Retta reveals details about 'Parks and Rec' cast group chat
Retta, who played Donna Meagle on the hit NBC sitcom, exclusively told The Post that the cast is still in touch — and often.
'We have a group text where everyone shares graduations, birthdays, running into old crew members, because everyone ends up working with the crew from the original show, and so whenever we're with somebody else from the crew, we send pictures,' she said.
9 Retta in Season 4 of 'Parks and Recreation.'
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Jim O'Heir, Rashida Jones, Chris Pratt, Retta, Rob Lowe in 'Parks and Rec.'
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Retta, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Paul Schneider and Jim O'Heir starred in the mockumentary series about a fictional Indiana town's Parks Department.
After seven seasons, the series ended in Feb. 2015.
Retta, who spoke to The Post about the new season of HGTV's 'Ugliest House in America,' confirmed that she would 'of course' do a 'Parks and Recreation' reunion project.
9 Retta speaks at the 'Hit Man' screening in New York in June 2024.
Getty Images for Netflix
The 'Good Girls' alum also revealed that she watched Scott's hit Apple TV+ drama series 'Severance.'
'I just finished it yesterday,' she told The Post.
Nearly the entire 'Parks' cast has spoken about their infamous group chat since the show ended.
9 Retta, Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman in 'Parks and Rec.'
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Retta in 'Parks and Rec.'
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
On Monday, Offerman, 54, revealed that the cast was texting 'all day' about co-star Jonathan Joss' tragic death. Joss, who played Chief Ken Hotate, was shot and killed Sunday night at his property in San Antonio, Texas, following an alleged dispute with his neighbor.
'We're just heartbroken,' Offferman said in a statement to People.
9 Jonathan Joss in 'Parks and Rec.'
NBC
9 Nick Offerman in 'Parks and Rec.'
Mitchell Haaseth/NBC
In November, O'Heir, who played Jerry Gergich, said on NPR's 'Book of the Day' podcast about the group chat, 'It's generally, like, Retta is the queen of history, and Retta will just post some random thing that happened.'
'She goes, 'This was 10 years ago today,' and then we all just go on a rant about whatever that was about,'' the 63-year-old shared.
O'Heir added: 'It's just personal. It's people who, to this day, are good friends, and we love each other.'
9 Rashida Jones, Amy Poehler, Retta in 'Parks and Rec.'
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Last July, Jones, 49, confirmed on 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen' that the text chain was 'very active.'
Meanwhile, Scott, 52, said in a 2022 interview with Access Hollywood, 'Everybody's in pretty close contact. It's a tight group.'
Earlier this year, Jones told GoldDerby that she's 'ready any time' to join a 'Parks and Recreation' revival.
9 Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, Retta, Aziz Ansari in 'Parks and Recreation' Season 6.
©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
'Oh man, I hope sometime soon,' said Jones, who played Ann Perkins. 'I know [creator] Mike Schur was like, 'There has to be a reason for us to do it. We can't just do it.' But I would love that.'
Schur, for his part, addressed the possibility of a revival with Variety in 2019.
'I don't feel like we left anything on the table. I would never ever say never,' Schur stated. 'The chance to do it again, should it arise, would be incredible, but we would only do it if we all felt like there was something compelling us to do it.'
'If one single person said no, we wouldn't do it,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
22 Underrated Unappreciated Movies Films
Watching a movie is probably one of the most magical experiences you'll ever have. Film is a space that sets off your imagination, brings you comfort, or helps you learn something new, among many other things. But unfortunately, a lot of folks might not know some of the movies you do. You appreciate flicks that are completely underrated, and you believe deserve more love. So, here are some unappreciated movies you should watch at least once because they're too good to ignore: Emily the Criminal (2022) "Emily the Criminal is a pretty decent flick, and I'm not sure why it hasn't had a bigger release. It stars Aubrey Plaza in a role that's totally different from her usual sarcastic comedic roles, like April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation. She is an underachiever in debt who gets hooked up with a small criminal enterprise to make cash. This film reminded me of Breaking Bad, so if you like that kind of story, you'll like this. Overall, it's well-paced and involving — check it out." Where you can watch it: Netflix Pacific Rim (2013) "I rewatched Pacific Rim recently due to not having seen it in a while, and it holds up pretty well. For a film with such a silly premise, it actually manages to use it in a pretty smart way because the movie doesn't take itself seriously and knows how 'stupid' it is. On top of that, the movie manages to appeal to both fans of monster movies and non-fans. It's like people who enjoy movies like Godzilla can enjoy this movie for its action sequences, but people who want a little more than that can enjoy this film for its impressive CGI and likable characters. The movie also has a really great soundtrack which lives rent-free in my head, and the film also does a romance subplot super fucking well." Where you can watch it: Netflix Martyrs (2008) "It's not only my number one horror movie of all time, but it's in my Top 10 favorite movies ever made. The movie is not only extremely brutal, but the psychological aspect will haunt you for months. You will not be able to stop thinking about it. This movie is very underrated, probably because it may be too hard to watch." Where you can watch it: YouTube Centurion (2010) "I'm usually quite wary of historical dramas because I know how they can be inaccurate sometimes. The biggest ones manage to create or perpetuate incorrect facts that the general public accepts because visual media makes it easy for them to remember, versus reading the actual truth in a dry textbook that they're likely to forget. That being said, Centurion was a great survival film with a lovely cast, and I didn't even mind the narrative device of narration by the main character. While there were some predictable moments, it was more like the satisfaction of seeing cause and effect due to a good setup and payoff, which I think will really be pleasing on rewatches. It's a very entertaining film with good pacing, good acting, and a nice runtime that doesn't go too far over the 90-minute mark. I highly recommend." Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Stardust (2007) "People see the title and the poster and think they're not interested, or that it's purely for kids. But it's actually a magical, funny, entertaining, swashbuckling adventure that is also heart-warming. Robert De Niro's role is delightful AF. I love all the little jokes sprinkled throughout this movie. It was only moderately successful at the box office before it faded away from the limelight, but since I discovered it 18 years ago, I have yet to come across another person in my life who has seen it and loved it or has any interest in watching it. They have no idea what they're missing!" Where you can watch it: Apple TV Conversations with Other Women (2005) "Conversations with Other Women is a romantic drama with Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart as the leads. The movie is presented split screen the whole way through, so while you're watching from two different perspectives, it's a really interesting approach for the viewing experience. I won't delve into the details on how cleverly this technique is used, but it's pretty neat in my opinion. The tagline of the movie itself makes a nod to it: 'There are two sides to every love story.' The main problem with this movie is that the Blu-ray version only shows one side, ruining the entire point of the movie (which is presenting the plot through two different sides). So, if you decide to watch this movie out of curiosity, make sure to watch the DVD release!" Where you can watch it: Peacock A Single Man (2009) "A Single Man is Tom Ford's directorial debut, and boy, is it a masterpiece! Set in the '60s, it's about a man whose husband dies in a car accident and how he copes with the loss. You get A-list actors like Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, who do a fantastic job. Tom Ford's eye for sophistication and elegance in the fashion industry flows right into the movie — the cinematography is exceptional, and every shot is visually appealing. It is one of my favorite films, and in my opinion, one of the most underrated films (nobody I know has seen it unless I beg them to watch it). If you're looking for a slow, beautiful drama to watch late at night with a glass of whiskey, THIS IS IT!" Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Orion and the Dark (2024) "I think Orion and the Dark has slipped under some people's radar. It's adapted from a children's book of the same name. Orion is reminiscent of how Inside Out uses individual characters to represent specific emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. This movie, however, is a multi-generational story of dealing with the 'fear of the dark.' Dark is personified as an actual character with his friends, who are his fellow night entities: Sleep, Insomnia, Quiet, Unexplained Noises, and Sweet Dreams. I loved it." Where you can watch it: Netflix Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) "Wow, is the first movie that has scared me in a long time. At one point near the end, I had to pause it to go and make sure my front door was locked, and that there wasn't a murderer or evil spirit in my house. This is a Korean found-footage film, and executed extremely well with amazingly talented actors who sold the entire thing. I've never seen such an excellent and believable found-footage film (I even had to Google at the beginning of the film to see if it was actually a documentary or not). It may have the typical theme of a rumored haunted asylum, but I can't say enough about how well the actors performed. I felt like I was there with them, thinking exactly like them. This movie has a pretty slow build-up, so watch this movie when you're in the mood to watch a movie (you'll need to pay attention to subtitles if you don't speak Korean)." Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Red Cliff (2008) "Absolutely Red Cliff! If you loved The Lord of the Rings, Troy, and Kingdom of Heaven because of their open atmosphere vibe, beautiful plot, and massive battle scenes with cinematographic elements, be sure to watch this masterpiece. It's the story of three kingdoms of China, and it has massive battle scenes, amazing war tactics, swarms of shooting arrows, and Siege equipment. It's full of mind games with beautiful drama and soundtracks. This five-hour movie is a total masterpiece — everyone, just please go and check out the trailer. You will understand what I am talking about." Where you can watch it: YouTube The Gray Man (2022) "I'll watch anything Ryan Gosling is in, so my opinion might be a little biased. However, I'm not typically into action movies, but The Gray Man completely blew me away. From start to finish, there was nothing but badass scenes. There weren't any boring filler scenes, no convoluted romance side-story for the main character — just straight ass-kicking. That's not to say there isn't a great plot, but it's not like a Jason Bourne or Mission Impossible plot that kind of drags along for three hours. It's directed and produced by the Russo brothers, has great fight choreography, which Gosling said he spent seven months training for. And beyond Gosling, it has a pretty star-studded cast, including Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, and Chris Evans. Ana de Armas has some amazing scenes in it, and honestly made me want to see more of her films." Where you can watch it: Netflix Citizen X (1995) "I rewatched Citizen X the other night, and I was just amazed by how good it still is, and how no one talks about it. It's based on Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who in my opinion is the most evil serial killer of all time. The movie is really a biography as you follow the real investigation of his crimes — I don't want to spoil anything, so just watch it. It's quality cinema, and I'm really surprised it doesn't get mentioned a lot. I don't think I've seen anyone recommend it, but I'm sure someone has — just watch it if you want to enjoy a great movie!" Where you can watch it: HBO Max Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) "This movie delves into human relationships and how humanity would face our impending doom. The unusual pairing of Steve Carell and Keira Knightley surprisingly works well here — they have great chemistry. People were expecting a straight-up comedy, and I think that's what turned a lot of people off at the time. It's best to go into this movie spoiler-free." Where you can watch it: Apple TV Ink (2009) "It's a super low-budget fantasy film about a father trying to save his young daughter. It's a great example of what can be done when you put every penny of your budget on the screen. All of the actors were doing it because they wanted to do it, and not just for the paycheck. It inspired me to start making films." Where you can watch it: YouTube Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020) "Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes was such a fun little movie. A café owner finds out that he can see precisely two minutes into the future due to a literal time delay on his closed-circuit TV setup between his bedroom and the café he owns downstairs. It's a beautifully simple concept executed superbly with a bunch of shenanigans. At only 68 minutes long, it gets in, does the job, and gets out again at a great pace and doesn't overstay its welcome. It contains the 'sensible' time travel approach of something like Primer melded with the 'one-take' stylings of Birdman, but it's performed more like theatre than film. It has an incredibly effervescent cast who all just exude enthusiasm — it will suck you in and leave you with a big grin on your face." Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Road to Perdition (2002) "My favorite beautiful single camera shot in any movie is hands-down in Road to Perdition. It's the shot where we meet Jude Law walking under the bridge towards the camera, but he never seems to get any closer. They're using a technique where either they're dollying in while zooming out or zooming in — I'm not sure which. But that's the effect that makes the person stay in one place while the background behind them seems to morph in perspective. It's an absolutely beautiful shot and movie." Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Moon (2009) "Sam Rockwell is incredibly good in it (in one of his few leading roles). It's one of the few movies that features almost exclusively one actor. It's very cerebral in the subjects it covers and very emotional as well. It features a fantastic score by Clint Mansell, who also scored Requiem for a Dream and Pi, among many other films/TV episodes. And it's directed by David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones, if you want a fun trivia fact." Where you can watch it: Tubi The Taste of Tea (2004) "It's a Japanese movie from the 2000s. I've never known anyone who has seen it. It's like a combo of those chill classic Japanese family dramas, like Tokyo Story, but with flourishes of David Lynch surrealism. It also contains silly Japanese humor, like the wild Japanese TV shows. I've never seen anything like it, and it's equal parts charming, anarchic, and profound." Where you can watch it: Apple TV A Boy and His Dog (1975) "I caught this film late at night on one of the independent channels, which is one of Don Johnson's first films (it predates Miami Vice by about 10 years. The movie is about a post-apocalyptic atomic war. The boy, played by Johnson, and his dog are both telepathic and 'talk' to one another (the dog is the smarter one). There are definitely several scenes in this one that may trigger some more sensitive folks. It's a low-budget mid-'70s dark comedy film." Where you can watch it: Tubi Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008) "It's a fascinating (albeit campy) portrayal of a post-apocalyptic world where people finance replacement organs. It's awesome, especially if you like musicals. It has a very dark comic book look and feel, kind of reminiscent aesthetically of something like Sin City." Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Video Carnival of Souls (1962) "Carnival of Souls is a microbudget film written and directed by two industrial/educational filmmakers in Lawrence, KS. The acting is uneven and sometimes just plain bad. But the film is beautifully shot in black and white, particularly the scenes at the abandoned theme park on the Great Salt Lake, with its Ottoman-inspired architecture silhouetted against the desert sky. It's an eerie, dream-like atmosphere that has always led me to suspect that David Lynch might have caught a screening of it while studying at AFI." Where you can watch it: Hulu And finally, Fall (2022) "It's a horror/suspense film about two friends who are avid rock climbers and daredevils, one of whom suffered a personal loss and deep depression because of it. To get back on the horse, the other girl challenges her to face her fears and climb an old TV tower with her (which is basically just a 2,000-foot metal pole with a ladder). And of course, things don't go as planned. This movie is gut-churning as they climb the tower, and the photography and editing give you a real sense of height. I'd say I have a moderate/healthy fear of heights, and at times, I definitely had a physical reaction of body-clenching during some scenes (particularly when they hang with bare hands from the top of the tower). Fall is produced by a few people who worked on 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, which was a really good movie. Fair warning: This movie is quite preposterous and has many things you could nit-pick, but avoid that because you'll really enjoy it." Where you can watch it: Apple TV Let's flip the script (pun intended) a little: What's an underrated ****TV show**** that deserves more praise and recognition? Girls5Eva is a certified masterpiece and you can't convince me otherwise!!!! Tell us which TV show, and why you think it's so unappreciated, in the comments below. The best ones will be featured in a BuzzFeed Community post! 📺
Boston Globe
5 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for local homeless people, invites them to lunch at summer villa
In his homily, Leo celebrated the 'fire of charity' that had brought them together. Advertisement 'And I encourage you not to distinguish between those who assist and those who are assisted, between those who seem to give and those who seem to receive, between those who appear poor and those who feel they have something to offer in terms of time, skills, and help,' he said. In the church, he said, everyone is poor and precious, and all share the same dignity. Leo, the former Robert Prevost, spent most of his adult life working with Advertisement The luncheon was held at the Local caterers provided a menu of lasagna, eggplant parmesan, and roast veal. For dessert, the menu called for fruit salad and sweets named for the pope, 'Dolce Leone.' Guests at Leo's table included Rosabal Leon, a Peruvian refugee who has been in Italy for a few months, along with her husband and two children. One of his other luncheon companions was an 85-year-old Roman, Gabriella Oliveiro, who lives on her own, organizers said. Leo is expected to wrap up his vacation Tuesday and return to the Vatican, but there are indications he plans to use the Castel Gandolfo retreat regularly as an escape from Rome, resuming the tradition that Pope Francis had eschewed in favor of staycations at the Vatican. Leo's older brother, John Prevost, told NBC's Chicago affiliate that the pope found the getaway relaxing and had actually hoped to read a book during his vacation — the pope likes legal thrillers — but hadn't found the time. He did, however, make use of the estate's tennis court and swimming pool, he said. Prevost, who speaks daily with the pope to compare notes on the New York Times daily Wordle puzzle, said he understood the thing Leo missed most about being pope was not being able to drive. Advertisement 'Driving to him is totally relaxing,' Prevost said, adding that when they were together, his little brother would always insist on driving himself. 'Absolutely, because otherwise then he would criticize my driving,' Prevost said, chuckling. In the interview, Prevost revealed the pope's favorite pizza — pepperoni — and candy: Peeps.
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
Michael Sloan, Co-Creator Of ‘The Equalizer,' Dies At 78
Michael Sloan, a television writer, producer, and novelist best known as the co-creator of The Equalizer, died in New York City on August 13. He was 78. Born on October 14, 1946, in New York City, Sloan built an impressive resume with early assignments as a writer and producer on a wide range of TV dramas. His credits included Switch, Quincy, M.E., The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Battlestar Galactica, and three series under NBC's "Mystery Movie" umbrella: Columbo, McCloud, and McCoy. In 1978, he shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series for his work on Quincy, M.E., starring Jack Klugman. But it was The Equalizer, which Sloan created alongside Richard Lindheim in 1985, that became his signature achievement. The original CBS series, starring Edward Woodward as a former intelligence operative who helps people in danger, aired for four seasons. Sloan later returned to the franchise as an executive producer of the Equalizer film trilogy (2014, 2018, 2023) starring Denzel Washington. He also helped shepherd the 2021 reboot of The Equalizer TV series, starring Queen Latifah. In addition to his work in television and film, Sloan authored a series of Equalizer novels that expanded the universe of the franchise. His other TV credits included B.J. and the Bear, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Baywatch, and multiple entries in the Mystery Woman TV movie franchise. Sloan is survived by his wife, Melissa Sue Anderson, best known for her role as Mary Ingalls on family drama Little House on the Prairie; their children, Piper and Griffin; and his sister, Judy.
