The American sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) proved to be a launching point for some of the popular actors that are working today, including stars like Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza. They gained significant eyeballs and appreciation for their roles in the popular sitcom, playing Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate respectively. In an interview with AV Club, one of the creators of the show talked about how Plaza got involved in the sitcom and the immediate chemistry she had with Pratt which led the creators to realize something special was brewing in their initiation of the series.
Aubrey Plaza Made an Immediate Impression on the Creators
Michael Schur, one of the creators of Parks and Recreation sat down with AV Club to talk about the origins of the show and the iconic characters that grew out of it. When asked about Aubrey Plaza‘s involvement in the series, Schur exclaimed that he was impressed with her the first time he saw her and immediately wanted to put her on the show. She noticed her weird yet appealing quality saying,
“Aubrey came over to my office and made me feel really uncomfortable for like an hour, and immediately I wanted to put her in the show. We didn’t totally know what we were going to do with her, we just thought it would be funny if Leslie had a college-aged intern who she wanted to inspire, and that that person would be Aubrey Plaza”
Chris Pratt too saw the potential that Plaza’s character could go and told the director of the show to put her alongside him. Schur noticed Pratt’s excitement saying,
“Plus Pratt can make anyone smile, and he told Greg, who was directing that episode, “I’m gonna get something out of her.””
The pair of Andy and April would evolve into a romantic couple and later get married as the characters of the show continued into further seasons.
Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza had Instant Chemistry Being Natural Comedians
It would make sense that individuals with similar personalities and natural talent will flock together and have a great working relationship. Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza are natural comedians who understand the subtleties of humor and how certain comedic beats should play out to be funny and authentic.
Michael Schur saw the potential of both the characters and putting the two funny characters together would spark a plethora of comedic gems throughout the show. The show would go on to become a celebrated sitcom and the two characters would become an iconic couple that people enjoyed watching and would still be remembered long after the show ended.
The Show Catapulted Both of their Movie Careers
Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza would become recognized actors through the popularity of the show and they would go on to venture into their successful film careers. Plaza starred in many comedies including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), and The To Do List (2013). She recently switched to dramatic roles in films such as Emily the Criminal (2021), Ingrid Goes West (2017), and the second season of the HBO series The White Lotus (2022)
Chris Pratt became a more successful and celebrated movie star starring in big franchises including the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Jurassic World. He starred as Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy (2014-2023) and Owen Grady in the Jurassic World trilogy (2015-2022). He recently voiced Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).
One can witness them together in Parks and Recreation streaming on Peacock.
Source: AV Club
