Aubrey Plaza’s ‘Kevin’: How a Cat Series Became Her Most Personal Project

Aubrey Plaza once transformed into a cat during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, so it’s no surprise her new series ‘Kevin’—a show about a cat—holds deep personal meaning for her. In fact, Plaza describes it as “the most personal project I’ve ever done.”

Now streaming on Prime Video, ‘Kevin’ follows the titular character, voiced by Jason Schwartzman, a cat who decides to ‘consciously uncouple’ from his human owners after they break up. Instead of staying with them, Kevin seeks refuge at a local shelter, questioning his identity outside of being a pet and whether he even wants to live with humans again.

The show’s premise is rooted in real-life experiences. Plaza told TheWrap,

“It’s a very personal show for me, in all the ways.”

Plaza co-created ‘Kevin’ with Joe Wengert, her former partner of five years. They shared their lives with a cat named Kevin—who had a real-life distended butthole—and his brother, Howard, referenced in the show. However, the series wasn’t always intended to be so autobiographical. Wengert explained that the idea didn’t stem from years of planning but rather a happy coincidence.

Wengert, who worked on Big Mouth, developed a passion for animation and volunteered at a Los Angeles pet rescue. He envisioned an animal workplace comedy set in a shelter. Then, out of the blue, Plaza called him with her own idea for a cat-themed series.

“I will say, embarrassingly, we didn’t make it personal until kind of late in the development process, really,”

The turning point came when Chris Prynoski, president of Titmouse Studios, encouraged them to lean into the personal narrative. Prynoski, who hears countless cat show pitches, urged Plaza and Wengert to center the story on their real-life relationship and share photos of the real Kevin. This shift became the emotional core of the series.

For Plaza, ‘Kevin’ reflects her entire career. In Episode 3, she includes a joke about a Happiest Season sequel starring herself and Kristen Stewart, directly addressing fan reactions to the film’s ending. The voice cast is also a tribute to her past, featuring heroes and co-stars spanning her career.

“I’ve been so lucky to work with so many talented people and