Who plays Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation"?

Who plays Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation"? Amy Poehler plays Leslie Knope.

Leslie is the relentlessly optimistic deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department in the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee. She believes government can improve ordinary people's lives, even when her plans encounter bureaucracy, budget cuts, or Pawnee's famously eccentric residents.

The NBC sitcom was developed after creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur learned that Poehler would be available to lead the series. Poehler, already known for her work on Saturday Night Live, helped define Leslie's combination of ambition, awkwardness, loyalty, and civic idealism. The character became the show's central figure across its seven-season run from 2009 to 2015.

A common mix-up is confusing Leslie with April Ludgate, played by Aubrey Plaza, or Ann Perkins, played by Rashida Jones. Poehler also reprised Leslie for a 2020 special and a 2023 Saturday Night Live appearance.