Backstage – There’s a seriousness to everything Aubrey Plaza does. You may not notice it at first, especially since she’s known for her specific brand of off-kilter humor. But in talking about one of her latest films, the social media satire “Ingrid Goes West,” the Wilmington, Delaware–born actor half-joked that she had moments on set where she thought to herself, I’ll cut my arm off! I’ll do anything!, to nail whatever scene she was shooting. That’s the candid confession of an actor who doesn’t take any role she plays lightly, no matter how lighthearted the role may seem.
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Plaza first knew she wanted to become a performer at age 12 when she saw the USO-themed musical “For the Boys.” “I remember seeing that and thinking, I’m gonna be a performer like Bette Midler.” It pushed her to become heavily involved in community theater at the Wilmington Drama League, but it would take years before she’d be able to make that initial fantasy of being an actor feel attainable. Part of it had to do with her parents, who valued her education and wouldn’t condone her skipping school to head to New York for auditions like her then-boyfriend (and eventual Tony winner) John Gallagher Jr. did.