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Aubrey Plaza broke her silence Monday (Jan. 6) after the shocking death of her husband, independent filmmaker Jeff Baena.
Plaza issued a joint statement with the Baena and Stern families Monday.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support,” the statement reads, per Deadline. “Please respect our privacy during this time.”
Plaza and Baena had been married since 2021, after almost a decade of dating.
Baena was an independent director and screenwriter who directed Plaza in the 2014 zombie comedy Life After Beth. He also directed the 2020 comedy Horse Girl, starring Alison Brie. His first major project was the 2004 feature I Heart Huckabees, starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law and Naomi Watts.
Baena was discovered Friday, Jan. 3, at 10:30 a.m. in a Los Angeles-area home by an assistant. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide, per TMZ. He was 47.
His death came just days before the Golden Globes, where Plaza was set to present an award. The actress did not attend the awards ceremony but The Brutalist director Brady Corbet paid tribute to the couple during his acceptance speech.
“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge three people that I lost while making this picture: My grandfather James, his brother Jerry and my dear friend Kevin Turen, who I miss every day. I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it were not for their influence,” he said while accepting his award for best director of a motion picture. “Finally, tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family.”
The tributes have since been pouring in for the late filmmaker.
Comedian and actor Adam Pally, who starred in several of Baena’s projects, wrote a touching tribute to his real-life friend and collaborator.
“He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, a fosterer of possibility, the guy who knows where the best restaurant was no matter where you were,” he wrote, per Vulture. “An overly gracious host with an almost disturbing open door policy, a film encyclopedia, and most importantly to me a friend.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org.
