to soundtrack Miniseries; 6 episodes 2025 Sesame Street Miss Noodle Episode: "Big Bird's Big Solo"2026 KevinDanaVoice role; 8 episodes (also creator, writer, and executive producer)

Theatre Year Title Role Playwright Location Ref. 2005 Rebel Without a Cause Judy Brown Stewart Stern American Theatre of Actors, Off-Broadway 2023–24 Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Roberta John Patrick Shanley Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway 2025 Let's Love! Susan Ethan Coen Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway

Music videos Year Title Artist(s) Role 2012 "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" Father John Misty Girl 2013 "Rouse Yourself" JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound 2014 "Bona Fide" Cassorla Woman in Boat

Filmmaking credits

Year Title Director Producer Writer Notes 2017 The Little Hours Ingrid Goes West 2020 Black Bear 2021 Cinema Toast TV series; episode "Quiet Illness" 2022 Little Demon TV series Emily the Criminal 2026 Kevin TV series The Accompanist

Notes

References

External links