What Character Does Aubrey Plaza Play in ‘Parks and Recreation’?

In Parks and Rec, Aubrey Plaza plays April Ludgate. April is a sarcastic, deadpan intern. With her perpetually bored expression, April is basically the human embodiment of an eye roll, and I'm totally here for it. More interesting than her character, though, is how Plaza got the role.

Fun fact: April was created specifically for Plaza.

How Aubrey Plaza Got the Role of April in ‘Parks and Rec’

In her interview with The New Yorker, Plaza revealed the surprising story behind her iconic character.

“I mean, in the original pilot, the character's name was Aubrey. They literally wrote the character as me—a heightened version of me, I would say,” Plaza revealed.

The whole thing started with casting director Allison Jones, who saw something special in Plaza and asked her to meet up with Mike Schur and Greg Daniels (the creators of the show).

“She sent me to meet Mike Schur and Greg Daniels, who eventually wrote me into the Parks and Rec pilot script based on our meeting. Again, I had no idea that that was even an audition. I was wearing jean shorts and just acting weird, according to Mike Schur. I don’t know what I was doing that was weird; I just didn’t know how meaningful the meeting was,” she continued.

‘Parks and Rec’ Fans Are Obsessed With Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate

“I’ve been a fan since Parks and Rec. I like her dead pan humor, and I like that she has a style all her own,” Redditor MoneyPresentation610 wrote.

“I think she was a huge part of the show's success, especially for younger audiences. Her character made Andy really work and turned him from a goofy side character into a part of an utterly adorable couple,” another fan, fforw on Reddit pointed out.

Where Can I Watch ‘Parks and Rec’ Right Now?

Parks and Recreation is available on Peacock Premium.