Aubrey Plaza has spoken out for the first time following her husband Jeff Baena’s death by suicide.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time,” Plaza, along with Baena’s family, said in a statement to Page Six Monday.
Baena, who died at 47, was found unresponsive by an assistant inside his Los Angeles-area home Friday morning, TMZ reported.
Police were called at around 10:30 a.m. local time and pronounced him dead at the scene.
Law enforcement sources told the outlet the film director ended his own life but did not divulge how. His cause of death was later confirmed by online records from the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by Page Six.
Before the “Parks and Recreation” alum acknowledged her husband’s death, her rep pointed Page Six to a statement given to Deadline that read, “The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time.”
Plaza — who was seen smiling at a New Year’s Day Knicks game before her husband’s sudden passing — and Baena were together for more than a decade before they secretly tied the knot in 2020. She later revealed the news on Instagram in May 2021.
Months later, she told Ellen DeGeneres that they decided to get married while quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic.
“‘It’s our 10-year anniversary, we should do something. Get an ice cream cone or do something special,'” she recalled her longtime boyfriend saying.
He also joked about getting married — which they went through with after finding a website to expedite the process.
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Baena was a writer and director, perhaps best known for co-writing “I Heart Huckabees,” a 2004 indie film that starred Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg and Naomi Watts.
He also wrote 2014’s “Life After Beth,” 2020’s “Horse Girl” and 2022’s “Spin Me Round.”
He and Plaza worked on several projects together, including “Life After Beth” and 2017’s “The Little Hours.”
They did not have any children together.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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