It's been just over two years since fans bid adieu to the quirky yet endearing employees of Parks and Recreation, but it still stings a little not having a weekly dose of Leslie, Ron, and the rest of the Pawnee, Indiana crew. Fortunately, the show's cast members still hang out in real life, and based on this Parks and Recreation reunion photo, their characters are still very much a part of them.
On Thursday, Rashida Jones, who played the lovable Ann Perkins, posted an Instagram snapshot of her, Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope), Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford), and Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate) hanging out. "#TBT to last month with this crew. #parks4life," she captioned the picture.
And they all just so happen to be sporting facial expressions that perfectly encapsulate their former roles. Jones and Poehler are grinning like cheerful BFFs; Ansari is overly excited, his mouth agape; and Plaza is flaunting one of those smug half-smiles that only April could pull off.
Absent from the photo are Rob Lowe (Chris Traeger), Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer), Retta (Donna Meagle), Jim O’Heir (Jerry Gergich), Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt), and Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson), but they were almost certainly there in spirit. Just last December, Pratt told Entertainment Weekly that they all still talk "almost every day."
They've each since gone on to tackle new (but equally brilliant) endeavors: Jones leads Angie Tribeca; Plaza stars on Legion; Pratt is a bona fide movie star; Ansari has a mega-successful Netflix series, Master of None; and Poehler has a whole trove of projects in rotation.
But it's always good to know that their Parks and Rec characters are still living vicariously through them, and who knows, maybe one day Pawnee, Indiana will rise again.
Editor's Note: On Jan. 13, Ansari was accused of sexual misconduct by a woman who went on a date with him. Ansari has since responded to the claims, saying:
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.
The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed okay,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.
I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue."
