Tatiana Maslanyis a revered television actress, but many may have forgotten that she appeared inParks and Rec. LikeThe Office,Parks and Recwas a workplace mockumentary sitcom, and it followed the Parks Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. While the show was largely focused on the department’s day-to-day, it was also similar toThe Officein that the main characters' love lives were a big part of the story.Parks and Rechad many great couples, from Leslie and Ben to April and Andy, andMaslany was involved in one of these romantic storylines.
A Canadian actress, Maslany had been working steadily since the early 2000s when she broke out in 2013 with the acclaimed sci-fi TV series,Orphan Black. On the show, Maslany plays Sarah Manning, a young woman who discovers that she is one of many clones, all of whom are also played by Maslany. The actress won a Primetime Emmy for her work onOrphan Black, and it wasn’t long before the MCU came calling, casting Maslany as Jennifer Walters inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law. But before she starred in these series, Maslany appeared inParks and Rec.
Tatiana Maslany Played Nadia Stasky In Parks & Rec
Nadia Was A Doctor And Tom Haverford’s Love Interest
Tatiana Maslany appeared as Nadia Stasky, in a two-episode arc inParks and Recseason 6.Nadia is a doctor from Doctors Without Borders who meets the Pawnee Parks Department when she wants to reserve a park to set up a mobile hospitalthat provides free vaccinations. Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) is instantly attracted to her, but he’s intimidated by her intelligence so he adopts a weird British accent, and when that fails to woo Nadia, he intentionally messes up her paperwork to get more time with her. Thoroughly turned off, Nadia leaves.
Nadia Stasky’sParks and RecEpisodes
“Gin It Up!” (season 6, episode 5)
Last Episode
“Filibuster” (season 6, episode 6)
Realizing he messed up, Tom enlists April’s help and successfully asks Nadia out on a date, though she warns him that she’s leaving for work in Rwanda in two weeks. However, the two hit it off and begin officially dating, and they make a cute couple, though their romance is short-lived. Their last adventure together involves failing at stealing a stuffed bear that Nadia wants from Ann, and in the following episode, Nadia is gone.
Like Mark Brendanawicz before her,Nadia is never mentioned inParks and Recagain. As always, Maslany was excellent in her performance, but the memorable romances in workplace sitcoms tend to be among the main characters, so it’s not Maslany’s fault that Nadia was largely forgotten. But in addition to being charming and funny, Nadia brought out a vulnerable side to Tom rarely seen in the show, and that makes her arc worth revisiting.
Maslany Said Parks & Rec Was The “Scariest Thing” She’s Ever Done
The Orphan Black Actress Expressed Utmost Respect For Her Comedic Co-Stars
Tatiana Maslany is a multi-award-winning actress with at least 80 credits to her name, many of which were earned before her appearance onParks and Rec. However, in an interview withRolling Stone(viaDigital Spy),Maslany confessed that appearing on the sitcom was one of the most intimidating moments of her career. She said,
It was the scariest thing I ever did… I revere comedians more than anyone else. They’re the epitome. And to be on a show and meet Amy Poehler, it was so much fun.
If anyone knows a thing or two about taking on intimidating roles, it’s Maslany, who played awhopping 17 clones inOrphan Blackto sheer perfection. She also took on the lead role inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, joining one of the most popular, talked-about cinematic franchises of all time and opening herself up to a potential barrage of criticism from the fandom (which did indeed come to fruition, as with many depictions of female superhero characters).
It’s hard to imagineTatiana Maslanybeing nervous about any project, but her attitude towardParks and Recspeaks to her respect for the craft. Hopefully it won’t be long before she’s in another comedy.
Parks and Recreation
Cast
Parks and Recreation is a television series that premiered in 2009, focusing on Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in Pawnee, Indiana. She encounters various challenges from bureaucrats and citizens while striving to beautify the town through her role in the Parks and Recreation Department.
