How Aubrey Plaza Achieved a Net Worth of $6 Million

Aubrey Plaza is an actress, comedian, and producer whose dry delivery and quick wit have seen her become one of the most in-demand comedy actresses around. Since scoring the breakthrough role of April Ludgate on the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” Plaza has continued to enjoy success in the FX drama series “Legion” and films like “The Little Hours” (2017), “Ingrid Goes West” (2017), “An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn” (2018), “Child’s Play” (2019), “Happiest Season” (2020), and “Black Bear” (2020). She’s funny, she’s talented, and by all accounts, she’s very, very wealthy.

What is Aubrey Plaza’s Net Worth?

Plaza made her TV debut in 2006 as a bit-part player in an episode of 30 Rock. Three years later, she landed the career-defining role of April Ludgate on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.” The series would bring Plaza fame, award glory, commercial success, and a much bigger bank account than she started with. 11 years after making her entrance on the smash TV show, Plaza is sitting on the kind of fortune most of us can only dream of. How much? Although figures vary (and Plaza obviously hasn’t revealed the exact amount herself), sources such as Celebrity Net Worth put the actress’s current net worth at $6 million. Considering she’s only been a ‘name’ for a little over a decade, that kind of figure represents quite an achievement. So, how did she do it? Let’s find out.

Back to the Start

Plaza was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 26, 1984. According to Delaware Today, Plaza’s parents, Bernadette and David, named their daughter after Bread’s 1970’s hit song, “Aubrey. “It was mysterious and haunting—what was so special about this girl, one could only imagine and never really know,” Bernadette has since said. “It is very fitting for Aubrey. It’s hard to put into words what makes her so special, but I always knew she would be.” At high school, Plaza caught the acting bug. By the time she graduated, she’d starred in numerous productions and had decided that this was the life for her. Determined to see just how far she could get, she enrolled at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts to study film.

The Intern Years

After graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2006, Plaza spent a few years hovering around the edges of the entertainment scene. She landed a small part in an episode of 30 Rock, and regularly performed improv and stand up around LA. But mainly, she interned. First, she interned at Post-IT, then with the design department for “Saturday Night Live,” and then as an NBC page. She’s since admitted she got fired from almost as many intern posts as she landed, but ultimately, it didn’t matter. It would all end up serving as inspiration for her breakthrough role as April Ludgate.

The Breakthrough

In 2009, Plaza auditioned for a new NBC show called “Parks and Recreation.” She got the part, and with it, her first major role. Her performance as April Ludgate propelled the actress into the big time. Her expressionless delivery and perfect comic timing won over audiences and critics alike, leading to her becoming known as one of the show’s biggest breakout characters. It also led to her first taste of awards success: by the time the show wrapped in 2015, she’d been nominated for an ALMA Award for Favorite TV Actress—Supporting Role (2011), an ALMA Award for Favorite TV Actress—Leading Role In A Comedy (2012), and an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress—Television (2010, 2012–2013). Her standout performance as April caught the eye of some of Tinseltown’s big hitters. Shortly after making her debut on the comedy, she was offered the role of Seth Rogan’s love interest, Daisy, in Judd Apatow’s 2009 movie, “Funny People”. Shortly after, she appeared in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” and Derrick Comedy’s “Mystery Team.”

Continued Success

In 2012, Plaza scored her first leading role in a major film when she starred alongside Mark Duplass in “Safety Not Guaranteed.” Her performance was rapturously received, with The Philadelphia Inquirer summing up the general consensus by describing her as “compelling”. Since then, she’s continued to balance her TV commitments with frequent film appearances. Some of her most notable work includes “Welcome to Sweden” (2014 – 2015), “Criminal Minds” (2016 – 2020), “Legion” (2017 – 2019), “Dirty Grandpa” (2016), “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” (2016), and “Black Bear” (2020).

Moving into Producing

Over the past few years, Plaza has started to spend as much time behind the camera as she does in front of it. After making her debut as a producer on the black comedy “The Little Hours” in 2017, she’s gone on to produce a score of projects, including “Ingrid Goes West” and “Black Bear,” a film in which she also earned a Hollywood Critics Association Award for Acting Achievement and a nomination for San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress.

Voice Over Work

Plaza’s resume is scattered with voice-over roles. Some of her most famous vocal performances have come as Claire Wheeler in “Monsters University” (2013), Grumpy Cat in “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever” (2014), Lucy in “Castle” (2015), Nocturna in “SpongeBob Square Pants” (2016), and Bernadette in “Crank Yankers” (2019-2020).

Personal Life

Between 2009 and 2010, Plaza dated fellow actor, Michael Cera. Since 2011, she’s been in a relationship with writer and director Jeff Baena. The couple lives in Los Angeles, California, and have collaborated on numerous projects, including “Life After Beth,” “Joshy,” and “The Little Hours.” In 2016, Plaza mentioned during an interview with The Advocate that she identifies as bisexual. “I know I have an androgynous thing going on, and there’s something masculine about my energy,” she said. “Girls are into me — that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it.”

Summing Up

Since landing the breakthrough role of April Ludgate on “Parks and Recreation,” Plaza’s career has gone from strength to strength. In just over a decade, she’s managed to build the kind of resume that would leave even veterans of the industry feeling a little green with envy. With several projects already in the works for 2021, her already impressive net worth of $6 million is only likely to grow.