Aubrey Plaza has issued a statement following the death of her husband, Jeff Baena. The actor was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Friday, with the Los Angeles County medical examiner concluding he took his own life.
'This is an unimaginable tragedy,' Plaza and Baena’s family said in a joint statement shared with media on Monday. 'We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.'
Plaza and Baena got together in 2011 over a game of Balderdash. At the time, Plaza was an established actress, while Baena was an emerging talent in Hollywood. In the early years of their relationship, they worked together on the 2014 horror film Life After Beth and the 2017 historical comedy The Little Hours, which Plaza starred in. They married in 2021 to celebrate their ten-year anniversary.
The two remained notoriously private about their relationship. In one interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December 2021, Plaza said that she and Baena ‘got a little bored one night’ during the pandemic and decided to get married after celebrating their 10th anniversary. She described how they got married in the garden, after finding a wedding officiant online, and she ‘created a very quick love altar in [their] yard.'
Baena was a talented screenwriter. He wrote 2020 thriller Horse Girl, starring Alison Brie, and 2022 dark comedy Spin Me Round, both of which he also directed. He also co-wrote the 2004 comedy I Heart Huckabees alongside director David O Russell, which had a star-studded cast that included Jude Law, Jason Schwartzman, Dustin Hoffman, Naomi Watts, Lily Tomlin and Mark Wahlberg.
Plaza had been announced as a presenter for the Golden Globe awards, just a week before Baena's death. She did not attend the ceremony, but during his acceptance speech for best director, The Brutalist director, Brady Corbet, paid tribute to Baena, saying ‘My heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family.'
People are also taking to X to pay their tributes to Baena. Actor and comedian Marc Maron wrote: 'Very sad about the tragic loss of a true artist and sweet guy.' Sundance Film Festival wrote, 'We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jeff Baena for sharing his stories and contributing to the lasting memories we've built together. Jeff, we'll miss your wit, humour, and daring vision. Rest in peace, friend.'
In 2023, Plaza was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in the second series of White Lotus and is also known for Disney+ series Agatha All Along. She has also had roles in several hit films, including Megalopolis, Ingrid Goes West, Dirty Grandpa and Emily the Criminal.