The 15 best Aubrey Plaza movie and TV roles, ranked
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Hollywood has always held a place in its glittery heart for deadpan ladies with witchy tendencies — comedically menacing, dark-haired, silently judging — in other words, Elvira's daughters. From Ghost World's awkward Enid to all the Wednesdays, from Beetlejuice's Lydia to the 2-D Daria, this is one sinister sisterhood. The number one DOE (daughter of Elvira) on the list is Aubrey Plaza, who happens to be a real person, not a character (though, in a strange twist, Plaza has played Daria). And because witches do come true, we can look forward to Plaza wielding powers alongside Kathryn Hahn in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, a WandaVision spin-off currently in the works.
Of course, Plaza's steely-eyed strip-mall noir vibe would be downright terrifying if she wasn't so funny. And if you dare to suggest she's limited to playing blasé, IDGAF types, her filmography is here to prove you wrong. Here are 15 of Plaza's best movie and TV performances, ranked.
15. <i>Mystery Team</i> (2009)
Fun fact: Plaza and Donald Glover are pals from back in the day. They went to NYU and both performed at UCB, too. He even wrote a song about her, though we wonder how he now feels about the lyric "I'm writing movies where I'm making out with Aubrey Plaza" (from the 2010 Childish Gambino song "Put It in My Video"). Of course, he was probably just describing Mystery Team, a cute, super-silly, non-classifiable gem. This, uh, R-rated kids (?) movie captures Glover in his clean-shaven, polos-buttoned-all-the-way-up era along with young Plaza in semi-Velma mode. Their kiss (and rapport!) makes it not just a cool time capsule, but a solid watch for fans of both actors.
14. <i>Child's Play</i> (2019)
A few years before a certain dead-eyed dancing robot hit the big screen, Plaza appeared in this (eerily?) similar update of the Chucky franchise. Similar to M3GAN, this Child's Play remake tells the story of a creepy/cute robotic doll entering a stressed-out family unit (an unmarried young mom and her lonely kid). Plaza plays mom to a tee with her unique blend of humor and heart, maybe because she's said the character was based on her own mom, who was also young when she had her.
13. <i>An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn</i> (2018)
Aubrey Plaza has never been afraid to appear unlikable, in fact, it's part of her charm. She is that rare star who truly follows her own creative path, popularity be damned. Case in point? An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn, that of the 53 critics/49 audience Rotten Tomatoes ratio. We're not sure which review was our favorite: "Weird and annoying" or perhaps "vexing anti-comedy"? While this surreal little gem isn't for everyone, we would watch it just for the spicy chemical reaction that happens whenever Jemaine Clement meets Plaza. Similar to their pairing in Legion, the dynamic duo bubbles with an electric matter-of-fact quality that can't be beat. If you like creepy atmospheres, weird takes, weirder vibes, and "humor" that perhaps belongs in air quotes, come on in, the water's fine.
12. <i>Funny People</i> (2009)
Glasses? Bangs? Deadpan wit and the ability to intimidate with a single eye roll? Whether we're talking about Aubrey Plaza or the inspiration for her role in Funny People — Janeane Garofalo — the description fits. Though Parks and Recreation was actually released three months before Judd Apatow's L.A.-centric stand-up comedy drama and angst fest, this film gave mainstream America its first glimpse at Plaza's dry charms. Playing "the girl comedian" and the object of Seth Rogen's affections, the 24-year-old Plaza holds her own among heavyweights, making it look like NBD — a pattern that continues throughout her career.
11. <i>Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i> (2010)
A pixelated neon arrow shot into the hearts of every nerd, the geek-tastic universe of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is now part of the cultural canon, where it shall remain. The entire cast is spot-on perfect, and Plaza, as girl-who-knows-everyone Julie Powers, is no exception. Michael Cera plays Pilgrim, the impossibly awkward, lovelorn lead character, whose ability to be completely flummoxed, intimidated, and vexed in the face of Plaza's harsh and hilariously hostile witticisms is worth the price of admission. Knowing the two of them met and began dating on the set of this film only makes it... weirder? Funnier? Both? Though her role in this cult classic is small, she, as always, makes a huge impression.
10. <i>The To Do List</i> (2013)
From Porky's to American Pie, raunchy teen sex comedies have long been dominated by boys, though a few notable (and excellent) attempts have been made by female directors: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Booksmart, and director Maggie Carey's The To Do List. Plaza is the perfect person to helm this somehow unsordid tale about a class valedictorian and all-around overachiever who "forgot" to lose her virginity, among... uh... other things. Her methodical approach (the titular "to-do list") to getting it on makes this a comedic heroine's journey for the ages.
9. <i>Life After Beth</i> (2014)
It's a zom-com, y'all, and Plaza kills it, naturally, in her role as a reanimated girl who returns to torture her ex-boyfriend (Dane DeHaan). Having a blood-splattered blast in her husband Jeff Baena's directorial debut, Plaza's whole being seems tailor-made for undead humor of this icky ilk. Meanwhile Molly Shannon and John C. Reilly are perfectly cast as her long-suffering parents, making Life After Beth to-die-for fun from all directions.
8. <i>Safety Not Guaranteed</i> (2012)
Funny and weird, senti and smart, this low-budget, capital Q for Quirk film checks all the indie boxes. Plaza's role, as a journalist investigating a potential time traveler (Mark Duplass), is played with plenty of heart — but thankfully, she never loses her essential saltiness, key for a plot that can sometimes veer toward too sweet. It's a perfect balance that results in a foolproof recipe for cinematic comfort food.
7. <i>The Little Hours</i> (2017)
Scanning Netflix, it can feel like you've seen it all. Rom-com, action, drama… medieval dark nun comedy? Yup, leave it to Plaza (and her partner in crime and life, director Jeff Baena) to shun convention and bring a rock-solid crew — including Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, John C. Reilly, and Molly Shannon — along for the ride. The Little Hours, an algorithm-destroying film based on The Decameron (a 14th-century work of fiction), includes raunchy nuns, a coven of witches, belladonna, and forbidden love. Plaza stars as one of the sisters, though hers happens to be a sadist. Making a film like this exemplifies Plaza's unwavering commitment to following her own weird muse (and desire to mess with Netflix's recommendation system).
6. <i>Ingrid Goes West</i> (2017)
Starring Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, and... Instagram! Notify the Academy: The app really should get some kind of credit as the look, feel, and plot inspo for this subtle thriller. As a modern-day internet stalker, Plaza, spooky and damaged, doesn't hit a false note here. Ingrid Goes West will no doubt serve as a 2010s time capsule, populated with enough avocado toast, wide-brimmed hats, Joan Didion quotes, and Olsen telling Plaza how to pose for selfies to form a Master Class for future generations wondering what "social media" was.
Plaza finds a formidable onscreen partner in Olsen as an influencer and object of her character's obsession — their connection is a dangerous game you can't look away from. And while the ending might be a bit problematic and twisted, the point it makes is sadly accurate.
5. <i>White Lotus</i>, season 2 (2022)
Stealing a show like this is no easy task, but Plaza makes it look as smooth as a sip of Italian vino. She joins the second cast of Mike White's hit anthology series White Lotus as Harper Spiller, a "normie" lawyer and newly monied woman whose marriage to Ethan (Will Sharpe) has lost its spark. The limits of their relationship and intimacy are pushed to the very edge against the stunning backdrop of Sicily — and also contrasts with their frenemy couple's lovey-dovey exterior. The tension gives Plaza ample opportunities to peel back the layers of her character's complexities, calling her values and virtues into question in a way that keeps her husband guessing (and all of us screaming on the couch). While she packs her character's bags with a newfound maturity, Plaza still leaves plenty of room for the sarcastic snarky cynicism we know and love.
4. <i>Emily the Criminal</i> (2022)
Gritty, intense, and serious as a bunch of unpaid student loans, Emily the Criminal showed the world that Plaza could act the heck out of a meaty, no-frills role. This story of a young woman whose debt drives her into a life of crime is filled with heart-pounding suspense, plus some of the most depressingly mundane and realistic scenes of what working life in the gig economy really looks like. With enough twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes, this film feels vital, essential, and of-the-moment, riding a razor's edge until the last surprisingly satisfying scene.
3. <i>Black Bear</i> (2020)
Before Cocaine Bear and FX's The Bear, there was Aubrey's Black Bear — because our girl is always a few steps ahead. A Charlie Kaufman-esque puzzle, Plaza plays a mysterious character (to divulge any more would be a spoiler) whose encounters with a married couple in an isolated cabin aren't at all what they seem. This spooky rumination on art, filmmaking, relationships, and the very nature of reality showcases Plaza's smoldering acting chops, and was hailed by critics as one of her best performances.
2. <i>Parks and Recreation</i> (2009-2015)
The Fonz. Kramer. Lenny. Squiggy. April Ludgate. Side characters stealing the show is nothing new to television, though it had been a long drought until the receptionist with the hypnotically flat effect commanded the desk outside Ron Swanson's office. Coming out of left field like a pop fly fireball, Plaza's Ludgate was so starkly somber and morbid in her delivery that she immediately stood out from the sunshine and rainbow vibes of her fellow Parks Dept. co-workers — no small feat amongst such a star-studded cast, including writer Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, and more. Turns out the part of April was written especially for Plaza (a phenomenon that continues to happen throughout the actress' career) after her alien relatability caught the eagle eye of the casting director.
1. <i>Legion</i> (2017-2019)
Oh, so you thought Plaza's thing was being cool and stone-faced and monotone, eh? Why don't you ask Lenny, her character in Legion, what he/she thinks about that? After her bubbly character dies in the pilot, Plaza returns as the mutant Shadow King in a role that seems like a dare at times. She proves herself fearless, diving into a darkly villainous role that also includes dancing, singing, killing, seducing, getting high, cracking jokes, wielding weapons, and, oh yeah, leading group therapy like a boss.
And then there's the grand finale. After playing the most menacing psychopath this side of Hannibal Lecter, she manages to tear our hearts out with a touching, moving final act. How does she do it? Backwards and in heels, as they say. Bonus: There's plenty of Jemaine Clement/Plaza alchemy, including a perfectly choreographed singing-and-shooting routine, a dance battle, poolside hangs, and a road trip for the ages.
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