Aubrey Plaza’s Statement After Husband Jeff Baena’s Suicide

Trigger warning: This article contains mention of suicide. 

Aubrey Plaza has come forward with a statement following the untimely and tragic death of her husband, Jeff Baena. Baena, a 47-year-old film director, was found dead at a home on January 3, with AP revealing that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office ruling his death as a suicid.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time,” Plaza, along with Baena’s family, wrote in a statement to People.

Plaza’s statement came one day after the actress was meant to attend the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 5. She was scheduled to present an award during the ceremony, but pulled out following Baena’s death.

The Parks and Recreation actress and the film director first met in 2011 over a game of Balderdash. The couple married during the COVID-19 pandemic, and remained married until his untimely death. During their relationship, Baena and Plaza had teamed up on projects like The Little Hours, Spin Me Round, and anthology series Cinema Toast.

During Plaza’s December 2021 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, she revealed that she and Baena has been together for 11 years before deciding to get “married on a whim.” Of the ceremony, she said, “Jeff got really into tie-dying during the quarantine, so I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us. I made a love altar in the backyard of all of our love objects. It was very witchcore, but it happened.’”

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. Visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.