Things really got going for Aubrey Plaza when she landed her role as April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation. Back then, she was most known for the sarcastic deadpan humor she made famous on the comedy series. However, while she was tremendous on Parks and Rec, she has blossomed into a versatile actor.
Some of the best under-the-radar flicks of the 2010s have featured Aubrey Plaza. That goes double for television shows, which is where she also manages to shine brightly. Looking at her career, the ratings over at IMDb showcase what the best work by Plaza has been.
Black Bear (6.6)
One of the most recent entries on this list, Black Bear was released in 2020 after a Sundance Film Festival premiere. It allowed Aubrey Plaza the chance to lead a movie and she did a remarkable job with it. She portrays Allison in a project that she also acts as a producer on.
This unique story sees Allison spend time at a remote cabin with a couple as she tries to write her next movie. However, the plot flips midway through and turns into a totally different story that has viewers talking about it for long after the credits roll. It earned a Gold "green-seal" from Environmental Media Association as it was produced sustainably.
Ingrid Goes West (6.6)
It could be argued that the best performance by Aubrey Plaza in a movie came in 2017's Ingrid Goes West. This was another film that she helped produce and another that was first shown at Sundance Film Festival. It was met with widespread acclaim and earned the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.
The premise of Ingrid Goes West follows Ingrid (Plaza), a mentally unstable woman who is obsessed with her Instagram idol Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). Ingrid travels to Los Angeles to be close to her and her attachment issues make it a dangerous situation. O'Shea Jackson Jr. and Pom Klementieff round out a strong supporting cast.
Mystery Team (6.7)
Mystery Team is interesting because it actually marks the feature film debut of Aubrey Plaza. Another Sundance Film Festival premiere, this arrived in 2009 and was written by the Derrick Comedy group, which included future megastar, Donald Glover.
Along the lines of Encyclopedia Brown, Mystery Team focuses on a group of teenagers who band together to try and solve a case. Plaza has a role as Kelly Peters, the love interest of Jason Rogers (Glover). It was also the feature film debut for Bobby Moynihan, Ellie Kemper, and Ben Schwartz.
Happiest Season (6.7)
The actual most recent release on this list, Happiest Season started streaming on Hulu in November 2020. The film tells a different kind of Christmas story, centering on lesbian couple Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis) as they visit Harper's family for the holidays.
The issue is that Harper hasn't come out to her family, so she lies and says Abby is her roommate. Plaza joins an ensemble cast that also features Alison Brie, Dan Levy, and Mary Steenburgen. She portrays Riley Bennett, Harper's ex-girlfriend who forms a bond with Abby. It was praised for being a heartfelt family comedy.
Safety Not Guaranteed (7.0)
Over the years, Aubrey Plaza has been fantastic in independent films. One of her best came in 2012 with Safety Not Guaranteed, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Like Ingrid Goes West, this also took home the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.
Safety Not Guaranteed is based on a joke ad that ran in Backwoods Home Magazine. The ad is for a time travel adventure placed by a guy named Kenneth (Mark Duplass). Darius Britt (Plaza) is one of three magazine employees sent out to interview him and she agrees to go on the trip with Kenneth.
Monsters University (7.3)
Fans everywhere clamored for a sequel to 2001's Monsters Inc. for a long time. Surprisingly, 2013 brought a prequel instead. Monsters University tells the story of how Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) met in college.
This was actually a rare voice acting performance for Plaza. She nabbed the role of Claire Wheeler, the Greek Council president. It wasn't a huge part but she was a highlight of the film. The long list of supporting actors made it so Plaza joined an impressive group.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (7.5)
Soon after Parks and Recreation premiered, Aubrey Plaza appeared in 2010's Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Again, she is part of an outstanding ensemble cast including Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick, Chris Evans, Brie Larson, and so many others.
Based on a graphic novel series, this movie follows the exploits of Scott Pilgrim (Cera) as he battles the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend Ramona Flowers (Winstead). Plaza steals every scene she's in as Julie Powers, a girl who is mean to Scott at every turn. Though this bombed at the box office, it has become a cult classic.
Legion (8.2)
If you want proof that Aubrey Plaza is at her best in the world of television, all you need to see is that her three top roles on IMDb are from TV. Legion, based on a Marvel character, premiered on FX in 2017 and ran for three seasons and 27 total episodes until 2019.
The series focuses on David Heller/Legion (Dan Stevens), a schizophrenic mutant struggling to control his powers. The series was met with widespread acclaim. Aubrey Plaza appears in every episode as Lenore "Lenny" Busker and scored an MTV Award nomination for Best Villain.
The Legend Of Korra (8.4)
After the incredible success of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon looked to continue the story. That series wrapped up in 2008 and four years later, a sequel series premiered in The Legend of Korra. It was also praised and lasted 52 episodes over four seasons.
The Daytime Emmy Award-winning show focuses on Korra, Aang's successor from the previous series as she protects her home from spiritual and physical threats using her Avatar abilities. Plaza voiced Princess Eska, the twin of Prince Desna and the cousin of Korra, in a dozen episodes.
Parks And Recreation (8.6)
The breakout role for Aubrey Plaza still remains the greatest work of her career. In 2009, the world was introduced to April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation. The show would go on to last until 2015, with Plaza starring in all 125 episodes and the 2020 reunion.
April has one of the show's better arcs, starting as someone who hates her internship and growing into a caring person who finds her place in life. The show, led by the likes of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, and Rashida Jones, is considered one of the best comedy series of all-time.