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Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Aubrey Plaza makes powerful red carpet comeback five months after Jeff Baena's death at 2025 Cannes closing; watch pics
Aubrey Plaza is slowly returning to the spotlight months after the tragic death of her husband and filmmaker Jeff Baena, who left her shaken. The Parks and Recreation star has largely kept out of major events, but on May 24, she returned to the red carpet for her upcoming film, Honey Don't!, walking alongside her co-stars in a floor-length dress. This marks her first major public appearance since she stepped out to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, where she paid a quiet tribute to her late husband in a tie-dye shirt on stage, one of his most popular designs. Also read: Indie filmmaker Jeff Baena, Aubrey Plaza's husband, found dead at Los Angeles home te amo aubrey plaza te amo — ticia (@hahnxplaza) May 23, 2025 Ahead of the 78th film festival's closing ceremony, Plaza joined co-stars Margaret Qualley and Charlie Day in a simple yet elegant outfit. No over-the-top couture drama unlike her previous looks, she went for a lacy, sleeveless nude gown, covered in colourful beads and stones, transparent at the bottom. Underneath, she styled a white bodysuit that complemented the sheer fabric. For the makeup, she kept it minimal, no hair accessories, and just a pair of diamonds dangling by the ears. Post the screening of her movie, the actor was seen interacting with the guests and even posed confidently for the camera, though she avoided giving a speech afterwards. But this red carpet appearance wasn't just about fashion—it marked her powerful yet emotional return to the spotlight after the loss of Baena, who died by suicide in January at the age of 47. Also read: Jeff Baena texted Aubrey Plaza three hours before his death amid reported separation, made 'concerning remarks' aubrey plaza after the screening of honey don't — evil hag media (@evilhagmedia) May 24, 2025 Plaza and Baena were together for over a decade. However, in the days leading up to his death, it was reported that the couple had been separated for nearly four months at the time. An investigation launched to uncover the reason behind Baena's suicide included a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner that confirmed Baena was struggling emotionally and had even started undergoing therapy. In fact, back in October 2024, he made some concerning comments over a phone call and text messages to Plaza, leading her to call a friend to check in on him. On January 3, a house help found Baena unresponsive in his Los Angeles-area home, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Plaza broke her silence on January 6: 'This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support,' she said in a statement, and added, 'Please respect our privacy during this time.' Later, during SNL 50, Plaza was invited to introduce Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard for a special performance. Later, appearing on Drew Barrymore's show, Plaza opened up a bit about their love story that blossomed during the quarantine. 'Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine. So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pyjamas that he had made for us,' she said. Baena was known for films like Life After Beth (2014) and The Little Hours (2017). Now, Plaza is easing back into work mode. Honey Don't!, her new film, tells the story of an investigator from a small town and stars uncovering a mysterious case of deaths tied to a church. The film was selected for the premieres.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family devastated after missing mother found dead at L.A. homeless encampment
Family members are devastated after a missing woman was one of two people who were found dead at a homeless encampment in the Westlake district of Los Angeles. On May 12, Lucrecia Macias Barajas, 46, was found dead inside a sidewalk tent that had reportedly been locked from the inside. The body of her male friend, whose identity was not released by the L.A. County Medical Examiner's office, was also found at the scene. Neighbors said at least one of the bodies had been partially eaten by dogs. The grisly discovery was found at an encampment along Huntley Circle near downtown L.A. After Barajas had been missing for several days and family members had been unable to reach her, they eventually traced her cell phone signal to the tent where her body was found. Video of the scene showed one of her daughters wailing with grief outside the tent. 'My sister, she called to tell us that she found our mom dead,' said Amely Becerra, the victim's daughter. 'It devastated us. We didn't understand how it happened.' Her daughters said she was an Army veteran and a loving mother of six children with whom they had just spent time over the weekend. 'I want people to know she wasn't a homeless drug addict, because that's not true,' Becerra said. 'Some people are coming to that conclusion and that's not fair. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.' A resident who lives near the encampment said they were distraught to learn of the bodies being found. 'When I heard her harrowing screams, it shook us all to our core,' the resident, who did not wish to be identified, told KTLA. 'We all just started shaking because we absolutely knew someone was dead outside.' The homeless encampment has remained a chronic issue for many nearby residents, who say the area attracts criminal activity, drug use, safety hazards and even unruly animals. One neighbor said that his dogs were attacked by animals living in the encampment. When he tried reporting it, he claims the Los Angeles Police Department told him there was nothing they could do about it. 'This place has been a danger zone,' the man said. 'People don't feel safe, and nothing is ever done to clear it for good.' Neighbors said the area has been neglected by city officials and despite repeated complaints, nothing is being done to curb the growing problems. 'The neighbors complained about the dogs that were in this situation, the encampments,' said Raul Claros, founder of California Rising. 'The city did nothing and we feel that these two individuals would still be alive if those encampments weren't there.' Another resident said that power had been illegally hooked up at the encampment for months and that despite a fatal RV fire in January, the site continues to be occupied. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass sent KTLA a statement on the incident, saying, 'This case reinforces our urgent need to address this grave humanitarian crisis. We will continue collaborating with the council office to bring more Angelenos inside and do all that we can to improve public safety.' The cause of death for Barajas and the unidentified man remains under investigation. A GoFundMe page to help Barajas' family with funeral expenses can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dazed & Confused Actor Nicky Katt Passes Away at 54
Nicky Katt, the actor known for roles in Dazed and Confused and Boston Public, has passed away at the age of 54. News of his death surfaced recently, with confirmation later provided by both his family and the L.A. County Medical Examiner. Many wish to learn about the what happened to Nicky Katt and the circumstances surrounding his death. Here's what we know so far about Nicky Katt's death. Nicky Katt died by suicide at age 54, according to a statement released by his sister Elise Ravenscroft and confirmed by the L.A. County Medical Examiner. The actor was found dead on April 8, 2025, in his Burbank apartment by his landlord, who was attempting to collect overdue rent. Law enforcement sources reported that Katt died by hanging. A report from the Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death as 'hanging' and the manner as 'suicide.' Katt's sister stated: 'He died by suicide after battling with depression—one that he fought bravely but quietly.' She added, 'Mental illness is real, it is powerful, and it is often invisible. We hope that by sharing this, we can help break the silence and stigma that so often surrounds mental health struggles.' (via Deadline) Nicky Katt, born in May 1970 in Acapulco, launched his acting career as a child with roles in Fantasy Island and CHiPs. He gained recognition for portraying intense and volatile characters, most notably Clint Bruno in Dazed and Confused (1993) and Harry Senate in Boston Public (2000–2004). He also took on roles in Boiler Room, The Limey, Sin City, Insomnia, SubUrbia, School of Rock, and more. Katt collaborated with directors such as Richard Linklater, Steven Soderbergh, Robert Rodriguez, and Christopher Nolan throughout his career. He made his final known television appearance in Hulu's Casual in 2018. Authorities did not find a suicide note at the scene. His lawyer, John Sloss, confirmed the death but withheld further details. Officials have not released additional information about his family or survivors. Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on The post Dazed & Confused Actor Nicky Katt Passes Away at 54 appeared first on Mandatory.
Los Angeles Times
06-03-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Homeless deaths in L.A. County are leveling off but still nearly seven per day
Los Angeles County health officials reported a second consecutive year of moderate increases in homeless deaths, adding evidence that a surge that raised the mortality rate 56% over the previous two years has leveled off. But homeless mortality remained persistently high with an average of 6.9 deaths daily in 2023, the year covered in the most recent report. Overall, homeless people died at 4.5 times the rate of the whole population. During the year, 2,508 people died on the streets and in shelters, up 5.6% over the prior year. Because that period's homeless count increased, the mortality rate — calculated as 3,326 deaths per 100,000 people — increased less, at 1.3%. That was an improvement over the 2.1% increase in 2022. The rate of drug and alcohol overdose deaths fell slightly but remained the leading cause, accounting for 45% of all deaths. Of those, 70% involved the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Coronary disease was the second leading cause, accounting for 14% of deaths, a figure that was up by 22%. Transportation accidents remained steady in third place overall, but the second leading cause for women. On average, one homeless person was killed in a vehicle accident every other day. Homicides, in fourth place, fell 25%. Men were more likely than women to die from all causes, making up 68% of the population but 82% of deaths. Sixty-two percent of deaths were among those younger than 55, a phenomenon attributed to the younger group's higher overdose rate. Mortality was highest for whites who were 19% of the population but accounted for 32% of all deaths. Black people and Latinos each had fewer deaths than their proportion of the population. The sixth report on homeless mortality by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health described the current trend as a plateau. It attributed the improvement partly to a threefold increase in the distribution of naxalone, an overdose reversal medication, from 2021 through 2023 and other mental health and substance-use treatment services. Nearly 479,000 doses of naxalone were distributed in 2024, it said. The report listed 17 recommendations falling under four categories: rapid access to housing and shelter; expanded overdose prevention; physical, mental health and substance use treatment; and collaboration with municipalities and unincorporated communities to reduce traffic deaths. The calculation of homeless mortality rates is inherently unstable. It relies on fluctuating annual counts of the homeless population that have built-in error and on imperfect means of identifying deaths of homeless people. The deaths are drawn primarily from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's records of accidental and violent cases. Other deaths are obtained from a search of the state database of death certificates. The year-over-year increase in 2023 may have been inflated by an improvement in the state data with the addition of a homeless checkbox. State data contributed 17% of the identified deaths, more than in any previous year. This year's report also included a footnote indicating that the initial 2022 finding of a leveling off of the overdose rate had to be revised upward due to a backlog of toxicology tests at the time of publication that the medical examiner later determined to be drug-related. A smaller backlog could also change the 2023 result, but to a lesser extent, it said. The homeless counts are averaged over two years to estimate a mid-year number. This year's report used a three-year average due to the cancellation of the 2021 count during the coronavirus pandemic.
