Delaware actor Aubrey Plaza’s career in 59 seconds
Here’s a snapshot of Delaware A-list actor Aubrey Plaza’s career in 59 seconds.
With the Eagles’ failure to go the distance this year, for some fans, ads during Sunday’s broadcast may prove more fun than the matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
After all, who doesn’t love tuning in and having good debate over which commercial steals the show and which ones fumble?
In 2024 and 2025, Delaware had an extra reason to watch the commercials, as A-list celeb Aubrey Plaza, who won our 2025 Most Famous Delawarean poll, was featured in ads for Mountain Dew and Ritz Crackers, respectively.
Alas, unless the Wilmington native shows up in a cameo, or is pulled up on stage by Bad Bunny, we aren’t expecting to see Aubrey between quarters of Super Bowl LX. (She’s an Eagles fan, so maybe she will be home rewatching ’25 highlights.)
As we feel wistful for Super Bowls past, here’s a look back at Aubrey’s connection the big game:
Aubrey Plaza gets salty for Ritz
Last year, while the Philadelphia Eagles reigned supreme, Aubrey Plaza represented Small Wonder when she starred with Bad Bunny and Michael Shannon in a Ritz commercial.
For Shannon, an Oscar-nominated actor who has appeared in “The Flash” and “Boardwalk Empire,” it was his first commercial. As for Bad Bunny, it was his first Super Bowl ad. The hip-hop artist is taking it up a notch in ’26 as a featured performer at this year’s halftime show.
The commercial was filmed on Nov. 20, 2024, in Brooklyn and also marked Ritz’s Super Bowl commercial debut.
Inside the Salty Club
In “Ritz Salty Club,” Plaza, an Ursuline Academy grad, and Shannon bicker over who is saltier.
Plaza, of course, has built an entire career on her dry humor and quick smackdowns. And The Salty Club is filled with people who aren’t exactly rays of sunshine.
At one point, the “Parks and Recreation” and “White Lotus” star refers to herself as “the human version of Monday.” Shannon says that when he smiles, “people assume it’s a glitch.”
When Bad Bunny appears and professes his love for Ritz crackers, Shannon scolds him and points to a sign that says, “No smiles allowed.” Plaza warns that his jovial spirit could get them kicked out of the club.
“So?” the artist, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, asks while lowering his sunglasses. His attitude change is welcomed by Plaza.
Speaking to USA TODAY on set, both actors seemed right at home with their salty alter egos.
“I like to just slip it right in, one bite, almost swallow it,” Plaza says in response to a question about how she prefers to eat a Ritz cracker. “I like when someone frisbees it into my mouth.”
Do either of them watch the Super Bowl?
“I reenact it as it’s happening,” Shannon deadpans. “I watch the plays and then I play out all the positions.”
Plaza is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, so no word on whether she will be tuning in this year.
The actor is no stranger to sporting events. That same summer, she was shown on the scoreboard during the WNBA finals, sitting courtside and reading what appeared to be a novel.
“I find it soothing to read courtside during WNBA games. I retain more information,” she explains of the incident with a straight face. “I always used to do homework with the TV on. It’s like that, kind of.”
“I just hope we boost the sales of the crackers,” the actor insists. “What matters is, ‘How many boxes of Ritz crackers do they sell?'”
While Shannon concerned himself with the sales, Plaza was doing the selling.
“I’ve eaten about 20 crackers and they’re still good,” she says. “They’re so buttery and salty and they remind me of my childhood.”
This year, Ritz went with Jon Hamm, Scarlett Johansson and Bowen Yang.
Aubrey Plaza had a Baja Blast repping for Mountain Dew
It’s like Aubrey Plaza somehow got her name submitted to the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
In a 2024 Super Bowl ad by Mountain Dew/PepsiCo., the A-list actress from Delaware rides like Harry Potter on the back of a fire-spewing dragon.
In a portion of the Mountain Dew Baja Blast commercial, Plaza, wearing medieval clothing and long braids, “is having a blast” riding atop the fire-spewing creature with a very familiar companion riding alongside.
An early clip of the commercial ends with Mountain Dew promising that Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs is “going to be a blast.’
Super Bowl commercial unites Aubrey Plaza with ‘Parks & Rec’ co-star
Plaza, who is a graduate of Ursuline Academy and veteran of Wilmington Drama League, got her big break starring as April Ludgate on the long-running, award-winning sitcom “Parks & Recreation” alongside Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe and Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, among others.
The Mountain Dew commercial shows Plaza in various less-than-exciting situations, still “having a blast”: getting hit on the noggin with pool noodles at what appears to be a children’s party; stuck in an elevator; hanging out in a sewer drain a la Pennywise. Things do get gradually more “blast-worthy” as Plaza is seen getting beamed up into a spaceship and riding said dragon.
The drag segment briefly reunites Plaza with Offerman, who played her boss on the show and with whom she develops a close on-screen bond.
Want to help rank the best Super Bowl 2026 commercials?
To sign up to vote on your favorites with Ad Meter, visit https://admeter.usatoday.com/2026 before the game starts.
