Aubrey Plaza makes her first red carpet appearance since the death of husband Jeff Baena

New York Post

24-05-2025

On Aubrey Plaza's to do list? The 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
The actress, 40, graced the red carpet at the French festivities on Friday for the premiere of her upcoming film 'Honey Don't!,' alongside costars Margaret Qualley and Charlie Day.
Plaza wore a nude, floor-length dress with colored beads over a white bodysuit. The carpet, meanwhile, comes five months after her husband Jeff Baena died by suicide at age 47 in January.
9 Aubrey Plaza attends the 'Honey Don't!' red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival.
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9 Aubrey Plaza at the Cannes Film Festival.
WireImage
The 'My Old Ass' star has stayed largely out of the spotlight since the screenwriter's passing, first making an appearance on 'Saturday Night Live's' 50th anniversary special in February.
9 Charlie Day, from left, Aubrey Plaza, Margaret Qualley, director Ethan Coen, Writer Tricia Cooke, Talia Ryder, Jacnier and Lera Abova pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Honey Don't!'
Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP
During the taping, Plaza made a brief cameo to introduce singers Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard before they performed Sinéad O'Connor's 'Nothing Compares 2 U.'
At the late night sketch show, Plaza coyly honored her late partner by donning a tie-dye shirt. The garment had a special meaning for the couple – who tied the knot in 2021 after almost 10 years together.
During an appearance on 'The Drew Barrymore Show' that same year, the 'Agatha All Along' alum explained that the duo opted to wear non-traditional outfits to their wedding.
9 'Honey Don't!' red carpet.
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'Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine,' Plaza told host Drew Barrymore. 'So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us.'
'The marriage was just like a joke that honestly went too far,' she teased at the time. 'We got married on a whim. Literally decided at around 5 p.m. and got married at 8:30.'
Despite their nuptials, Baena and Plaza – who started dating in 2011 – kept their relationship private. Fans first learned about their union after the star referred to the director as 'my darling husband' on Instagram.
9 Aubrey Plaza.
ZUMAPRESS.com
'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' Plaza captioned her May 2021 post.
However, at the time of Baena's death, he and Plaza were separated.
According to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner obtained by People it was confirmed Plaza and Baena had separated in September 2024.
9 Aubrey Plaza attends the 'Honey Don't!' red carpet.
Getty Images
The report also detailed that the late writer had texted his then-wife on the day he died.
In the report, it was noted that Baena made 'concerning remarks' to Plaza in October that 'prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband.'
Following the welfare check, Baena began therapy, according to the report. It added that he was 'experiencing recent marital difficulties' with Plaza before passing away.
Three days after Baena's death, both his and the 'Parks and Rec' star's family shared a heartfelt statement.
9 Aubrey Plaza in Cannes, France.
Getty Images
'This is an unimaginable tragedy,' the statement obtained by The Post read. 'We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.'
The filmmaker was found dead by an assistant at his home in the Los Angeles area.
Baena was best known for directing films such as the 2014 horror comedy 'Life After Beth' and the hit 2017 comedy-drama 'The Little Hours.'
9 Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena.
@plazadeaubrey/Instagram
Throughout his career, he had garnered more than a dozen directing and film credits to his name and worked closely with Plaza, who starred in many of his projects.
After news of Baena's death broke, many friends took to social media to share their condolences.
'Jeff Baena was a sweet, Jewish boy from Miami,' Adam Pally wrote on Instagram. 'He was a collaborator, a mentor, the scrappiest basketball player with the ugliest jump shot you ever saw.'
9 Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena at Sundance.
Mark Davis
The 'Happy Endings' star added he was a 'talented director with impeccable taste and vision.'
'As a director, Jeff strove for truth. Nothing could sound, look or feel inauthentic, and that is a direct representation of who Jeff was. Authentic.'