Aubrey Plaza is a charming actress and delightful comedian, but what catches the attention of her fans the most are the very quirky characters she often chooses to portray. In her breakthrough role in Parks and Recreation, the actress is deadpan and sarcastic, while in her latest The White Lotus’ the actress is known for her cynicism while battling marital tension. Even in the upcoming Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, the actress plays an ambitious power-hungry journalist.
So, what is it about the actress starring only in such unconventional roles? Plaza states that it is just her way of making the world a better place by accepting characters that one normally would describe as outsiders.
Aubrey Plaza Loves Playing Quirky Characters and Here is Why
From starring as the foul-mouthed, snarky yet witty Julie Powers in Scott Pilgrim vs the World to playing mentally unstable Ingrid Thorburn in Ingrid Goes West, to the complex and unsettling Allison in Black Bear, no two roles of Aubrey Plaza appear to be similar except that they all are usually unconventional.
While most actors do love to play unconventional, quirky roles, Plaza has her own reasons. In a recent interview with Deadline, the Emmy-nominated actress remarked,
I think one thing that I really love about acting and about putting myself out there is to wear those icky feelings and portray all of those things that everybody feels, because it’s a universal feeling… It makes people feel seen. And I think with a lot of the characters that I choose to play, there is an underlying sense of wanting people to feel seen.
Stating that she relates to all the unusual characters she chooses to play, Plaza revealed why a lot of her characters can be described as outsiders, not good enough, or freaks.
And I feel like I, definitely, over the years, have embraced those things because I have this impulse: I’d rather humiliate myself and put myself in the line of fire for the good, so everyone else can sit back and feel like, ‘I’m OK.’ It’s my own little way of trying to make the world a better place.
Every person has their own way of making the world a better place and Plaza’s way is just as admirable. By making people feel seen and heard through her portrayals and bringing unconventional roles to the mainstream, Plaza also seems to be promoting a more inclusive and diverse representation in the entertainment industry.
Reason Why Aubrey Plaza Relates to Her Unusual Characters
Aubrey Plaza comes from a family that has no industry connections and were very Catholic. Despite being the first in her family to make her way into the entertainment industry, the actress has done more than an impressive job. Yet she has often felt like an outsider.
And in her interview with Deadline, she remarked,
So, I think there’s always been a sense of feeling out of place in that way. I’m sure so many people feel that way. I always felt like something was different about me. I think I’ve always had this sense of strangeness, or feeling like I’m an alien or something. But I think also, that feeling has helped me always connect with other people that feel that way.
Feeling like an outsider and not having a place has in turn inspired Plaza to take more of those unconventional roles. However, feeling like a piece of a puzzle that fits has also made her connect and relate with people, something that she is grateful for.
