Actress Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence on the heartbreaking loss of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who died by suicide in January at the age of 47. Speaking with her friend and Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler on the podcast Good Hang, Plaza described grief as a “daily struggle” that never really goes away. Jeff Baena Dies by Suicide at 47: Aubrey Plaza Breaks Silence on Husband’s Death, Calls It an ‘Unimaginable Tragedy’ in Statement.

Aubrey Plaza Opens Up on Husband Jeff Baena’s Suicide – Watch Video

Aubrey Plaza Shares Grief Journey After Jeff Baena’s Tragic Death

“Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” Plaza told Poehler. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I’m OK, but it’s like a daily struggle, obviously.” Baena, best known for directing Life After Beth and The Little Hours, was found dead in his Los Angeles home earlier this year. The cause of death was ruled suicide, with no foul play suspected. Filmmaker Jeff Baena, Aubrey Plaza’s Husband, Dies by Suicide at 47: Reports.

Aubrey Plaza Likens Grief to a ‘Constant Ocean of Awfulness’

Plaza compared her grief to the sci-fi horror film The Gorge starring Miles Teller. “In the movie, there’s a cliff on one side and a cliff on the other side and there’s a gorge in between, and it’s filled with all these monster people that are trying to get them. I swear when I watched it, I was like, 'That’s what this feels like, what my grief is like – or what grief could be like.’” Using what she called a “dumb analogy,” Plaza added, “At all times there’s like a giant ocean of awfulness that’s right there, and I can see it. Sometimes, I just want to dive into it and be in it. And then sometimes, I just look at it. And then sometimes, I’m just trying to get away from it. But it’s always there.”

Jeff Baena’s Family Call His Death ‘An Unimaginable Tragedy’

Plaza and Baena first met in 2011 and tied the knot in 2021 with a spontaneous backyard wedding during the pandemic. According to reports, the couple was separated at the time of Baena’s passing. His family and Plaza had issued a joint statement calling the loss “an unimaginable tragedy” and requested privacy. Actress Aubrey Plaza Deletes Her Instagram Account Following Husband Jeff Baena's Tragic Death by Suicide.

Jeff Baena’s Film Legacy and Aubrey Plaza’s Upcoming Project

Beyond their collaborations, Baena co-wrote I Heart Huckabees with David O. Russell and directed Spin Me Round in 2022 starring Plaza and Alison Brie. Plaza, widely known for The White Lotus, will next be seen in Ethan Coen’s comedy Honey Don’t.

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:

Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – + 91 80 26995000 /5100 /5200 /5300 /5400; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 0832-2252525.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2025 04:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).