Aubrey Plaza, known for her roles in “Parks and Recreation” and “Legion,” recently shared a shocking revelation during an interview on Sirius XM’s “Howard Stern Show.” The actress opened up about experiencing a sudden stroke at the young age of 20, which left her briefly paralyzed and unable to speak.
Plaza described the terrifying experience, recalling how the stroke came on suddenly while she was in the middle of a conversation with friends. “It happened mid-sentence,” she said. “I took the train to Astoria to have lunch with my friends and I walked into their apartment ― I hadn’t even taken my jacket off ― and it just happened. It was wild.”
The actress went on to explain how she was briefly paralyzed and lost her motor skills, but the scariest part for her was forgetting how to talk. Plaza shared that she experienced expressive aphasia for the next couple of days, leaving her friends initially thinking she was joking due to her usual quirky behavior.
During a previous appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Plaza had discussed the uncertainty surrounding the cause of her stroke. Doctors had different theories, attributing it to hormones or her history of migraines. The actress described the surreal moment when the right side of her body stopped working, leading to a temporary loss of speech.
Plaza also revealed that she continued to have mini strokes, known as transient ischemic attacks, in the years following the initial incident. These “tiny little strokes” added to her health challenges, but Plaza remained resilient in the face of adversity.
Despite her health struggles, Plaza has continued to pursue her acting career and is currently promoting her upcoming project, “Megalopolis,” alongside stars like Adam Driver and Shia LaBeouf. The film follows an architect with the power to control time as he works to rebuild a destroyed metropolis.
As Plaza bravely shares her story of overcoming a stroke at a young age, she serves as an inspiration to others facing similar health challenges. Her resilience and determination to continue pursuing her passion for acting despite the obstacles she has faced are truly commendable.
