Does actress, Aubrey Plaza have Autism Spectrum Disorder?

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You may have never heard of this actress. I originally saw Aubrey Plaza when I was stumbled upon a CollegeHumor video titled "Anti-Drug Dog". I never would have guessed she would have Aspergers just judging from the video. later I saw the girl on "Parks and Recreation". A fairly new show staring Amy Poehler from SNL. Again, I couldn't tell that she would have Aspergers from her role in the T.V. show.

What really started me thinking was her interview with Carson Daily on late night NBC. Not sure what the interview was regarding; it may have been about the movie, "Funny People" which she stared in, or possibly the recent film, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World". To me, she seemed to portray Autistic characteristics, which I personally express (when in public), and have seen others express. Recently I saw her as one of the guests on "The Tonight Show" due to her role as "Julie Powers" in Scott Pilgrim, and it seemed to reassure my theory. I have clips from the interview below.

Below is a link to a page that shows two video clips from the Jay Leno interview (NBC.com). You will have to scroll down a little bit before you will see the two video clips.

Tonight Show interview clips:

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/l ... jtAqSuivRK


Does Aubrey Plaza appear to have Autism, or am I just full of myself? You decide.

I can't really tell after seeing just a few videos.

Heh interesting enough, I thought that her character in Scott Pilgrim Vs the World exhibited signs of Asperger's. Hard to tell though since going on The Tonight Show isn't a normal everyday social experience.

In my opinion there seems to be a difference between someone who is portraying nervousness and someone who is portraying actions similar to her. Those two clips might not have been long enough to prove anything. I watched a full 20 minute interview with Jay Leno, and Carson Daly, as well as multiple Red Carpet interviews.

She seems to act in a different way that most, and i've seen a lot of "nervous" interviews, and this seems different. P.S. I never thought the guy from "Twilight" had Aspergers (within the movie).

XFeralLynX wrote:

MONIQUEIJ wrote:

I can't really tell after seeing just a few videos.

Yeah, I know. But did you watch both of the NBC video clips? They can still give you a pretty good idea.

I saw the interview in its entirety of course, so maybe I just find it easier.

She did seem a little nervous, but that could of been a result of having to give a interview.
but it is a chance should could have a social disability. a lot of people here thinks Stewart have aspergers. ( balla form twilight). but a lot of famous people keep stuff under the covers so we may never know.

I went ahead and voted "Yes" since the question you posed asks if she APPEARS to have Asperger's, and based on her Tonight Show appearance there seemed to be signs. However, your use of the word "portrayal" is interesting, because she is an actress after all, and maybe part of her "act" on shows like these is to be intentionally awkward? To PORTRAY a character who is "quirky"? Sort of akin to how Paul Reubens goes into his Pee Wee Herman act. It would be interesting to see how she behaves in everyday situations.

I thought that it might be an act, but I noticed in other interviews (mostly Red Carpet Interviews) that she "APPEARS" (No insult intended) to be trying hard to fit in with the social norm, but still struggles a bit. Not in a comedic way, but in a way that someone with Autism would. But hey, maybe she's just very bad at it, or perhaps that would make her good at it. By the way, I assume none of us are sure if she has ASD or not, so I just want an opinion on the matter.

In an interview like this you mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM3Y-A3ka8k

As noisy and chaotic a situation as that might be I think she handles herself very well and doesn't seem out of place at all.


Let's get some feedback from imdb users who likely have no affiliation with wrongplanet:

"The "awkward-to-the-max, deadpan hipster" thing is totally her shtick. I also saw the Leno interview, and she was STRUGGLING really NOT to smile or laugh, because it would "ruin it". I'm like - give it a rest already and loosen up."

"Yeah, it was obvious. I think she was thinking someone she hates with a passion to hold herself. I could see the emotions coming and going. "

"Hilarious the people who either

a. don't realize she is acting
b. have no sense of humor"


I'm not ruling out the possibility of her having Asperger's, and again I voted Yes just based on how you worded the question (just as I would if you asked me if Claire Danes appears to have an autism spectrum disorder based on how she is in Temple Grandin).... but the lady stars on a primetime NBC sitcom as well as a major feature film. That's not to say it would be impossible for someone with AS to pull this off, but she definitely has more social savvy than she lets on in the Leno interview. She is purposely trying to build up the tension with Howie Mandel for example when she barely responds to him. Sort of reminds me a bit of Joaquin Phoenix's time on Letterman last year.

She is educated in acting and has been performing in improv and sketch comedy since 2004. Could someone with Asperger's do that? She is putting on a quirky, deadpan persona on talk shows for laughs. Good actors can be anyone they want.

Well, when I first saw her on a late night talk show, I noticed it right away -- and thought, "ohmygosh, she has to be an Aspie!" Then I watched more videos of her -- because I instantly became a fan -- and started to question if it was just an act, and she also started to strike me as a bit pretentious in her pursuit to so consistently carry on with this persona... but considering how much her lifestyle would naturally modify the Aspie social/personality difficulties, I really do think she has it. Definitely. Perhaps her lifestyle is causing her to assimilate to society so quickly that she's afraid she'll lose her uniqueness, so this seemingly desperate attempt to withhold laughter, and traits that are considered normal, could be her attempt at not conforming. Isn't this typical of an Aspie to respond this way?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pNRm-7i ... re=related

In this video after 5:10 she says that she had a stroke.

[Moved from Autism Politics, Activism, and Media Representation to Random Discussion]

Good necropost!