Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) star Chris Pratt is welcoming Aubrey Plaza to the MCU with open arms. But who is Plaza playing, and what significance will her character have on the rest of the franchise?
As many fans know, Plaza and Pratt starred alongside each other on the hit workplace comedy Parks and Recreation for seven seasons. In the show, the actors played husband-and-wife duo, April Ludgate and Andy Dwyer, with their unlikely relationship being a highlight of the show for many.
Coming on the heels of Parks and Recreation‘s finale, Pratt was cast as Peter Quill/Star-Lord for the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) installment. Directed by James Gunn, the movie turned out to be an unexpected box office sensation, skyrocketing Pratt to new heights of fame he hadn’t previously achieved in TV. Pratt got shredded for the role, losing over 60 pounds in six months.
A handful of Guardians projects and a couple of Avengers movies later, Pratt attributed his casting in Guardians to changing his life for the better, saying, “my entire life is different now because of Marvel, because of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It did change my life in such a way that I’ve been going nonstop ever since.”
Pratt hasn’t been shy about showing his love for the MCU. Because of this, it’s no surprise that he had nothing short of an enthusiastic reaction when he learned that his Parks and Recreation co-star, Plaza, had been cast in the upcoming Wandavision spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos.
While sitting down with Rolling Stone, Pratt shared his initial reaction to the news, which he had just learned during the same interview. The MCU veteran described Plaza’s casting as a “full circle moment” and hyped up her Emmy Award-nominated performance in HBO’s The White Lotus:
That is full circle. I love that! She’s having such an amazing moment right now, which makes me really thrilled… She’s so unique and talented and special. It’s just great that the the rest of the world is waking up to that. She was awesome in White Lotus, and Emily the Criminal was great. And I think she’ll show that it’s perfect for her to be playing a witch in a coven for Marvel.
Even though news of Plaza joining the MCU certainly is news to celebrate, who exactly she’ll be playing in Agatha: Coven of Chaos remains a mystery. Although Pratt seems to be under the impression that Plaza will play a witch alongside Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), her character has yet to be confirmed (though it is a safe bet). Plaza previously expressed her utter joy for the role in a November 2022 episode of In The Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, saying in classic, candid Aubrey Plaza fashion: “I’m really just interested to work with Kathryn Hahn.” Plaza considers Hahn a friend after the pair met while filming a 2012 episode of Parks and Recreation, and she’s clearly been itching to act alongside Hahn since.
As of now, Agatha: Coven of Chaos is slated to premiere on Disney+ in late 2023 or early 2024, with production supposedly starting soon. However, this could be pushed back to 2025 after a report surfaced claiming the show was postponed due to “story reasons.” Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see how involved Plaza’s character is in the story and if we’ll potentially get to see her in future MCU projects. But one thing’s for sure: Chris Pratt will be there to cheer her on.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in-theaters on May 5, 2023.
Are you excited to see Aubrey Plaza make her MCU debut? Share your thoughts on this and Chris Pratt’s heartwarming reaction to her casting in the comments below.