11 Amazing Bodies of Parks and Recreation Stars

In the world of "Parks and Recreation," the beloved cast members brought their unique talents and personalities to the screen; they felt so real, we think they're still there. Beyond their on-screen characters, these stars have fascinating stories to tell about their lives and personal journeys. From Amy Poehler's connection to Lucille Ball to Chris Pratt's transformation into an action star, each actor has a captivating narrative that goes beyond the confines of Pawnee, Indiana. (Li'l Sebastian was not available at press time.) Join us as we delve into the amazing bodies and diverse interests of the stars who brought the quirky town of Pawnee to life.

1. Amy Poehler

Shutterstock

Amy Poehler played the lead role of Leslie Knope on the show. In an interview with CBS News, she talked about directing the film Lucy and Desi, and how she relates to Lucille Ball. “I feel very connected to what I believe she was feeling or going through – ‘How do I balance work and family? How do I take advantage of my currency and my opportunity? How do I amplify voices? How do I take up space in the room?’ All that kind of stuff that Lucy had to deal with 50 years before I did, or women like me."

2. Aubrey Plaza

Shutterstock

Aubrey Plaza played the role of April Ludgate. She revealed that she is a big fan of yoga in an interview. “Wellness, to me, is: Being conscious of what you’re putting into your body and on your body, and taking care of yourself. I love yoga — that’s probably my favorite exercise because I’m not so much into cardio.”

3. Rashida Jones

Shutterstock

Rashida Jones starred as Ann Perkins on the show. She told Women’s Health that she loves to do a variety of workouts. "I'll go through stages when I get really into something; like, I'll start running six times a week," said Jones. "Right now I'm into pilates three times a week, which is great because it makes me feel strong."

4. Retta

Lisa O'Connor/Getty Images

Retta played the role of Donna Meagle, and was promoted to a main cast member in the third season. She also played Ruby on Good Girls and opened up about the impact the character had to Harper’s Bazaar. “Ruby reflects the women I see in the world every day. We need to see more of us. We deserve to get our chances to be funny, bold and complex. Yet despite the reality of our existence, roles like Ruby are few and far in between. Honestly, it’s trifling when you constantly get stuck being a trope—the sassy everything: nurse, maid, teacher. Like really?”

5. Adam Scott

Shutterstock

Adam Scott first appeared in the show’s second season as Ben Wyatt. He talked about what roles he wanted to pursue after Parks & Rec ended to The AV Club. “After Parks And Recreation ended, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I had never been in a position of being on a TV show for such a long time. I was leaving it with more opportunities than I had going in. Parks was a life-changer for me. I didn’t know what to do next, but thought I might try something less in the comedy sphere, so I went after the Big Little Lies role. I really pursued that and was thrilled to be a part of it. After Parks, it was also hard to be considered for anything other than comedy. I had to really fight for Big Little Lies, and I auditioned and read a couple of times to prove myself. Doing that was really fun and creatively satisfying. I wanted to keep going in that direction. It’s not like I wanted to abandon comedy, but I wanted to try everything and go after material that appealed to me.”

6. Chris Pratt

Shutterstock

After playing the lovable Andy Dwyer, Chris Pratt has transitioned to starring in action films, like Guardians Of The Galaxy and Jurassic World. He told Men’s Health that his diet has changed with his career. “I can’t believe I would eat five cheeseburgers for lunch. I lived in a constant state of ‘Oh, god. I’m freaking sick. I’ve eaten so much.’ And that was happiness at that time. Now, it’s the exact opposite. Now, eating is boring. But, the times between eating, I feel great. Before, eating was fun, but in the times in between, I felt like crap.”

7. Rob Lowe

Shutterstock

Rob Lowe starred as Chris Treager from the second season onwards. He notably is a spokesperson for the Atkins diet. “It may not be easy, but it’s not complicated,” Lowe said to The Healthy. “When I started working with Atkins, it was a very good fit because that is my number one thing: watch those carbs, add healthy proteins, cut the sugar. Everything falls into place after that, whether it’s more specifics of the diet or workout regimen or sleep or any of that. All important—but none of it as important as watching your carbs, [eating] healthy proteins, and cutting sugar.”

8. Paul Rudd

Shutterstock

Paul Rudd had a recurring role as Bobby Newport on the show. He shared how he got in shape for Ant-Man with Men’s Health. “The most important part of training is sleep. People will set their alarm and then sleep for four hours and they’ll get up so that they can train. They’re doing themselves a disservice. If you can somehow get eight hours of sleep.”

9. Jenny Slate

Shutterstock

Jenny Slate had a recurring role as Mona Lisa Saperstein. She shared one of her biggest skincare secrets with Vogue. “I like processes that seem like a little nature witch would be a part of. After my morning bath, I like to put rose oil on myself really, really slowly. It may sound silly, but it makes me happy. It helps me be very aware that I’m caring for myself.”

10. Billy Eichner

Shutterstock

Billy Eichner played Craig Middlebrooks on the show. He shared his wellness secrets in an interview with Esquire. "I have discipline," he says. "I ran this morning. Now I'm here. I did a million things in between. And I'll be up all night working. When I want something to happen, I have a very good work ethic. Including this."

11. Ben Schwartz

Shutterstock

Ben Schwartz played Jean Ralphio Saperstein on the show. In an interview with Interview Magazine, he shared his secrets for limiting his time on the phone. “There’s a mode that I use called sleep mode. You put it on sleep mode and that way your phone doesn’t show any texts or emails and it always stays dim. That’s changed everything.”

From wellness secrets to diet tips, these Modern Family actors and actresses have shared their journeys to maintaining their impressive physique. In this article, we'll delve into the fitness and health routines of 10 of the show's beloved stars, including Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, Nolan Gould, Shelley Long, and Andrea Anders. Discover the secrets behind their incredible bodies and how they stay fit and healthy in the spotlight.

1. Sarah Hyland

Shutterstock

Sarah Hyland played the role of Haley Dunphy. She shared some of her wellness secrets with Byrdie. She says that she loves baths and meditation. “For me, connecting spiritually with the universe is something that not only helps me calm down but helps me reflect on my life, my mood, my emotions, everything like that. Every two weeks, I do this on a new moon and a full moon: I sit down, somewhat meditate, I light a candle, I manifest, I release things (manifest on a new moon, release on a full moon) and I sit around my crystals, give myself a little Tarot reading, then take an amazing Himalayan salt bath, sometimes with bay leaves or lavender in it. I completely, energetically cleanse myself.”

2. Ariel Winter

Shutterstock

Ariel Winter played Alex Dunphy on the show. She revealed her love of fitness in an interview with E! News. "I think working out is really important for your physical health," she said. "I think mental health is really important, but also, if you want to be healthy and while I am not the most excited to put my workout clothes on and go and do that, it is really nice, when you leave, you feel better...I just want to build muscle. My body changes all of the time and I think right now, it's just, I want to build muscle."

3. Julie Bowen

Shutterstock

Julie Bowen played Claire Dunphy on the show, which led her to winning an Emmy. She shared her diet secrets with Parade. “I eat really clean and have pretty simple rules: I try not to eat white food, like white rice, pasta and white bread. There aren’t really any white foods that are good for you when you think about it. Marshmallows? Powdered sugar? Nope. I also like to see the ingredients. If it’s complicated to the point that I don’t know what’s in it, I’m not interested in eating it.”

4. Sofia Vergara

Shutterstock

Sofia Vergara played the role of Gloria Pritchett. She has amazing skin, and shared some of her secrets in an interview with New Beauty. “I believe, more than fixing anything, in preventing. Once you get the wrinkle, once you get the sagging neck, that's it. There's no cream that is going to fix you. So, prevention, prevention, prevention!"

5. Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Shutterstock

Jesse Tyler Ferguson played Mitchell Pritchett on the show. He likes to cook a lot of his food, and shared some of his favorites with EatingWell. “Nothing will ever beat grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, but I have recently been doing more chicken too. Allowing the chicken to marinate for at least four hours is my secret to delicious, juicy grilled chicken.”

6. Ty Burrell

Shutterstock

Ty Burrell opened up about landing his star-making role of Phil Dunphy later in life to The Guardian. “I was not a mature young man and would probably have gone off the rails. Plus, I don't know if it was my Frankenbrow, but before Modern Family I was always cast as the guy who got his comeuppance – and was usually killed or fired. It's nice to play someone well-intentioned now.”

7. Eric Stonestreet

Shutterstock

When it comes to his TV roles, like Cameron Tucker, Eric Stonestreet is careful about which roles he goes after. “So many of us as actors, we tether ourselves to ideas that aren’t possible,” he told Vox. “This is a business that discriminates. A tried and true process of who gets jobs is based on personal taste. ‘I want that person to have that job because I like the color of his hair. I like that person because he’s short, and that’s funny.’ It’s just the way our business works for everyone across the board. So I knew that going in, and I knew that that was what I was choosing for myself.”

8. Nolan Gould

Shutterstock

Nolan Gould played Luke Dunphy on the show. He shared how his diet has changed with People. “I’m eating so much healthier, even though there’s less of it,” he said. “What I get is actually really healthy food for you: lean protein, eating as many vegetables as you want, and staying away from things like soda. Nourishing the mind, body, all that.”

9. Shelley Long

David Livingston/Getty Images

Shelley Long played the recurring role of DeDe Pritchett. She opened up about how she approached her career to Yahoo Lifestyle. “I’m not a party girl. Taking care of myself was [always] a big part of the challenge because I would get up at 5 or 5:30 [a.m.]. I was supposed to be the, ya know, ‘pretty girl’ — and I need a lot of work to become the pretty girl. I just do.”

10. Andrea Anders

Shutterstock

Andrea Anders played the recurring role of Amber LaFontaine. She revealed what she likes to cook and eat in this Instagram post. “@annavocino is the reason I learned to #EatHappy, and now consequently, I LOVE to cook! Get this book from Amazon immediately!”

The Office is enjoyed so much these days, it's like it never left the air. Beyond their iconic characters, these actors and actresses offer insights into their fitness routines, self-care rituals, and personal philosophies on health. From mindfulness to plant-based diets, from yoga to dance, discover how these talented individuals maintain balance in their lives while sharing their unique approaches to well-being. Join us on a journey that reveals the amazing bodies, both inside and out, of the remarkable cast members who brought Dunder Mifflin to life.

1. Mindy Kaling

Shutterstock

Mindy Kaling played Kelly Kapoor and also did some writing on The Office. She talked about her approach to exercise and wellness to People. "I've tried really hard to let go of this idea of losing weight for vanity reasons and really trying to think of how I can be healthy," Kaling said. "And for me, healthy is working out, moving my body a lot, keeping hydrated, and then not having negative connotations around working out and making me feel like if I don't do this, then I won't be something else. And that's taken a long time to kind of shed those old ideas of working out."

2. Jenna Fischer

Shutterstock

Jenna Fischer played Pam Beesly on the show. She is a big fan of practicing yoga. “When I do yoga regularly, I feel so good," she told Good Housekeeping. "It's my mind, body, and spirit cleanse. After a long weekend of play dates and sporting events and kid birthday parties, I can't tell you how much I crave my Monday morning yoga class.”

3. John Krasinski

Shutterstock

John Krasinski went from playing Jim Halpert to Jack Ryan. He shared how he got in shape for the role to Men’s Health. “I gotta be honest: It was brutal at times. We did tons of metabolic work, dragging sleds and all this stuff I've seen NFL players do."

4. Steve Carell

Shutterstock

In an interview with Mashable, Steve Carell talked about how he approached playing Michael Scott. “I think Michael's a decent dude with a lot of heart, but based on his childhood and the things he lacked growing up, things he was deprived of, he was so hungry for acceptance," Carell said. "I don't think he had the strongest templates in the world to go by, but I think he also learned and evolved and became a better person along the way. He became more aware once he was able to start stepping outside of himself and his own little eccentricities so he could see a little bit more of the world around him."

5. Angela Kinsey

Shutterstock

Angela Kinsey played Angela Martin on the series. She tells Women’s Day that she always makes time for herself, and shared her favorite way of doing so. "I like to sit on the back porch [in the morning] and have a cup of tea, and sometimes I get a whole 10 minutes," she says. "I just sit, and I don't look at my phone; I just watch the day wake up a little."

6. Rashida Jones

Shutterstock

Rashida Jones played the recurring role of Karen Filippelli. She likes to dance to stay in shape. Jones tells Health that dancers on So You Think You Can Dance are inspiring to her. "Those dancers are ridiculously strong and amazing," she said. "It makes me want to move my body (in a much less graceful way)."

7. Ed Helms

Shutterstock

Ed Helms played Andy Bernard on the show. He talked about following his bliss to Men’s Health. “Personal responsibility is one of the most important things in life. I struggle with it all the time. No matter how good or bad things are going, you’ve gotta just take responsibility for yourself. I always say, ‘If you’re eating a shit sandwich, chances are you ordered it.’ The same thing goes for the filet mignon.”

8. Ellie Kemper

Shutterstock

Ellie Kemper played the role of Erin Hannon. She talked about how she balances work and her personal life to SELF. “I’m trying to work out just about every day, but I’ve been listening to my body, too. When I feel fatigued, I know that sleep is more important than exercise on that particular day…Keeping a good balance of work, rest, exercise and goal-setting. Also, ice cream at the end of the day always helps.”

9. Amy Ryan

Shutterstock

Amy Ryan played the role of Holly Flax on the show. She makes sure to take care of her skin. Ryan tells New Beauty that she likes to get facials, and named her go to expert. “Joanna Vargas for facials. I believe in aging naturally, while taking good care of my skin.”

10. Melora Hardin

Shutterstock

Melora Hardin starred as Jan Levinson on the show. She shared some of her tips for dealing with stress with First For Women. “We all feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and anxious at times,” she says. “One of my favorite things to recite to myself in those moments is a poem by Mary Oliver, called Everything That Was and its words, like ‘Every day has something in it whose name is forever,’ remind me that every day, even a stressful one, is a true gift!”

11. Rainn Wilson

Shutterstock

Rainn Wilson starred as Dwight Schrute. On Instagram, he revealed that he has started a plant-based diet. “I noticed that I had more energy! I was sleeping better and deeper. I didn’t need naps in the afternoon as much. I started to drop some pounds. And, bonus, it’s supposed to be good for the planet.”

12. Kate Flannery

Shutterstock

Kate Flannery played the role of Meredith Palmer. She talked about her fitness secrets in an interview with Closer Weekly. “I mostly do the elliptical. I do like low impact or I do the treadmill. I don’t do super high impact, just because it’s not worth it yet. But yeah, it’s been such a gift and I feel like I’ve had much more energy.”

13. Catherine Tate

Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Catherine Tate talked about playing Nellie Bertram on the show to MLive. “I was a massive, massive fan of the British version. I think it is a piece of modern art. And when I heard they were going to do it in America, I was like, oh what? And then I saw it and I was like, I saw what you did and you raised it. Then they asked me to be in it and it was amazing.”

14. BJ Novak

Shutterstock

BJ Novak starred as Ryan Howard and also did some writing for the show. He talked about being the director of the film Vengeance to NPR. "When I'm the boss of a film set, I am humbled and in awe of all the jobs that everybody has to do," he says. "How do I keep everyone happy, how do I keep them motivated ... I was much nicer and more professional and more respectful of everyone's job than I've ever been when I realized that it fell on my shoulders."

15. Phyllis Smith

Shutterstock

Phyllis Smith talked about playing Phyllis Vance on Den Of Geek. “It was a good nine years. A quick nine years. The first season we started out, they kept us all on set, all the periphery characters, all the time, because they weren’t sure what element of the office was going to be shot. So they had to have the backs of our heads or this or that. So for the whole first season, we were there all the time pretty much – even if we weren’t on camera, we’d be on set. Then as the years progressed, they said, ‘We’re not going to see them. Don’t bring them in!’ They knew how to splice it down so that we wouldn’t be sitting there for 12 hours and not be on camera. The scripts were wonderful. It kind of morphed, you know, after Steve [Carrell] left. The showrunner changed. It went on a different path for a while, but then when the old showrunner came back, it got back on track.”