The icons who inspired Aubrey Plaza to become an actor: “One of my all-time heroes”
There comes a formative moment in every budding actor’s life when they watch a performance that changes them. Inspiring them to pursue their dream, the kind that many people harbour but never actually take seriously. These influences become a guiding light, proving the possibilities of using your dreams through your body, speech, and expressions to create art.
Ask any actor, and they’ll surely reel off a list of stars whom they consider to be their ultimate inspirations and the catalyst for their career. Take Meryl Streep for example, who made the leap from theatre to cinema when she saw Robert De Niro’s breathtaking performance in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, while Daniel Day Lewis’ inspiration was the star of Ken Loach’s Kes, David Bradley, whom he believes gave one of the most moving performances he’d ever seen.
So, what about Aubrey Plaza? The actor rose to prominence as the beloved April in Parks and Recreation, and she has since become known for her deadpan and awkward humour, painting herself as an outsider figure who perhaps isn’t totally at ease with being in the spotlight, but won’t do anything to stop it. It makes sense, then, that one of her heroes is Elaine May, the actor/comedian/director who changed modern comedy with her improvisational routines, often appearing as part of the duo Nichols and May with The Graduate director Mike Nichols.
Talking to the Oscars Newsletter, Plaza revealed her love of May’s film A New Leaf: “Elaine May is someone that I don’t think people know enough about, especially this younger generation. She was a prolific figure in the comedy scene in the 1960s. She was a brilliant writer and a brilliant filmmaker. She herself is just inspiring to me and is one of my all-time heroes.”
She continued, “I think knowing that she’s behind the camera directing this film, making something that was so good and so funny, and then acting in it, and having her hands all over it and just being the badass that she was, she’s been an inspiration for me every step of the way. So, I have to give it up to her.”
You can certainly see the threads of May’s influence in Plaza’s often ironic and satirical approach to comedy, and she even bears a slight resemblance to her. If Hollywood ever wanted to make a biopic about May, they know who to call.
The actor also loves Gena Rowlands (who doesn’t?), with her role in Opening Night specifically standing out for her. Directed by Rowlands’ husband, John Cassavetes, the actor gave a stunning performance as an actor experiencing a nervous breakdown. He directed her in many of her most iconic roles, including A Woman Under the Influence, and Plaza deeply admires her approach to performance.
“I loved Gena Rowlands, and I think the approach that Cassavetes had when he was shooting films, especially with her, and how real those scenes feel, there’s a chaotic kind of vibe to his movies. It’s almost so real that it’s painful when you watch her perform in his movies,” Plaza explained.
Going back further to a classic Old Hollywood star, Plaza also cites Judy Garland as having a key impact on her career, especially her role in A Star is Born. “Judy Garland is my number one, and the 1954 version of that movie—with Judy and James Mason—is one of my all-time favourite movies ever,” she revealed. Best known for her role in The Wizard of Oz, Garland is a true icon, with many of her other incredible performances overshadowed by her role as Dorothy Gale.
The actor also noted how she became enamoured with Garland as a youngling, making her “deep dive into all of her films”, which in turn shaped her at a very formative age and hugely impacted her sensibilities. “I continue to think that she’s one of the most talented people that’s ever come out of this country,” concluded Plaza.
