‘Parks & Recreation’ Then & Now: See Amy Poehler & The Cast’s Transformations Since Their Time In Pawnee

Over five years after the series finale, the cast of NBC’s sitcom ‘Parks & Recreation’ is making a triumphant return for a special episode on April 30. Before you tune in to see what’s going on with the crew from Pawnee, see where the stars are today!

On February 4, 2015, fans of the NBC comedy Parks & Recreation said farewell to Leslie Knope, Ben Wyatt, and the cast of characters from Pawnee that made the series so special. Luckily, it wasn’t goodbye for too long. On April 30, the cast is making a return to TV for a special episode, where fans will catch up with the characters and where they are today. But before Pawneeians tune-in for the episode, let’s see where the actors who brought the characters to life are today!

Life has definitely changed for a number of the stars. Following his time as the affable, if absentminded, Andy Dwyer, Chris Pratt went on to become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest stars. During production of Parks & Rec‘s sixth season, the actor, 40, took a break from the series to film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). He reprised his role of Peter Quill in the 2017 sequel and appeared in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). He also starred in the reboot of the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World (2015), and the film’s 2018 sequel: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. As for Pratt’s personal life, the actor and his wife, Anna Faris, divorced in 2018 after nine years of marriage and one son, Jack, 7. Pratt went on to marry Katherine Schwarzenegger, 30, in 2019 and the pair are reportedly expecting their first child together!

While Pratt was always a highlight of the hilarious series, the show’s star, Amy Poehler, was undoubtedly the show’s heart. The actress, 48, was already a bonafide star thanks to Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls, and her various collaborations with pal Tina Fey. During her time at the Parks Department, Poehler won her very first Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical. She was also nominated for six Emmy awards for playing Leslie Knope. After her time on the show, Poehler’s latest projects have kept her predominantly in television. She appeared in series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp, Welcome To Sweden, and co-hosts the series Making It with her Parks co-star Nick Offerman, 49.

As for the rest of the cast, Aubrey Plaza, 35, has starred in films like Ingrid Goes West (2017), The Little Hours (2017), and has hosted the Independent Spirit Awards two years in a row! Series breakout Retta, 50, has gone on to lead the cast of NBC’s Good Girls alongside Christina Hendricks and Mae Whitman, and Rashida Jones, 44, currently stars on the Netflix sitcom #BlackAF. To see where the rest of the cast is today, check out the gallery above! And don’t forget to make like Donna and Tom and “treat yo’ self” to the Parks & Recreation special tonight, April 30, at 8pm on NBC!