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Wow, first day of February and also a Woman Crush Wednesday? There’s a lot to celebrate today! We’re kicking off the month by honoring one of our favorite actresses, a lady that has transcended genres with her signature sarcastic statements. Let’s put it this way; if Aubrey Plaza is in a TV show or movie, we’re going to watch it.
WHO’S THAT GAL: Aubrey Plaza
WHY WE’RE CRUSHING: Aubrey started as a comedic actress, and while she’s more than excelled in that realm, she’s taking her acting to places no one could’ve ever imagined. As one of the stars of FX’s Legion, Plaza will appeal to a whole new crowd that will just as quickly succumb to her charm. Even in her most well-known role as April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation, the journey Aubrey took the character on was remarkable. She started as a dry, sarcastic, unmotivated Indiana gal who had no interest in anything Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her fellow co-workers had to say. She delivered witty quips with a super straight face and the ever-so-slight smile that let viewers know she was in on the joke.
And yet, by the end of 7 seasons, April was practically a completely different character. There were times where, gasp!, she let herself be vulnerable and Aubrey is the reason those moments resonated so deeply with viewers. From becoming pals with Ron (Nick Offerman) to marrying Andy (Chris Pratt) and even admitting she maybe sorta thinks Ann (Rashida Jones) is ok, April was no longer a sassy assistant, but a confident and successful woman. Not to mention, she totally got to share on-screen kisses with Chris Pratt before he was Movie Star Chris Pratt.
Due to this role, among many others, Aubrey has always been one of those “actresses to watch” and it’s because she’s always kept it interesting. From a glance to the camera to her pitch perfect deadpan deliveries, there’s really no other actress like her.
WHERE YOU’VE SEEN HER BEFORE: Aubrey came up through the UCB Theatre, which allowed her to collaborate on projects with many of her peers, including her first major film role, Mystery Team with Donald Glover. She was in Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Damsels in Distress, and 10 Years, giving her a nice mix of major movies and indies as well. She also showed up in indie movies like The End of Love and Safety Not Guaranteed, and a handful of Portlandia episodes. And then the starring roles started flowing her way. She stars in The To Do List as a girl on a mission to become much more than a novice when it comes to sex; as a zombie lady in Life After Beth, and one of her more emotional roles as Sarah in About Alex.
Aubrey has also loaned her voice to The Legend of Korra TV series as well as Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever, which is a match made in heaven. Not that Aubrey’s always playing the grump! She’s taken on much more of a fun, wild side in recent films such as Dirty Grandpa, Joshy, and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Of course we’ll always love her as April, but it’s more than exciting to see her blossom into unique and interesting roles outside of Pawnee.
WHERE YOU’LL SEE HER NEXT: We’re counting down the minutes until Legion premieres on FX (February 8th at 10pm ET), where she’ll star as Lenny Busker opposite Dan Stevens and Katie Aselton (a fellow WCW!) in the superhero drama. She just made a splash at Sundance with two buzzy films, The Little Hours, which re-teams her with Joshy and Life After Beth director, Jeff Baena. Plus, she can be seen with Elizabeth Olsen in Ingrid Goes West, as a woman who becomes overly obsessed with a social media star. We promise we’re the good kind of obsessed with you, Aubrey!
