Aubrey Plaza breaks silence on husband Jeff Baena's tragic death

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors

Aubrey Plaza has publicly addressed the tragic death of her husband Jeff Baena.

In a statement shared with Page Sixon Monday, January 6, Plaza, alongside Baena's family, expressed their deep grief over the death of their loved one. "This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time," the statement read.

Baena was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home on the morning of January 3, with his assistant discovering him, as reported by TMZ. Authorities were called around 10:30 a.m., and the film director was pronounced dead at the scene. While the cause of death was initially unknown, law enforcement later confirmed it was death by suicide. The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the cause of death. He was 47 years old.

Plaza, 40, and Baena were together for over ten years before they secretly married in 2020. The Parks and Recreation alum revealed the news of their marriage in May 2021 on Instagram, and revealed to Ellen Degeneres that they decided to wed during the COVID-19 quarantine. "It's our 10-year anniversary, we should do something. Get an ice cream cone or do something special," Plaza recalled Baena saying, a suggestion they quickly turned into reality by using an expedited online marriage service.

Baena, a talented writer and director, was best known for co-writing the 2004 film I Heart Huckabees starring Jude Law, Naomi Watts, and Mark Wahlberg. He also worked on Life After Beth, Horse Girl, and Spin Me Round. He and Plaza collaborated on several projects, including Life After Beth and The Little Hours.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.