“Wow, she’s incredibly talented,” filmmaker Ethan Coen remarked upon first seeing Aubrey Plaza in the 2022 suspense film Emily the Criminal. His wife, Tricia Cooke, who co-wrote 2024’s Drive-Away Dolls, echoed this thought: “We immediately thought, ‘We need more of her,’” she shared with Vogue during a phone conversation.
When they collaborated again, for this summer’s dark comedy Honey Don’t!, they cast Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue, a feisty small-town detective. Plaza took on the role of MG Falcone, a surly police officer and Honey’s love interest.
“I genuinely felt this was the best experience I’ve ever had on a movie set,” Plaza, an avid fan of the Coen Brothers, recounted to Vogue in a separate chat. “I just completely fell for Ethan and the opportunity to work with him.”
Aubrey Plaza, Ethan Coen, and Margaret Qualley at a photo-call for Honey Don’t! at the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Getty Images
After filming wrapped, Coen quietly approached Plaza with another script—this one for a play. “I told him, ‘I’ll read anything or do whatever you ask,’” Plaza recalled. “I devoured it that night in my little Airbnb, laughing so hard that tears streamed down my face.”
Let’s Love!, directed by Neil Pepe, begins at the Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theatre on October 15. Plaza portrays Susan, a foul-mouthed, disillusioned woman in her 40s navigating a series of interconnected one-acts. She describes the play as “a genuine free-for-all.” A short list of its themes includes infidelity, sexuality, a character with unconventional desires, vomiting, and explicit discussions. “There’s commentary on toxic masculinity,” Plaza explains. “Susan almost embodies toxic femininity. It’s something I haven’t witnessed often. Women aren’t typically represented as sexual aggressors against men these days.”
Coen expressed some reservations about certain outrageous elements in the script. “You wonder if people will leave during the show,” he noted. “Ideally, we want a connection with the audience. If they don’t like it, that’s their problem, but it’s definitely more fun when the audience is engaged.” He credits Plaza for the audience’s current willingness to stay. “It’s not something that everyone can pull off. Why does she manage it? It’s because she owns it and doesn’t shy away from it, which would be fatal,” he remarked.
Noah Robbins (as Howie) and Plaza in Let’s Love!.
Ahron R. Foster
Let’s Love! marks Plaza’s return to the stage after her debut in 2023 alongside Christopher Abbott in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at the Lucille Lortel. This also symbolizes her first performance since the passing of her husband, Jeff Baena, in January. “I’m finding it really challenging to engage in anything right now,” she shared. “I haven’t taken on any work this year, which is not like me at all. After working tirelessly for 15 years, I wanted to approach my next project with the utmost care. Being around people I love and trust, like Ethan, felt comforting. My aim for this experience was to find laughter and joy.”
Her character’s uninhibited persona was part of the appeal. “It provides me a way to express myself loudly and physically, which I normally don’t do in my everyday life,” Plaza explained. “I channel it through my work on screen or stage. It’s incredibly therapeutic for me.”
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The cast of Let’s Love!. Back row, from left: Plaza, Dylan Gelula, Chris Bauer. Front row, from left: CJ Wilson (seated on the floor), Mary Wiseman, Nellie McKay, Mary McCann, Robbins, and Dion Graham.
Photo: Spencer Heyfron
But the creative adventure of Let’s Love! wasn’t solely restricted to acting. In the first week of rehearsals, Coen approached Plaza about her musical skills. Plaza revealed she had played the saxophone since childhood, but hadn’t touched it recently. “He responded, ‘That’s fantastic! We’re incorporating a musical number,’” Plaza recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh no, I didn’t agree to that.’”
However, Plaza rose to the occasion, and her saxophone makes an appearance in the play’s finale. “I really need to get it tuned up,” she admits. “It’s been around since 1993. It’s ancient. I literally had to wipe off the dust.”
Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Plaza moved to New York in the early 2000s to study at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After spending several years in Los Angeles, she is pleased to be back in her “home” and reacquainting herself with the city’s quirks. “New York is a peculiar place; when things are looking up, it feels magical… like you’re in a Nora Ephron film, enjoying the scenery. Yet on bad days, you’re suddenly aware of rats scurrying and garbage piling up, questioning, ‘What’s going on with this city?’”
For now, however, Plaza is happy to remain in the city. Her family mostly resides in Philadelphia and Delaware, and she enjoys the convenience of being just a train ride away. She and Coen also have another project tentatively in the pipeline, involving Qualley and Cooke once more. Coen emphasizes that Plaza’s talent is just one of many reasons he enjoys working with her. “I just genuinely like her. It’s only natural to want to collaborate with those you appreciate spending time with.”
While Coen refrains from seeking deeper meanings in his work, Plaza is more open about her perspective. “I find Let’s Love! to be deceptively profound,” she stated. “There’s something quite substantial beneath the surface. It serves as a reminder that we’re all wandering through life, attempting to make sense of it all. Love is complex; it can manifest in various ways and can either deteriorate or blossom. Ultimately, it might be all we truly possess, perhaps elucidating the reason for our existence.”
Let’s Love! will be running until November 22.
