Top 10 Parks and Recreation Stars: Where Are They Now?

April Ludgate was the youngest and most cynical member of the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation team, known for her dark sense of humor and distinct disinterest in work. Since the Parks and Recs. Dept. closed its doors for the last time in 2015, actress Aubrey Plaza has worked on television in shows like “Drunk History” and “Legion,” and in a number of films. In June 2019, she will be taking on the role of Karen Barclay in the “Child’s Play” reboot, a role that April would surely be pleased with.

Jerry (or Gary or Larry...) Gergich was the bumbling co-worker who everyone loved to pick on as much as he loved his otherwise perfect life. Jim O’Heir has been acting since the mid-80s, with appearances on a broad range of shows, including “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” His 122-episode stint as Jerry did not slow his record, either. Since the show wrapped, he has worked on multiple TV shows, including “Veep,” ‘Brooklyn-Nine-Nine,” “Speechless,” and “Bill Nye Saves the World.”

The suave, ever-confident even in cringe co-worker, Tom Haverford was the big dreamer of the crew. Aziz Ansari’s career took off during and immediately after the end of “Parks and Recreation,” hosting “Saturday Night Live,” writing the book “Modern Romance” (which explores the joys and perils of dating in the 21st Century), and co-creating the Netflix hit “Master of None” for which he won a Golden Globe for acting and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writer. Things turned south in 2018 when Ansari was named in an essay alleging sexual misconduct at the height of the #MeToo movement. While initially defensive, as of February 2019 Ansari seems to be taking a more thoughtful approach as he works on new stand-up material.

Donna Meagle is too cool for school, and with her help the world has awoken to the indulgent joys of “Treat yo self.” Retta has gone on to have a starring role as Ruby Hill in the NBC crime comedy-drama “Good Girls,” as well as other TV shows like “Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce,” and “Pinky Malinky.” In film, she lent her voice to Maggie the Cheerleader in “The Lego Ninjago Movie,” and like former castmate and fellow stand-up comedian Aziz Ansari, she has penned a book. Her memoir, “So Close to Being the Sh*T, Y'all Don't Even Know,” which chronicles her rise from a pre-med student and chemist to following her comedic passion to Hollywood, was published by St. Martin's Press in May 2018.

The incredibly healthy Chris Traeger was lit-erally the most positive boss in television history. Rob Lowe brought Chris’s unstoppable energy to life, and just like his on-screen counterpart he never seems to slow down. Working consistently since rising to fame as one of the original Brat Packer in the ‘80s, he continues to work primarily in television. In 2017, he embarked on a show with his two sons in"The Lowe Files" wherein the father-sons trio travel the USA to sites of famous unsolved mysteries. As of 2019, he became the host and producer of Fox game show “Mental Samurai.”

Oh, Ann, you poetic and noble land-mermaid. Best friend, nurse, girlfriend, and finally baby momma, Ms. Perkins had many sides. Rashida Jones left the show a season before the final seventh (though reappeared occasionally). Along with working with Amy Poehler again in Pixar’s 2015 hit “Inside Out,” she has lent her voice talents to 2018’s “The Grinch.” In television, she stars in the titular role in “Angie Tribeca,” an irreverent police comedy created by Steve and Nancy Carell. As of 2017, she became the spokeswoman of Almay cosmetics, and in 2018 she co- wrote and directed “Quincy,” a documentary about her father, the music and film producing legend Quincy Jones.

Leslie's rival turned love interest, Ben Wyatt may not have understood Li’l Sebastian’s appeal, but he eventually understood what made Pawnee great. Since Parks and Rec. came to an end, actor Adam Scott has been very busy. His films have since included Christmas nightmare “Krampus,” and a role as himself in “The Disaster Artist.” But it’s the small screen where he’s really taken over. With roles on “Veep,” “The Good Place,” “Big Little Lies,” and Jordan Peele’s “The Twilight Zone,” he’s had a consistently shining spot in this new golden age of television.

When starring as loveable goofball Andy Dwyer, Chris Pratt was a relative unknown. He’s since ditched his schlubbypersona, however, totally reinventing himself since being cast as Peter “Star-Lord” Quill in 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” There doesn’t seem to be any going back to the small-screen, as Chris Pratt is now a bonafide movie star, getting his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April of 2017. Other than his MCU outings, in 2015 Pratt was the male lead in the new “Jurassic World” franchise, and in 2016 co-starred alongside Jennifer Lawrence in the sci-fi drama “Passengers.” Announcing his engagement to Katherine Schwarzenegger in early 2019, he’s certainly come a long way from little Pawnee.

Ron Swanson was the meat-loving self-proclaimed libertarian with a heart of gold. While Nick Offerman has several times reminded fans that he is not in fact like Ron, he and his on-screen counterpart do share a great passion for carpentry, and these days he runs the Offerman Woodshop, a collective of woodworkers in LA. When not in the shop, celebrating his incredible wife Megan Mullally (aka Tammy II), XREF or making the GREATEST Christmas Yule Log video of all time, he’s written several books, been in multiple films both animated and live-action, and co-hosts “Making It” with Amy Poehler as of 2018.

The enthusiastic and high-achieving Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, Leslie Knope was the heart and soul of the show. The incomparable Amy Poehler who brought her to life seems to be just as passionate and encouraging in real life as she was in-show. Aside from her work in films like “Inside Out” and “Sisters,” Poehler has spent an increasing amount of time behind the camera as a writer, creator, and producer. “Russian Doll,” which premiered on Netflix in early 2019, was an instant hit. She continues to be one of the most influential women in Hollywood today.