Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence for the first time after her husband Jeff Baena died by suicide. Baena, 47, was found unresponsive by an assistant inside his Los Angeles-area home last week, according to TMZ.
“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, told Page Six in a statement on Monday, January 5.
Police, who were called at around 10:30 am local time, pronounced Baena dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner's Office listed Baena's manner of death as a suicide. Before acknowledging her husband’s death, the Parks and Recreation alum’s rep gave a statement to Deadline that read, “The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time.”
Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena tied the knot after years of dating
Plaza was seen smiling at a New Year’s Day Knicks game just before Baena’s sudden death. The couple had been together for more than a decade before they secretly married each other in 2020. Plaza later revealed the news in an Instagram post.
Plaza told Ellen DeGeneres months later that they decided to tie the knot while quarantining during the Covid19 pandemic. “‘It’s our 10-year anniversary, we should do something. Get an ice cream cone or do something special,'” she recalled Baena saying.
{{/usCountry}}Plaza told Ellen DeGeneres months later that they decided to tie the knot while quarantining during the Covid19 pandemic. “‘It’s our 10-year anniversary, we should do something. Get an ice cream cone or do something special,'” she recalled Baena saying.
{{/usCountry}}Baena, a writer and director, was best known for co-writing a 2004 indie film titled I Heart Huckabees, which starred Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg and Naomi Watts. He wrote 2014’s Life After Beth, 2020’s Horse Girl and 2022’s Spin Me Round. The couple had no children together.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).