Aubrey Plaza breaks her silence after husband Jeff Baena’s tragic death

Aubrey Plaza has spoken out for the first time following the tragic death of her husband, Jeff Baena, who passed away by suicide.

The 47-year-old writer and director was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles-area home last week.

As per Variety, Plaza and Baena’s family said in a joint statement, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner’s Office has officially ruled Baena’s death as a suicide.

Just days before his sudden death, Plaza was spotted smiling at a New Year’s Day Knicks game.

The couple had been together for over a decade and quietly tied the knot in 2020, a detail Plaza later shared on Instagram.

In a September 2024 interview on The Howard Stern Show, just months before Baena’s death, Plaza spoke fondly of their relationship.

She shared that she was “happy” with Baena and agreed with Stern that being with a filmmaker suited her better than dating an actor.

When Stern remarked that success in acting alone might not bring the happiness one expects, Plaza admitted it could feel “lonely at the top” and expressed gratitude for having Baena by her side.

Baena had often praised Plaza’s talents and their collaboration on various projects. In a 2022 interview with Newsweek, he expressed how “lucky” he felt to have her both personally and professionally.

He said, “As I’ve made more and more stuff, I’ve come to appreciate everything that she brings. She’s insanely talented and so smart and obviously really good at producing.”

“And she’s writing. There are very few people who can wear as many hats as her, as elegantly as she does… Everything she does is amazing.” 

Baena was best known for co-writing the 2004 indie film I Heart Huckabees, which starred Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, and Naomi Watts. 

His other works included Life After Beth (2014), Horse Girl (2020), and Spin Me Round (2022). 

He and Plaza did not have children.