Aubrey Plaza breaks silence after husband Jeff Baena's death, calls his passing "an unimaginable tragedy"

Actress and comedian Aubrey Plaza has shared a statement following her husband screenwriter and director Jeff Baena’s death. In her message, the actress requested for "privacy during this time."

Baena died by suicide on December 3, 2025 aged 47. The cause of his death was later revealed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office. According to reports, the statement by his wife read:

“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena tied the knot in 2021 after dating for almost a decade. Following the tragedy, the actress called off her scheduled appearance at the Golden Globes to present an award, on January 5, 2025.

Tributes also poured in at the award ceremony. Actor and filmmaker Brady Corbet, who won the Best Director award for The Brutalist, concluded his acceptance speech by saying:

“Tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family.”

Comedian and actor Adam Pally, who worked with the director in Life After Beth, also posted his tribute on social media following Baena’s death. He described Jeff Baena as a kind and creative individual, noting his roots as a Jewish boy from Miami. He recalled Baena as a collaborator, mentor, and determined basketball player with a notably unconventional jump shot.

Pally shared his heartbreak for his friend Aubrey, the Baena family, and everyone who was part of Jeff’s life, whether on his sets, at home, or within his circle. He expressed gratitude for Baena believing in him and wished for his memory to be a blessing.

A glimpse into Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena’s yesteryears

After dating for a few years, Aubrey Plaza acted in Jeff Baena’s Life After Beth, a film that saw remarkable success at the Sundance Film Festival. They had worked together on five films, including The End of Love (2012), The Little Hours (2017), and Spin Me Round (2022).

During a 2021 interview with Drew Barrymore, Aubrey Plaza discussed their pandemic wedding. When Barrymore asked how she felt about collaborating with her husband in films, Plaza said:

“It’s so great. It’s so complicated. It’s like extreme highs and extreme you know complications. It’s like, it’s a really hard thing to navigate but we have been together for 11 years.”

She continued:

“We just muscle our way through it and I think, yeah, the marriage was just like a joke that honestly just went too far.”

Aubrey Plaza also revealed that they got married over a whim. They planned to tie the knot at 5 pm and got married at 8:30. The couple decided to wear tie-dye pajamas that Jeff Baena made. She prepared a love altar in their backyard.

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Jeff Baena was an alumnus of New York University. He moved to Los Angeles after graduation and entered the world of films as one of the writers of I Heart Huckabees, directed by David O. Russell. According to The New York Post, he is survived by his wife, mother, father, stepfather, stepmother, brother, stepbrother, and stepsister.

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