Running for seven seasons, Parks and Recreation had a full cast of incredible actors and actresses. With Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, viewers got to see how the fictional town of Pawnee's Parks and Recreational Department handled government matters (along with a few personal side-plots too).
Although Parks and Rec. had a strong cast, they had an even stronger list of guest stars. From supermodels to the former First Lady of the United States, Parks and Rec. reached out to the heavy hitters of the political and entertainment industries to add a few lines in their scenes.
Updated on April 25th, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: The City of Pawnee had plenty of unique personalities running its government and showing up at its town council meetings. At times, it felt like Leslie Knope was the only sane person in the town. With dreams and goals to reach, Leslie did end up meeting some pretty influential people and creating one of the best character arcs. On the other hand, some characters were simply added for a laugh factor. What made Parks and Rec. so fun was the famous guest stars they signed on to play these interactive characters.
J.K. Simmons As Mayor Stice
J.K. Simmons is one of the most well-known actors of the generation, being in shows and films like the Spider-Man franchise, Law & Order, and Whiplash. In Parks and Rec. Simmons portrayed the new Mayor of Partridge, Minnesota — Ben's hometown.
In season 5, Stice invited Ben Wyatt home to accept a key to the city since he was the town's youngest mayor. But when Ben fell ill from a kidney stone, Leslie accepted the key in his honor. Sadly, she found out the entire celebration was a rouse. Because of a bad time in the media, Stice thought he would get back on the people's good side by making fun of Ben publicly. Ben was one of the more relatable characters because of his sincere reactions to what was happening around him.
Patton Oswalt As Garth Blundin
Patton Oswalt played one of Pawnee's more colorful characters, Garth Blundin. While there are plenty of hilarious things said at the Pawnee Public Forum, Blundin was on a mission to change Pawnee's charter. Leslie tried getting Blundin to sit down but she grew tired of him.
She made a bet that she knew more about Pawnee's history than he did and that she could outlast him living at the Pawnee Historic House Museum. The two went head-to-head and dressed in colonial garb while living off the land. Leslie eventually came to her senses and offered him a job at the Historical Society because of his mutual love for Pawnee.
Tatiana Maslany As Nadia Stasky
Some fans felt that Tom Haverford got worse and worse as the series progressed, but he had glimmers of hope when he was with Nadia Stasky, played by actress Tatiana Maslany.
Nadia and Tom met when she stopped by the parks and rec. department. While Tom acted more distinguished than he was (and pretended he had an accent), Nadia saw straight through him. It was her intelligence that made Tom so drawn to her. The two eventually started dating and viewers learned that she was a doctor. The two did eventually break up but Nadia was one of Tom's best girlfriends.
Louis CK As Dave Sanderson
Fans of Parks and Recreation were rooting for Leslie and Dave when they first got together. She was a government official and he was a local police officer. They met in odd circumstances but somehow flourished into an adorably nervous relationship. After a couple of months, Dave got a job in California and their relationship fell apart.
After asking Leslie to go with him, she denied his offer due to her love for Pawnee. Dave popped up again in the series, but this time Leslie was in a serious relationship with Ben. Dave was one of the better love interests for Leslie in Parks and Rec., but Ben was the ultimate winner.
Keegan-Michael Key As Joe
The thing that fans loved most about Donna is how strong and independent she was. She never needed someone to fulfill her, all she needed was herself (and her Mercedes). In a lot of ways, Donna was the heart of the department in Parks and Rec. However, when she finally connected with her former love Joe, things looked right for Donna.
Joe was a standup guy who had a lot of love for Donna — a love that never left over the years. Actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key nailed his role of the ive and caring partner.
Justin Theroux As Justin Anderson
Justin Theroux has been in countless shows and movies, and Parks and Rec. is one of his more forgettable roles since he appeared in 2010's 'The Set Up.'
In the series, Theroux played one of Ann's longtime friends, Justin Anderson. Justin was a lawyer and used to have romantic feelings for Ann but was attracted to Leslie as soon as he met her. Leslie also fell hard for him but things got weird when she found out Ann didn't want them together because he was always her safety blanket; a man she would go to in case it didn't work out with anyone else. It was a moment like this that made fans question if Leslie and Ann were even real friends. As great of a couple as Leslie and Justin were, they did ultimately break up.
Michelle Obama As Herself
In the 21st episode of season 5, Leslie Knope made her way around the political world. She met more and more heavy hitters while also making a name for herself. In this case, Leslie was considering running the Midwest branch for National Parks based in Chicago. It was while she was there that she met the former First Lady of the United States.
Leslie was starstruck and was barely able to string a sentence together. Michelle Obama was a huge influence in Leslie's life and inspiration. There are always things that viewers aren't going to know about Leslie Knope, but her love for the former First Lady is not one of them.
Will Arnett As Chris
Will Arnett starred as Chris, a colleague of Ann's at the hospital. Ann thought the two would make a great match and set them up on a blind date. And while they were attracted to each other, they had no chemistry.
Their dinner date was awkward and it ended with a trip to the hospital so that he could do an MRI on Leslie for fun. As kind as Chris was, he wouldn't have been a character Leslie could have been with instead of Ben. There was no substance between them.
Sam Elliot As Ron Dunn
Actor Sam Elliot is more known for his cinematic masterpieces, so it was enlightening to see him in a comedic role on TV. With his sultry voice and free spirit, he did a great job as Ron Dunn in Parks and Rec.
Dunn was the head of the parks and rec. department over in Eagleton. When the two cities merged, there were two Rons in one office. Hilariously, they were complete opposites. While they were both men who enjoyed the outdoors, Dunn was a vegan and talked about his spirit animal. The contrast in personalities made for hilarious episodes until Elliot's character left the department.
Heidi Klum As Ulee Danssen
In the premiere of season 6, Leslie and most of the department were in London to see Leslie accept an international award for her service to the community. While mixing and mingling, Leslie ran into a gorgeous woman named Ulee Danssen.
Danssen was played by supermodel Heidi Klum. While Klum is used to being on camera, it was fun for viewers to see her acting chops. In the episode, Danssen was the mayor of a small town in Denmark. After hearing about all of her accomplishments and seeing her beauty, Leslie grew inferior and said some hilariously awkward quotes.
Patricia Clarkson As Tammy I
It was thrilling for Parks and Rec. fans to see Patricia Clarkson on TV for a recurring role of Tammy I. Tammy I was a controversial character. She knew Ron since he was a child and later became his first wife. Tammy had the upper hand in their relationship and it created a toxic situation for both of them.
Leslie saw how manipulative Tammy was and intervened to save Ron. In the end, Ron finally came to his senses and left Tammy I yet again. While many felt that Ron's second wife Tammy II was bad, Tammy I was far more crooked.
