Aubrey Plazacan't wait to be a mom.
The "Parks and Recreation" star, 41, spoke abouther pregnancyfor the first time while appearing on the"SmartLess" podcastin an episode released in early access on April 13. She surprised hostsWill Arnett,Jason BatemanandSean Hayesby revealing during the interview, "There's a baby inside of me."
The three hosts were initially taken aback and seemed unsure if she was kidding, but they burst into applause when it became clear she was being serious. The episode was seemingly recorded before Plaza's pregnancy had been publicly reported.
"I know, it's shocking, isn't it?" she quipped, adding that she went to the doctor and received a scan earlier in the day. "I got an ultrasound on my stomach, and there is a baby in there. And it already has a cloak and a little hat," Plaza joked.
Aubrey Plaza rose to fame in 2009 for her breakthrough role as April on "Parks and Recreation." Since then, Plaza's deadpan expression and dry, witty humor continues to captivate viewers of her various television and film roles. Here, Plaza arrives for the screening of the film "Honey Don't!" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Aubrey Plaza attends the screening of "Parks and Recreation" at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre on May 19, 2010, in North Hollywood, California.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on July 27, 2010, in Hollywood.
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From left, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones and Amy Poehler arrive at the premiere of Jones' new film "Our Idiot Brother" in Hollywood, Aug. 16, 2011. The trio star in the TV comedy series "Parks and Recreation."
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Amy Poehler and Aubrey Plaza arrive at the premiere of Pantelion Films' "Casa De Mi Padre" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on March 14, 2012, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza and actor Jack McBrayer attend NBC's 80th page program anniversary celebration at Universal Studios Hollywood on Sept. 25, 2013, in Universal City, California. Before her fame, Plaza participated in NBCUniversal's page program.
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Aubrey Plaza poses during the 14th annual Young Hollywood Awards presented by Bing at Hollywood Athletic Club on June 14, 2012, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza and Lena Dunham attend the premiere Of Universal Pictures' "This Is 40" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Dec. 12, 2012, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives for the 2013 Vanity Fair Oscar party on Feb. 24, 2013, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives at the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on Sept. 22, 2013, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives on the red carpet for the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 12, 2014, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Aubrey Plaza and Amy Poehler attend 2014 American Comedy Awards at Hammerstein Ballroom on April 26, 2014, in New York City.
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Jeff Baena, left, and Plaza started dating in 2010 and were quietly married in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Jan. 3, 2025, 47-year-old Baena was found dead inside his Los Angeles home. The cause of death was later determined to be suicide. On Amy Poehler's podcast "Good Hang," Plaza compared her grief to the 2025 action horror film "The Gorge," in that "it's like at all times there's a giant ocean of just awfulness" that you see or dive into, or try and get away from. "It's just always there, and the monster people are trying to get me like Miles Teller."
Here, Baena and Plaza pose for a portrait during Sundance Next Fest at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on Aug. 8, 2014, in Los Angeles.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
Aubrey Plaza attends the 67th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 20, 2015, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza performs at Festival Supreme 2015 at The Shrine Auditorium on Oct. 10, 2015, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar party hosted by Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 28, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the NALIP 2016 Latino Media Awards at Dolby Theatre on June 25, 2016, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the premiere of 20th Century Fox's "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" at ArcLight Cinemas Cinerama Dome on June 29, 2016, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza walks the runway during the opening ceremony fashion show during New York Fashion Week at Jacob Javits Center on Sept. 11, 2016, in New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza is interviewed by host Jimmy Fallon as she visits "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" at Rockefeller Center on Aug. 7, 2017, in New York City.
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From left, Meredith Hagner, Wyatt Russell, Aubrey Plaza, Matt Spicer and Elizabeth Olsen attend the New York premiere of "Ingrid Goes West" at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on Aug. 8, 2017, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza speaks onstage during the 20th annual National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Awards Gala at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Feb. 23, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Aubrey Plaza, holding the award for best first feature for "Ingrid Goes West," poses in the press room during the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 3, 2018, in Santa Monica, California.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 24, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives for the PaleyFest presentation of NBC's "Parks and Recreation" 10th anniversary reunion at the Dolby Theatre on March 21, 2019, in Hollywood.
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Rob Lowe, Retta, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, Amy Poehler, Michael Shur, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza and Jim O'Heir attend the Paley Center For Media's 2019 PaleyFest LA - "Parks And Recreation" 10th anniversary reunion held at the Dolby Theatre on March 21, 2019, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 15, 2019, in Santa Monica, California.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the premiere of United Artists' release of "Child's Play" at ArcLight Hollywood on June 19, 2019, in Hollywood.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar party following the 92nd Oscars at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on Feb. 9, 2020.
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From left, Alison Brie, Sarayu Rao, Burl Moseley, Clea DuVall, Kristen Stewart, Mary Holland, Aubrey Plaza, BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon attend Hulu's "Happiest Season" drive-in premiere at The Grove on Nov. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards at The Grill Room on Nov. 10, 2021, in New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 2022 ESPYs at Dolby Theatre on July 20, 2022, in Hollywood.
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Filmmaker Aubrey Plaza poses for a photograph ahead of appearing onstage during Screen Talk at the 66th BFI London Film Festival at the Curzon Soho on Oct. 10, 2022, in London.
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From left, Adam DiMarco, Aubrey Plaza and Haley Lu Richardson attend the Los Angeles Season 2 premiere of HBO's original series "The White Lotus" at Goya Studios on Oct. 20, 2022.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on Dec. 11, 2022, in New York City.
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From left, Will Sharpe and Aubrey Plaza, winners of the outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series for "The White Lotus," pose in the press room during the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on Feb. 26, 2023, in Los Angeles.
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Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott attend "Danny And The Deep Blue Sea" opening night at Lucille Lortel Theatre on Nov. 13, 2023, in New York City. Plaza confirmed in 2026 that she is pregnant with her first child, with partner Chris Abbott.
The "Parks and Recreation" alum and her "Black Bear" costar have not publicly confirmed their relationship, however a rep for Plaza confirmed to People that the couple is expecting.
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Aubrey Plaza attends The 2023 Met Gala celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023, in New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives for the 75th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 2024.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the "Megalopolis" red carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2024, in Cannes, France.
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From left, Aubrey Plaza, director Francis Ford Coppola and Nathalie Emmanuel attend the "Megalopolis" photocall at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2024, in Cannes, France.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the New York special screening of Amazon Studios' "My Old Ass" at The William Vale on Sept. 12, 2024, in New York City.
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From left, Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza attend the launch event for Marvel Television's "Agatha All Along" at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Sept. 16, 2024.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the "Megalopolis" premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Sept. 23, 2024, in New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza arrives for the 4th Annual Academy Museum Gala at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, Oct. 19, 2024.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the WSJ. Magazine 2024 Innovator Awards on Oct. 29, 2024, in New York City.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the "Honey Don't" New York screening at Metrograph on Aug. 13, 2025, in New York City.
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Delawareans Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza appear at a book reading and signing for their "The Return of the Christmas Witch" at Rockwood Museum on Dec. 22, 2022, in Wilmington, Delaware.
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Aubrey Plaza attends the Lacoste womenswear fall/winter 2026-2027 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 8, 2026, in Paris.
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See Aubrey Plaza's career in photos, from 'Parks and Recreation' to now
Aubrey Plazarose to fame in 2009 for her breakthrough role as April on "Parks and Recreation." Since then, Plaza's deadpan expression and dry, witty humor continues to captivate viewers of her various television and film roles.Here, Plaza arrives for the screening of the film "Honey Don't!" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025.
On a serious note, Plaza expressed her excitement to be a first-time mom.
Aubrey Plazais pregnant with her first baby, with partner Chris Abbott
"I've always wanted to see what that's all about, you know?" she said. "It just seems so interesting."
The comments come after a representative for Plazatold Peoplein an article published April 7 that the actress is expecting a child with her partner Christopher Abbott. The pair have not publicly confirmed that they are in a relationship, but they both previously worked together on the off-Broadway revival of "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea" and the 2020 movie "Black Bear."
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Plaza was previously married to screenwriter and directorJeff Baena, who died by suicide in January 2025. He was 47. Baena and Plaza wereseparated for four monthsat the time of his death, according to the medical examiner's investigative summary report.
Aubrey Plazasays grief over husband Jeff Baena's death is 'a giant ocean of awfulness'
Plaza brought up her pregnancy on "SmartLess" after a discussion about the stroke she suffered when she was 20. She speculated the stroke was caused by the birth control she was taking at the time, and when Hayes asked if she would ever take the birth control now, she chuckled and took a pause before dropping the pregnancy news.
Plaza previously reflected on her grief over Baena's death inan appearance on Amy Poehler's "Good Hang" podcast in 2025. At the time, she described grief as a "giant ocean of just awfulness."
"Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you," Plaza told Poehler. "I'm here and I'm functioning and I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I'm OK, but it's a daily struggle, obviously."
Suicide Lifeline: If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 any time, day or night, or chat online.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Aubrey Plaza pregnant, discusses news for the first time
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