Aubrey Plaza's 10 Most Underrated TV & Movie Roles

Summary

• Plaza shines in diverse roles, from sardonic characters to intense thrillers, showcasing her versatile acting skills.
• Underrated performances like in “Child’s Play” and “Black Bear” highlight Plaza’s range across genres and her ability to captivate audiences.
• Plaza’s villainous turn in “Legion” and her unique voice work in “The Legend of Korra” cement her as a standout talent on screen.

Aubrey Plaza has made a name for herself as one of the most interesting actresses working today, with acclaimed roles in film and television. While viewers may immediately recognize Plaza as April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation or for her role in the second season of The White Lotus, she has done so much more than just that and has had plenty of underrated roles. With a career that has struck the perfect balance between major Hollywood productions and smaller independent cinema, Plaza has many hidden gems throughout her illustrious career.

The best Plaza roles exploited her ability to portray sardonic characters while maintaining her unique sense of wit. However, Plaza’s most underrated roles have also extended into various genres, as she’s played memorable parts in spooky horrors, intense thrillers, and even superhero series. Plaza has shown herself to be a talented and capable actress who has excelled in leading and supporting roles across various film and television parts.

10 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Aubrey Plaza as Julie Powers

One of Aubrey Plaza’s most underrated roles was her supporting performance in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Plaza played Julie Powers, the ex-girlfriend of Scott’s bandmate Stephen Stills, and the social glue that bound many of the movie characters together, as she was friends with Ramona Flowers before she started dating Scott Pilgrim. With a hostile undertone to her character, Plaza expertly portrayed the subtle nuances and annoyance that Julie felt towards those around her.

Julie tried and failed to keep Scott away from Ramona and Plaza’s intense frustration at the title character bled into every interaction she had with him. While Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was a box office bomb when it was released, it has since become a cult classic and stands as one of the best vs. movies out there. With a talented ensemble cast, Plaza was an important contributor to Scott Pilgrim’s long-lasting legacy, and she even reprised her role in the anime adaptation Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

9 Child’s Play (2019)

Aubrey Plaza as Karen Barclay

The long-running horror franchise Child’s Play was rebooted in 2019 with Aubrey Plaza playing Andy Barclay’s widowed mother, Karen. This remake of the original 1988 film updated the Child’s Play series for the Internet era as the murderous Chucky doll once again gained consciousness and wreaked havoc on the unsuspecting family. This playful adaptation got right to the heart of everything great about the killer toy story, and Plaza delivered a fun, campy performance.

Child’s Play worked well as a satire of the modern technology-obsessed way that society has progressed, which helped differentiate it from the original version of this story. Mark Hamill voiced Chucky in the Child’s Play remake, which was an inspired choice as he channeled the same sinister energy he had brought to the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. Child’s Play was a fun addition to the long-running franchise and stood as an underrated Plaza movie.

8 Black Bear (2020)

Aubrey Plaza as Allison

Although Aubrey Plaza has had plenty of large roles in major Hollywood productions, some of her most underrated performances were in smaller indie films such as Black Bear. This fascinating black comedy thriller starred Plaza as a young filmmaker named Allison, seeking solace in a remote cabin with two guests named Gabe and Blair. As the intricate and layered narrative revealed itself, Black Bear explored the complexities of interpersonal relationships through emotionally charged and anxiety-inducing performances.

Black Bear was written and directed by Lawrence Michael Levine and offered unnerving insights into the creative process and the chaos of artistry. As a truly challenging and stimulating film, Black Bear was Plaza in top form as the film’s idiosyncratic nature complimented her sardonic style and unique dry wit perfectly. Not only was Black Bear a creative success, but it also received acclaim for the environmentally friendly nature of its production, earning it the Gold “green-seal” from the Environmental Media Association (via HR) for sustainability.

7 Criminal Minds (2005 – 2020, 2022 – Present)

Aubrey Plaza as Cat Adams

Aubrey Plaza has had just as impressive a career in television as in film and has appeared in many varied and acclaimed TV series. One of Plaza’s most underrated TV roles was as Cat Adams, a recurring character on Criminal Minds who has appeared in a total of four episodes. Known under the names Miss.45 and The Black Widow, Cat was a misandristic, psychopathic, and narcissistic serial killer first introduced in Season 11 of the long-running police procedural.

Plaza was perfectly suited to play such a complex and sinister character as Cat Adams, who was revealed to be a hitwoman and proxy killer of great skill. Cat was an important part of the Season 12 narrative arc of Criminal Minds, as she masterminded a vendetta against Spencer Reid and led a gang in a revenge plot. As one of the most fascinating recurring characters in Criminal Minds, Plaza once again reprised her role as Cat in Season 15.

6 The Simpsons (1989 – Present)

Aubrey Plaza as Amber Duffman

While many viewers may have already quit watching The Simpsons by the time Aubrey Plaza’s guest appearance aired during the Season 34 episode “From Beer to Paternity,” it stood as one of the more enjoyable late-period episodes. With a story involving Duffman trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Plaza played Duffman’s now adult child, Amber. This was a heartfelt episode that added complexity to the character of Duffman and included a dual narrative about Homer and Lisa’s relationship.

Plaza was a great choice for the role of Duffman’s daughter, as her recognizable voice and sarcastic demeanor were well-suited to the part. Disappointingly, Plaza only appeared in the final minutes of the episode, and although it was a memorable performance, she could have been utilized better in her Simpsons appearance. While The Simpsons has had a lot of celebrities who have appeared as themselves, it was refreshing to see a brand new character being created for Plaza to voice.

5 The Legend Of Korra (2012 – 2014)

Aubrey Plaza as Eska

While Aubrey Plaza has had an acclaimed career in front of the camera, she has also built up a significant amount of impressive voice work. One of Plaza’s most underrated animated performances was in the Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel series, The Legend of Korra. Plaza played Eska, the twin sister of Desna, the dual chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and Korra’s cousin.

Eska was an important character in The Legend of Korra and was voiced by Plaza in 12 episodes. Along with their sibling Desna, Eska joined Team Avatar to unite in the fight against their own father after he used the energy of Harmonic Convergence to become the Dark Avatar. Eska was often presented as an emotionless character, which worked with Plaza’s sardonic speaking style; however, her attachment to Bolin was one of the few factors that could send her into a fit of rage and shine a light on her buried personality.

4 Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Aubrey Plaza as Darius Britt

Safety Not Guaranteed was a quirky, low-budget indie movie that featured one of Aubrey Plaza’s most underrated performances alongside Mark Duplass in one of his very best performances. Telling the story of a man who sought a companion to travel back in time with him, Plaza played a newspaper intern going undercover to investigate his unusual classified ad. Along the way, the duo formed a strong connection, and the story of a potentially deranged man became a heartfelt exploration of how the past slips away in the blink of an eye and the future comes too quickly.

Propelled by a strong script and commitment performances, Plaza showcased her movie star potential while simultaneously starring as April Ludgate on the sitcom Parks and Recreation. Produced for just $750,000 and grossing over $4.4 million (via Box Office Mojo), Safety Not Guaranteed was a major example of a low-budget indie movie’s potential to find extraordinary success. As a film categorized by a whole lot of heart, Safety Not Guaranteed highlighted Plaza’s skill for comedic indie movies with poignant messages.

3 Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Aubrey Plaza as Ingrid Thorburn

Aubrey Plaza channeled her skill for playing intense and dark characters in her role as Ingrid Thorburn in the black comedy Ingrid Goes West. As an obsessive young woman with a passion for social media, Ingrid Goes West followed Plaza as she moved to Los Angeles to befriend her Instagram idol, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olson.) What followed was a timely story that highlighted the shocking sociological consequences of a technology-reliant society as Ingrid became increasingly unstable in her parasocial attachment to Taylor.

Ingrid Goes West highlighted the pressing issue of stalking amid online culture in the 21st century and stood as one of Plaza’s most underrated roles. Through smart, topical humor, Ingrid Goes West managed to walk the fine line of thrilling entertainment while delivering an engaging message. Ingrid Goes West was a biting satire and an incredible feature debut from director and co-writer Matt Spicer.

2 Emily The Criminal (2022)

Aubrey Plaza as Emily Benetto

Aubrey Plaza gave one of the best performances of her career in Emily the Criminal, a thrilling crime story about a young woman who found herself pulled into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles. With relentless pacing and high-octane energy, Emily the Criminal was a truly underrated gem that deserved to reach a far larger audience, as Plaza played an art student struggling under mountains of debt to perfection. With a strong script and excellent direction from John Patton Ford, Emily Benetto was one of Plaza’s most interesting characters.

Through a documentary style, fantastic use of music, and effective cinematography, Emily the Criminal was a film that pulled viewers in from its opening scene and did not let them go until the credits rolled. While there was plenty of action throughout, Emily the Criminal never lost sight of the importance of its characters and was a breath of fresh air amid so many forgettable action-thrillers. While Emily the Criminal received acclaim from critics, it’s not as well known among everyday viewers and deserves to be spoken about as one of Plaza’s greatest acting accomplishments.

1 Legion (2017 – 2019)

Aubrey Plaza as Lenny Busker and Amahl Farouk / Shadow King

Aubrey Plaza showed off her villainous side in the criminally underrated superhero series Legion. While Plaza’s character of Lenny Busker was initially conceived as a middle-aged man, her character was changed to fit her unique sensibilities, and her role on Legion was among the most interesting and varied in her entire career. While Lenny was killed in the pilot, Plaza returned as the mutant Shadow King, whose consciousness fell under the control of Amahl Farouk.

Legion was a truly unique TV series characterized by incredible characters, and Plaza helped make it one of the most underrated and interesting series of the 21st century. Plaza’s role in Legion played into her skills for the horrific and sarcastic as she sang, killed, and joked her way through each of the show’s three seasons. In a career full of unique and fascinating roles, Aubrey Plaza’s excellent performance in Legion was one not to be missed.

Sources: HR, Box Office Mojo