John Waters teams up with Aubrey Plaza for his first film in two decades

For his first film in twenty years, John Waters is returning to theaters in the best company. The adaptation of his first novel, Liarmouth, will star Aubrey Plaza in its leading role.

Liarmouth, dubbed a “feel bad romance,” revels in the filth and trash that defines Waters’ oeuvre. It follows Marsha “Liarmouth” Sprinkle, a con artist who instigates a luggage heist at an airport. She and Daryl, her smitten partner-in-crime who acts as her getaway driver in exchange for sex once a year, are separated when the heist is busted.

Each pursues their own crime sprees apart, with Liarmouth targeting her sister Poppy (manager of a trampoline park) and her mother Adora (a plastic surgeon for pets).

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After defining his career with transgressive cult films of the 70s and 80s, collaborating with underground queer stars like drag queen Divine and former Hollywood golden boy Tab Hunter, Waters seemed to have left the silver screen for good with 2004’s A Dirty Shame. But in 2022, he announced that he would be directing the adaptation of his first novel, and it looks like he’s officially back with another iconic collaboration.

Film news site World of Reel has confirmed that Plaza will be playing Marsha in the upcoming adaptation. Although exciting, the White Lotus star’s involvement isn’t exactly a surprise. In a 2022 interview with Dazed, Plaza revealed that she was gunning for the role the minute the news broke.

“I emailed [John Waters] immediately, and said, ‘You better let me audition for you. I even look like the girl on the cover [of the book he’s adapting],’” she said.

“I exclusively only audition for John Waters. He told me I’m on his list, but I want to be top of the list. I want to be the only person on his list. They’ve told me I’m this generation’s Kathleen Turner. I mean, come on – I’m a shoo-in. I need that movie.”

“I’m throwing myself at his feet,” she added. “I’ll do anything to get the part. And I mean anything.”

Now that Plaza is securely in the lead role, we’ll wait to hear what exactly “anything” turned out to be.