Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Episode: Aubrey Plaza

Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Amy Poehler
Guest: Aubrey Plaza
Special Guest Appearance: Margaret Qualley

Episode Overview

This highly anticipated episode welcomes Aubrey Plaza, a beloved alum of Parks and Recreation, acclaimed film and TV actress, and frequent collaborator with Amy Poehler. The conversation weaves through funny, poignant, and deeply personal topics: Plaza’s early life, her career from NBC page to indie film star, her recent grief after losing her husband, her witchy alter-ego, basketball fandom, and the delightful strangeness of her choices—on and off-screen. The episode is both a celebration of their friendship and a candid look at Plaza’s life and creative outlook.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Margaret Qualley Welcomes Aubrey Plaza (00:00–07:39)

• Margaret Qualley joins to express universal love and admiration for Aubrey:

  “Might be the most, like, unanimously loved person ever… even my dad... she reached my dad.” (03:01)

• Amy and Margaret discuss Aubrey’s appeal across ages and her “cat-like” mystique, connecting with adults and kids by being authentically herself.

• The introversion of both Aubrey and Margaret is touched on:

  “Classic case of look at me, don’t look at me... Everyone pay attention. What are you looking at?” (04:55 - 05:10)

• They talk about filming their new movie, Honey Don’t, and the dynamic on set, noting that both Aubrey's characters and real self balance effortlessness with deep care and surprise.

2. Aubrey Arrives: Grief, Dogs, and Howard Stern Vibes (09:08–14:00)

• Aubrey starts off in sunglasses, accompanied by her dog, Frankie (aka Frances Fox, named after Judy Garland).
• Amy acknowledges Aubrey’s difficult year after losing her husband (Jeff Baena). Aubrey candidly describes her grief as being “like the gorge – a giant ocean of awfulness that’s always there. Sometimes you want to dive in, sometimes you look at it, sometimes you try to get away from it, but it’s always there.” (11:52)
• The exchange leads to riffing on horses, Rihanna, and comparisons about beauty and strangeness.

3. Aubrey’s Childhood and Early Career (14:00–21:05)

• Aubrey describes herself as a shy, imaginative kid—“freakish,” with very thin hair and a chaotic upbringing in Wilmington, Delaware:

  “I was kind of like a quiet, lanky, freakish kind of kid... I could just imagine things all day long.” (14:37–15:33)

• First ambitions in theater were modest—she played small chorus roles and felt transformed by her first big laugh as the Ugly Stepsister in Cinderella:

  “When you get your first laugh that you mean to get… it’s like becoming a vampire.” (19:17-19:28; Amy)

• Growing up in Delaware, she discusses early theater, getting her period on stage, and comedic awakenings.

4. The SNL Era: Page, Intern, and Legend (21:05–28:39)

• Aubrey moves to New York and is drawn to UCB and NYU, majoring in film.
• She shares stories about faxing her resume to every SNL department and stumbling into an internship:

  “Do you care about design?” “No.” “Can you start now?” “Yeah.” (26:24-26:45)

• Details her role: finding set blueprints, taking continuity photos, and blending in quietly on set.
• Anecdotes about giving studio tours and getting “encouraged to leave” after making up goofy facts (e.g., about penguins and cold studios).

5. Landing Parks and Rec and Early Days (28:39–36:43)

• Aubrey recounts a whirlwind week: auditioning for Funny People and getting cast as April on Parks and Recreation after a meeting in ripped jean shorts.
• Amy and Aubrey reminisce about meeting for the first time literally on a playground swing set during a promo shoot, paralleling their onscreen and offscreen dynamic.
• April’s character arc is discussed—her secret is that she deeply cares, despite the disaffected exterior:

  “It’s a game of not showing anyone that I really care. Once I locked into that…there was no limit to what could happen.” (36:14–36:43)

6. Behind the Scenes at Parks and Rec (36:43–45:13)

• The organic genesis of April and Andy’s love story:

  “April loves Andy, and April thinks Andy's cool because he's so not cool that he's cool.” (39:17–39:26; Plaza)

• The cast’s surprise when the characters got married, and Amy’s emotional reaction to filming the wedding episode:

  “You cried. I mean, I love a wedding—you cried in the kitchen, off-camera, all day.” (40:32–41:04)

• Aubrey admits she's never watched the show since it aired—she doesn’t even know how to operate streaming or DVDs:

  “I wouldn’t even know how… If it comes on in a hotel room, I literally throw something.” (42:13-43:06)

7. Memories of Guest Stars and Set Antics (45:13–49:32)

• Recalls memorable guest stars, making out with Patricia Clarkson (Tammy One), the mythos of Oren the vampire boy (Eric Eisenhower).
• Aubrey’s infamous prank on NBA player Chris Bosh—pretending to be hair and makeup—goes unrecognized and awkward.

8. Basketball Obsession (49:33–51:34)

• Aubrey is a lifelong basketball fan, especially women’s basketball and the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
• She grew up playing; sister Natalie turned her onto the WNBA. She also played in a women’s league in LA (where she tore her ACL, twice).

9. Film, Witchcraft, and the Creative Life (51:34–55:59)

• Amy marvels at Aubrey’s range: White Lotus, Emily the Criminal, roles with Robert De Niro, and more.
• Aubrey discusses her production company (Evil Hag), her children’s books (including The Legend of the Christmas Witch and the new Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party), and her deeply rooted witchiness:

  “I have ancestral… witches in my life. My family feels like a matriarchy.” (54:47–55:06)

• Plaza traces her fascination with witches to Delaware woods, Basque ancestry, and family history.

10. On Playing a Witch, Self-Produced Projects, and Choosing Roles (55:59–61:21)

• Margaret Qualley's “Salem witch trials” question returns for comic effect (“Honestly, they were fun… everyone was freaking out… so stupid.").
• Aubrey reflects on Agatha:

  “There’s something about cackling, I swear, that is really therapeutic… it feels good, for me.” (57:01–58:16)

• On choosing roles:

  “A lot of it… has to do with what I feel like diving into energetically or character-wise… I tend to really go there.” (58:54–59:08)

• Jokes about doing anything for Tarantino or Glen Powell, but only if she feels up to it.

11. Directing Ambitions and Philosophy (61:21–62:46)

• Aubrey wants to direct a feature film—she’s directed TV but feels “too precious” about her first movie project.

  “I want to have something to say… but also I want to do a movie where I say nothing.” (62:29–62:46)

12. Comfort Movies and What Makes Aubrey Laugh (62:46–66:22)

• Comfort movies: You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Moonstruck, and ‘90s romcoms.
• She laughs the hardest with her closest friends, especially her women’s improv group-turned-coven, Bombardo:

  “Those girls make me laugh really, really hard… all my funny friends.” (65:49–66:19)

• Amy observes that Aubrey’s humor and happiness come from her ability to tease and be teased, “a love language.”

13. Closure and Tribute (66:22–67:29)

• Amy thanks Aubrey and highlights the films Aubrey made with her late husband, Jeff Baena (The Little Hours, Life After Beth, Spin Me Round).
• She ends with a resource for those struggling emotionally, acknowledging the year Aubrey has faced with grace.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Grief:

  “At all times, there’s like a giant ocean of just awfulness that’s, like, right there… Sometimes I just want to, like, just dive into it, and sometimes I just want to get away from it… but it’s always there.”
  —Aubrey Plaza (11:52)

• On Comedy Discovery:

  “When you get your first laugh that you mean to get, it’s like becoming a vampire. You’re fully realized.”
  —Amy Poehler (19:17-19:31)

• On April’s Secret:

  “It’s a game of not showing anyone that I really care. Once I locked into that, it felt like there was no limit…”
  —Aubrey Plaza (36:14–36:43)

• On Witchcraft:

  “There’s something about cackling, I swear, that is, like, really therapeutic… It feels good for me.”
  —Aubrey Plaza (57:27–58:16)

• On Not Re-watching Parks and Rec:

  “I wouldn’t even know how… If it comes on in a hotel room, I literally throw something. I throw it.”
  —Aubrey Plaza (42:13-43:06)

• On Choosing Projects:

  “A lot of it has to do with what I feel like diving into energetically… I tend to really go there.”
  —Aubrey Plaza (58:54–59:08)

• On Friendship and Laughter:

  “The best thing that makes me laugh is just funny… all my funny friends.”
  —Aubrey Plaza (66:19)

Noteworthy Segments and Timestamps

• Opening and Margaret Qualley intro: 00:00–07:39
• Aubrey opens up about grief (The Gorge metaphor): 10:49–12:52
• Childhood in Delaware and stage debut: 14:37–19:17
• SNL page/intern stories: 24:23–28:39
• Landing Parks and meeting Amy: 29:43–35:18
• Developing April’s character: 35:59–36:49
• April/Andy romance and wedding episode: 37:07–41:02
• Not watching Parks and cast banter: 42:11–44:05
• Guest actors and pranks (Chris Bosh): 45:13–49:32
• Basketball passion: 49:33–51:34
• Witch persona, ancestry, and children’s books: 52:11–55:59
• Agatha and cackling: 57:09–58:16
• Selecting roles and working with iconic directors: 58:54–61:21
• Directing ambitions: 61:21–62:46
• Comfort movies & closest friends: 62:55–66:19

Tone and Content

The tone of the conversation remains playfully subversive, deadpan, and at times deeply sincere—matching the distinctive voice and persona of both Amy Poehler and Aubrey Plaza. There’s a ton of affectionate ribbing, camaraderie, and genuine warmth, especially as they reminisce about formative career moments and personal struggles.

Summary

This episode is a heartfelt, irreverent, and surprisingly intimate conversation between old friends and collaborators. Aubrey Plaza, at once mysterious and accessible, offers a rare, vulnerable look at her journey, her grief, her creative outlook, and her enduring friendships. For fans of Parks and Rec, Plaza’s film work, or the dynamic of comedians who can, as Amy remarks, “tease and be teased”—this episode is a joyfully weird and emotional tribute to finding humor and magic in all corners of life.