Aubrey Plaza, the actress known for her sharp wit, offbeat humor, and unforgettable roles in both comedy and drama, is entering one of the most painful chapters of her life. The sudden death of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, has left a void that she has begun to speak about publicly for the first time. While Plaza has always been a fiercely private person, known for deflecting personal questions with dry humor, the grief she carries now has pushed her to open up in ways fans have never seen before.
Speaking in a rare candid interview, Plaza admitted that her world has changed forever. “Right now, I’m probably going to just keep walking forward because that’s the only thing I know how to do,” she said, her voice trembling yet steady. “Grief is strange. It doesn’t hit you all at once. It comes in waves, and when it hits, it knocks you down. But then you get up because you have to.”
Plaza and Baena had been partners for over a decade, often collaborating creatively while keeping their personal lives mostly out of the spotlight. Baena, who directed films like Horse Girl and Spin Me Round, was more often behind the camera, while Plaza shined on screen. Together, they created a balance—two people who didn’t need the public to validate their relationship but instead found comfort in each other’s presence. Friends often described them as deeply connected, sharing a creative bond that inspired both their work and their life together.
Losing that bond has clearly devastated Plaza, but she has made it clear she does not want to be defined solely by tragedy. Instead, she is leaning on her work, her community, and her fans. “Jeff was someone who believed in me more than anyone else,” she explained. “He pushed me to take risks, to try things I would’ve been too scared to do alone. So now, even though he’s not here, I feel like I have to carry that with me. I can’t just stop.”
The actress has been pouring herself into projects as a way to cope. Upcoming films, television roles, and even her continued work as a producer have become a lifeline. Plaza described how being on set feels different now—“There are moments I look around and expect him to be there, quietly watching, giving me that little nod like he always did. And then I remember, and it breaks me. But at the same time, it keeps me going, because I know he’d want me to finish what we started.”
Those close to her say she has become more reflective, even spiritual, in the months since Baena’s passing. While Plaza has always been known for her dark, sardonic sense of humor, she has been speaking more about gratitude, about holding onto the present moment, and about finding strength in vulnerability. “I used to think I had to be strong all the time, to not let anyone see me break,” she admitted. “But now I realize there’s strength in letting people in. There’s strength in admitting you’re lost.”
Fans have rallied around her, flooding social media with messages of support. Many have shared their own stories of loss, creating a kind of collective mourning space that Plaza herself has acknowledged. “When people tell me their stories, I don’t feel so alone. That’s the thing about grief—it’s universal. We’re all going to lose someone we love. It’s just a matter of when. And if we can share that pain, it makes it a little lighter to carry.”
Still, Plaza is clear that healing is not linear. Some days are better than others, and some nights are unbearable. She described moments of reaching for her phone to text Baena something funny, only to remember he will never respond. She has found comfort in small rituals, like revisiting the places they loved, listening to the music they shared, and even cooking the meals they used to make together. “It’s like keeping a piece of him alive,” she said.
As she moves forward, Plaza has expressed a determination to live fully—not in spite of her grief, but because of it. “Jeff loved life. He loved the little things—a good meal, a silly joke, a weird idea for a movie. If I just give up, then I’m not honoring that. So I’m going to try. Even when it feels impossible, I’m going to try.”
Aubrey Plaza’s words reveal a side of her that is rarely seen by the public: raw, vulnerable, and deeply human. Her ability to turn pain into reflection, and reflection into strength, has resonated with many who are also struggling with loss. While her path forward remains uncertain, one thing is clear—she will not let grief define her entirely. Instead, she will let love, memory, and resilience carry her forward, step by step, wave by wave.
