‘Dirty Grandpa’ Star Aubrey Plaza Compares Her Interests To An ‘Older Gay Man’s’ Tastes

Aubrey Plaza finished up seven seasons on Parks and Recreation by turning her attention to the big screen with two films in which she co-starred alongside actor Zac Efron. The news that she was working with Zac has only endeared her that much more to her gay friends, says Plaza. She also reveals that her own LGBT following his increased, as her tastes are revealed to match those interests shared by many older gay men. Plaza keeps a sense of humor about it, sharing that same feel for comic relief that got her cast in Dirty Grandpa and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.

Dirty Grandpa Star Aubrey Plaza Shares Some Common Interests With Older Gay Men

The Advocate points out that Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is the second film to team Aubrey up with Zac Efron, which is something the actress’ friends couldn’t be happier about. Plaza reveals that she sends texts to her gay friends with pictures of a shirtless Efron attached, knowing that her friends are really into Efron. Aubrey confesses to feeling something for the Dirty Grandpa actor as well, revealing that she finds him to be as friendly as he is attractive.

The discussion of objectifying Efron led Aubrey to open up about her own experiences with the LGBT community and the large following she has amassed within that community, which Plaza attributes to her unusual tastes in entertainment.

“I feel like I operate in an old-school way that only gays truly understand. So for me it’s the ultimate compliment,” says Ms. Plaza. “My tastes are like an older gay man’s, and I think that’s who I really am. Like, I grew up obsessed with Judy Garland, and I was also obsessed with how much she meant to her following.”

Aubrey says the gay community took her in and treated her well at a young age. She says she was enrolled in a strict all-girl Catholic school and that she found the local community theater was her only outlet for self-expression, so she began spending much of her spare time at the theater. The Wilmington Drama League in Delaware was also a favorite haunt for the local gay community, says Plaza, and it wasn’t long before she had amassed a large circle of gay friends.

Aubrey Plaza Becomes A Personal Butt Consultant On The Set Of Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates

In Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, there comes a scene in which Sugar Lyn Beard’s character gets a butt treatment from a comical masseuse, played by Kumail Nanjiani, and one of the things that make this scene stand out centers around the seemingly perfect contour of Beard’s butt. While the Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates actress was dedicated to a fitness program designed to keep her buttocks in a well-rounded shape, Aubrey Plaza reveals that she couldn’t resist passing on frequent pointers to her co-star.

“I was on set that day,” Ms. Plaza told The Wrap. “I wasn’t shooting, but I was doing some behind the scenes stuff. And I kept running over and messing with Sug when she was naked on the table, and I kept telling her, ‘Your butt looks good.’ And ‘Elevate it.'”

Aubrey also reveals that Beard’s form had a little extra help. Ms. Plaza spilled the secret that Sugar Lyn achieved the perfect arch of her back with the help of a well-placed pillow.

Below is the red band trailer:

Of her own character, Plaza says she may be a total screw up and she may even start out with selfish motives, but, when it comes right down to it, her Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates character is well-intentioned.

“[My] character is totally insane and so fun and is totally f—ing s— up,” Plaza said. “But it’s all in the name of friendship, and she has a heart of gold.”

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates hits theaters on July 8.

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]