Aubrey Plaza breaks silence on husband Jeff Baena’s death: ‘An unimaginable tragedy’

Actress Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence following the death of her husband, Jeff Baena.

Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence following the death of her husband, Jeff Baena.

The actress and Baena’s family released a joint statement on Monday days after he was found dead at the couple’s LA home on January 3.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time,” read the statement, obtained by the New York Post. 

Baena, who was a writer and director, died by suicide last week. He was 47.

Actress Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence days after the death of her husband, director Jeff Baena. Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

An assistant discovered his body at the Hollywood couple’s Los Feliz property on Friday morning local time. Emergency services were called to the home around 10:30am, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, with the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirming he died by suicide.

Earlier this week, Baena’s brother, Brad, spoke out about his devastation over losing his brother.

Baena’s body was found in the LA home he shares with Plaza, his wife of four years. Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

Commenting under an Instagram tribute shared by Baena’s friend, actor Adam Pally, Brad wrote: “I am broken.”

Plaza statement also comes days after a heartbreaking scene from her recent movie My Old Ass resurfaced in which her character Elliott reveals to her younger self that the love of their life dies.

The coming-of-age comedy-drama was released on Prime Video last September and sees 18-year-old Elliott (played by Maisy Stella), meet her 39-year-old self (played by Plaza).

Adult Elliott warns younger Elliott that she needs to stay away from a boy named Chad, but younger Elliott demands answers because she is falling in love with him.

A confrontation then sees adult Elliott reveal that Chad dies, so she wants to spare them the heartbreak.

The couple began dating in 2011 and were married in 2021. Picture: Mark Davis/Getty Images

“He died. That’s what he did. Chad dies. And he dies after you have fallen so madly in love with him that you can’t see straight, okay? After you can’t imagine loving anybody else ever again,” she says in scenes now devastating to watch.

Plaza stars in My Old Ass., playing a character who tells her younger self the love of her life dies. Picture: Prime Video

Maisy Stella and Plaza in a scene from the movie My Old Ass. Picture: Prime Video

“And no, you can’t save him. I know that’s what you’re going to say, but no, you can’t save him. There’s nothing you can do.”

Plaza and Baena began dating in 2011 and were married 10 years later. They collaborated on numerous projects during their time together.

Baena was best known for directing the 2014 horror comedy Life After Beth, which was his directorial debut and starred his wife.

They worked together again in the 2022 rom-com Spin Me Round and on comedy The Little Hours in 2017.

Originally published as Aubrey Plaza breaks silence on husband Jeff Baena’s death: ‘An unimaginable tragedy’