Aubrey Plaza has spoken candidly about the pain she feels following the death of her husband, writer and director Jeff Baena. In an interview on Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, Plaza called her grief “a giant ocean of awfulness.”
Baena, 47, died by suicide in January. Since then, Plaza has remained mostly private about her loss. Speaking with Poehler, her former Parks and Recreation co-star, she described her emotions as a constant struggle. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning,” Plaza said. “I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I’m OK. But it’s like a daily struggle, obviously.”
Plaza compared her grief to a scene in the Apple TV+ horror movie The Gorge. In the film, characters face a deep chasm filled with monsters. Plaza said the imagery resonated with her, reflecting how grief always feels present. “Sometimes I just want to dive into it, and just be in it,” she explained. “Sometimes I just look at it. And then sometimes I try to get away from it. But it’s just always there, and the monster people are trying to get me.”
Baena was a respected filmmaker who collaborated often with Plaza. He co-wrote I Heart Huckabees and directed five feature films, including Life After Beth in 2014, which starred Plaza. Together, the couple built both a creative and personal partnership in Hollywood.
Plaza is now promoting her new film Honey Don’t! from director Ethan Coen. The dark comedy stars Margaret Qualley as a private investigator uncovering shady dealings in Bakersfield, California. While moving forward professionally, Plaza acknowledged that her grief remains a constant part of her life.
