If you’ve ever watched a teen comedy and thought, "this is way too sanitized," then you probably haven't seen The To Do List. This movie is a time capsule from 2013 that feels like a fever dream of 1993. Honestly, the Aubrey Plaza masturbate scene is one of those moments in cinema history that sounds like a typical raunchy gag on paper but becomes something entirely different when you hear the story of how it actually went down on set.
It’s weird. It’s awkward. It’s kind of legendary.
Most people who search for this scene are looking for the shock value, but the real meat of the story is the behind-the-scenes chaos between Plaza and her director, Maggie Carey. This wasn't just some glossy Hollywood sequence. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated "What am I doing with my life?" that almost didn't happen the way we see it on screen.
Why the Aubrey Plaza Masturbate Scene Still Matters
The film stars Plaza as Brandy Klark, a valedictorian who is essentially a sexual novice. She decides she needs to check off every base before heading to Georgetown. Naturally, "self-pleasure" is on the list.
But here’s the thing: Aubrey Plaza didn't realize what she was signing up for.
In a now-famous interview with Conan O'Brien, Plaza revealed that she expected a "nice scene" where maybe her hand just drifts out of frame. You know, the standard cinematic shorthand for "use your imagination." Instead, she showed up to the set to find a camera mounted on the ceiling.
"I was in my underwear and a Clinton t-shirt," Plaza told Conan. "The camera was on the ceiling, and I asked the director, 'What should I do?' and she said, 'Masturbate—like it says in the script.'"
👉 See also: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
It’s a blunt instruction. No metaphors. No soft lighting. Just a full-body shot of a woman in a Bill Clinton shirt trying to fulfill a technical requirement of a screenplay.
The Directorial Vision vs. Actor Reality
Maggie Carey, the writer and director, wasn't trying to be exploitative. She was trying to be honest. The movie is loosely based on Carey’s own life growing up in Idaho. She wanted the scene to feel as clunky and un-sexy as it actually is when you’re a teenager trying to figure out your own body for the first time.
Basically, the goal was the opposite of Black Swan. There was no dramatic music or psychological breakdown. Just a girl and a pillow.
Carey later mentioned that Plaza actually came up with the idea to hump the pillow herself. It was a moment of "game for anything" energy that defines Plaza’s career. She’s not afraid to look stupid. She’s not afraid to be vulnerable in the most embarrassing way possible.
What Really Happened on Set
Let’s talk about the room. It wasn't a closed set in the way modern intimacy coordinators would handle it today. In the 2013 interview, Plaza joked about there being "a bunch of old men smoking" in the room. She later clarified they were just the crew, but the vibe was definitely "old school indie film."
The Aubrey Plaza masturbate scene works because it captures that specific brand of 90s earnestness. Brandy Klark isn't doing it for pleasure; she’s doing it because it’s an assignment. She’s a Type-A personality applying academic rigor to her clitoris.
✨ Don't miss: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
It’s hilarious because it’s relatable.
The Cultural Impact
At the time, The To Do List was a bit of a disruptor. Most teen sex comedies like American Pie or Superbad focused heavily on the male perspective of losing virginity. Seeing a woman be the one with the checklist—and seeing her struggle through the "solo" parts of that checklist—was a refreshing, if cringe-inducing, change of pace.
Critics were split. Some thought the movie was a raunchy delight, while others felt it was too mean-spirited toward its protagonist. But almost everyone agreed that Plaza was the only person who could have played Brandy. Her ability to remain deadpan while doing the most humiliating things is her superpower.
Why People Are Still Talking About It
We’re over a decade out from the movie's release, yet this specific scene keeps resurfacing. Why?
Part of it is the "White Lotus" effect. Aubrey Plaza is a massive star now. People are going back through her filmography and finding these gems where she was just starting to define her "weird girl" persona.
Another part is the sheer honesty of the performance. In an era of Instagram-filtered everything, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching a scene that is intentionally un-aesthetic. It reminds us that being a human is messy.
🔗 Read more: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
Breaking Down the Misconceptions
- Misconception 1: It was meant to be sexy.
- Reality: It was meant to be a comedy beat about a nerd following instructions.
- Misconception 2: Plaza was forced into it.
- Reality: While she was surprised by the camera angle, she has always spoken about it with her trademark dark humor and has maintained a close relationship with Maggie Carey (who also directed her in The Jeannie Tate Show).
- Misconception 3: It’s just a "raunchy" scene.
- Reality: It’s a character study. It tells you everything you need to know about Brandy’s drive and her lack of intuition.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Cinephiles
If you're looking to dive deeper into this era of Plaza's career or the "female-led raunchy comedy" subgenre, here is what you should do next:
- Watch the Conan Interview: Search for the 2013 clip of Aubrey Plaza explaining the scene. Her delivery is arguably funnier than the scene itself.
- Compare with Safety Not Guaranteed: Released around the same time, this film shows the "indie darling" side of Plaza. It’s a great double feature to see her range.
- Check out The Little Hours: If you like the "uncomfortable sexual humor" of The To Do List, this movie (directed by her husband Jeff Baena) takes it to a medieval level.
- Look for the 90s Easter Eggs: When re-watching the scene, pay attention to the set design. The Hillary Clinton posters and the specific "no-maintenance" haircut Plaza wears were all curated by Carey to reflect her own teenage years.
The Aubrey Plaza masturbate scene isn't just a clip for a "hot scenes" compilation. It’s a piece of comedic history that proves how far an actor is willing to go for a bit. It’s about the friction between a director's vision of realism and an actor's expectation of Hollywood glamor.
In the end, the realism won. And we got one of the most awkward, memorable moments in 21st-century comedy because of it.
If you're curious about how Plaza transitioned from these raunchy indie comedies to her current status as a dramatic powerhouse, you should look into her production company, Evil Hag Productions. She’s been the one calling the shots on her most recent projects, ensuring that if there’s a camera on the ceiling, she’s the one who put it there.
Next Steps:
Go watch The To Do List on your favorite streaming platform to see the scene in its full context. Pay attention to how the film handles the 90s setting without leaning too hard into "remember this?" nostalgia. It’s a masterclass in tone that often gets overlooked.