How Aubrey Plaza Infuses Her Background Into Her Acting Roles

Aubrey Plaza initially gained widespread fame for her portrayal of April Ludgate on the popular NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” Since then, she has appeared in notable projects such as “White Lotus,” “Megalopolis,” and “Agatha All Along.”

What many may not know is that Plaza’s heritage plays a significant role in her approach to acting, as she consistently weaves it into her characters.

As she enjoys a standout year in Hollywood, Aubrey Plaza is now sharing insights into how she actively shapes and develops her roles.

In her cover for TIME Magazine, Aubrey Plaza spoke out about how she took an active role in developing her characters.

“I have a different kind of experience than a lot of other Latinx actors because a lot of people don’t even know that I’m half Puerto Rican,” she told the outlet. “It’s something that I always like to remind people of and bring to the table.”

Before filming “Megalopolis” began, director Francis Ford Coppola invited his actors to workshop the script, engage in improvisation, and even rewrite parts of their characters. Similarly, the “Agatha” team reached out to Plaza early in the development process, giving her the opportunity to help shape the villainous role she would portray.

“My journey has been a lot about infusing my heritage into these stories and characters in ways that people might not think to do,” she told TIME. “Because people have kind of put Latina characters in such a box.”

Plaza found herself filming scenes for both “Megalopolis” and “Agatha All Along” simultaneously, and she noticed that there were subtle thematic overlaps between the two projects.

For example, in “Megalopolis,” she takes on the role of a morally ambiguous journalist, whereas in “Agatha All Along,” she steps into the shoes of a witch. Though they may seem completely different, Plaza notes they are “both villainous characters.”

“But I’m a platinum blonde dripping in diamonds, wearing thousands of dollars of Versace gowns in ‘Megalopolis,'” she added. “And then for ‘Agatha,’ I’m wearing a jet-black wig with a warrior-style supervillain getup.”

Plaza admitted that she “felt completely insane” and felt like she was “ripping a hole in the fabric of the universe and quantum leaping myself to different worlds.”

The “White Lotus” actress says she tried to pave the way for the younger generation of Latina actresses, including stars like Jenna Ortega.

“I just always am looking for opportunities to actually portray Latina characters, so that I can show the younger generation there’s all kinds of Hispanic characters,” Plaza told TIME. “It’s not just these stereotypes.”

Aubrey Plaza went viral last year when she and “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega—who shares Plaza’s fascination with the supernatural and stars in the newly released “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”—delivered a simultaneously eerie and deadpan presentation at the SAG Awards.

Aubrey Plaza recently opened up about a terrifying ordeal she faced at just 20 years old.

Last week, when on “The Howard Stern Show,” Plaza revealed shocking new details about her stroke, which left her briefly paralyzed and unable to speak.

“It happened mid-sentence,” the “White Lotus” actress explained, per The Huffington Post. “I took the train to Astoria [in Queens, New York] to have lunch with my friends. I walked into their apartment … I hadn’t even taken my jacket off and in mid-sentence, it just happened. That’s when I was paralyzed.”

She added, “The freakiest thing was that I forgot how to talk … it was terrifying. I thought I’d never speak again.”

Despite undergoing cognitive therapy to recover her ability to speak and write, Plaza shared that the experience still profoundly influences both her career and personal life.

“I always am aware of how precious life is, and I try to remember that every day,” the actress said. “I tend to see the bigger picture or try to see the bigger picture and try not to take things so seriously and try not to get hung up on the small things … I do have an overall feeling of life is short. And I might as well just do as much as I can. Maybe it’s why I’m so busy.”

“Megalopolis” is set to premiere on September 27.