Aubrey Plaza: Deadpan, Dark Humor, and Disney+
TL;DR: Aubrey Plaza has officially moved from "sarcastic intern" to "Marvel antagonist" and "gritty indie lead." While she has some great entry points for kids (like Monsters at Work), her recent 2025 and 2026 projects are a minefield of R-rated "adult animation" and dark dramas. If your kid is asking to see the "new animal movie" with her in it this June, proceed with extreme caution.
Quick Guide Links:
- Best for Little Kids: Monsters at Work
- Best for Tweens/Teens: Parks and Recreation and Agatha All Along
- Parents Only: Megalopolis and Honey Don’t!
If you’ve spent any time on the internet in the last decade, you know the vibe. It’s the "I don't want to be here" stare, the monotone delivery, and the dry-as-a-bone wit. For parents, she’s forever April Ludgate. For Gen Z and Alpha, she’s a meme queen and, more recently, a formidable witch in the MCU.
The challenge for us is that Aubrey’s career is currently splitting in two directions. One path leads to Disney+ and family-friendly voice acting; the other leads to "prestige" adult content that is—to put it mildly—very intense. As of February 2026, she’s starring in a new Netflix crime comedy and has two major animated movies coming this spring. One is a sweet story about an aardvark; the other is a vulgar road-trip movie that will definitely require a "that’s not for you" conversation.
Aubrey doesn't do "bubbly," but she does "weird" very well, which actually works great for animated side characters.
She voices Claire Wheeler, the Goth-leaning president of the Oozma Kappa sisterhood. It’s essentially "April Ludgate as a monster," and it’s completely safe. If your kids are into the Monsters Inc. universe, this is the easiest way to introduce them to her style without any "brain rot" concerns.
Coming April 30, 2026. Aubrey voices a "sagacious spider" named Brain. This is a genuine family adventure-comedy. It’s the "safe" animated pick for this year, focusing on themes of unity and leadership. If they see her name on a poster this spring, this is likely the one you want.
This is where Aubrey Plaza really shines. Her brand of cynicism is like catnip for 14-year-olds who are starting to realize the world is a little bit absurd.
This was her big entry into the Marvel world. She plays Rio Vidal, and while it’s rated TV-14, parents should know it’s a bit spookier and "edgier" than your average Marvel movie. There’s some suggestive dialogue and some "witchy" horror elements (hallucinations, possession). It’s great for the Wednesday crowd, but maybe not for kids who still get nightmares from Stranger Things.
The gold standard. If you want to watch something with your teen that actually holds up, this is it. Her character’s growth from a lazy intern to a capable adult is actually a pretty decent (if sarcastic) roadmap for adolescence.
If your teen is into anime or the original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, this series is a stylized, high-energy pick. It’s rated TV-MA mainly for language, but for most 15+ kids, it’s well within their comfort zone.
This is the most important part of the guide for 2026. Because Aubrey does a lot of voice work, it’s easy to assume any "cartoon" with her name on it is fine. It is not.
Coming June 5, 2026. Do not let the title fool you. This is an R-rated "road trip comedy" hybrid of live-action and animation. Think Sausage Party or Strays vibes—lots of vulgarity, drug references, and adult humor. It stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Momoa alongside Aubrey. If your 10-year-old sees a trailer with a talking bear and a pony, they’re going to want to go. You’re going to have to say no.
Just hit Netflix in early February 2026. This is an Ethan Coen dark comedy. It’s R-rated, neo-noir, and features a "cult-like church" and a sleazy preacher. It’s fantastic for adults who like the Coen brothers' style, but it’s definitely not a family movie night pick.
An animated show about the daughter of Satan. It’s very funny, very dark, and very adult. It’s basically the opposite of Disney+.
In the last two years, Aubrey has moved into much heavier territory. If your older teen is a fan, they might stumble upon:
- Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola’s 2024 epic. It’s R-rated and features Aubrey in a very "adult" role (Wow Platinum) with significant sexual content and a "godless" worldview.
- Emily the Criminal: A gritty thriller about credit card fraud and student debt. It’s a great movie, but it’s stressful and features quite a bit of violence.
- My Old Ass: This one is interesting for parents of older teens (17+). It involves a girl taking mushrooms and meeting her future self (Aubrey). While the drug use is the catalyst, it’s actually a very sweet, emotional movie about growing up. It’s a "talk about it" movie for high school seniors.
If your kid is obsessed with Aubrey Plaza (likely because of her deadpan TikTok clips or her Marvel role), use it as a bridge to talk about media literacy and ratings.
You can say: "I know you love her in Agatha, but she’s an actor who does a lot of 'Adult Swim' style stuff, too. That new 'Animal Friends' movie is basically a R-rated comedy that looks like a cartoon. Let's check the Screenwise guide before we buy tickets."
Aubrey Plaza is a legend for a reason, but her 2026 filmography is a tale of two cities.
- Check the rating twice. This year, she has one animated movie for kids (The Ark and the Aardvark) and one animated movie that is strictly for adults (Animal Friends).
- Stick to the classics for tweens. Parks and Recreation remains the best way to enjoy her humor as a family.
- Enjoy the "Parents Only" stuff. If you have a night off, Honey Don’t! on Netflix is a weird, wild ride that you don't have to share with the kids.
Next Steps: If you're looking for more "deadpan" comedy that's actually safe for the middle school crowd, check out our guide to the best dry humor shows for tweens.