Actor Aubrey Plaza spoke for the first time about her late husband’s passing during an interview released on Tuesday. She shared her thoughts publicly at length on the topic with great emotion.
Plaza’s husband, Hollywood writer and director Jeff Baena, died by suicide in January.
In conversation with Amy Poehler, her former co-star from “Parks and Recreation,” on the new podcast “Good Hang,” the 41-year-old “White Lotus” actor described her grief as a “giant ocean of just awfulness that’s right there.”
Plaza expressed, “I can see it. Sometimes I want to dive into it fully, while other times I merely observe it or try to run from it. But it’s always present. It’s unavoidably there.”
She additionally likened her grieving process to a moment from the horror film “The Gorge,” featuring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, released in February.
“In the movie, there’s a cliff on each side and a gorge filled with monster people trying to attack,” Plaza explained. “Watching it, I thought, ‘That’s exactly how my grief feels.'”
Plaza married Baena in 2021. They collaborated on multiple films, notably 2014’s “Life After Beth,” where Baena was the writer-director and Plaza took a leading role.
She has made a few public comments or appearances since his death, calling his death “an unimaginable tragedy” in the immediate aftermath.
Poehler addressed Baena’s death within the first 15 minutes of the episode, saying: “On behalf of all the people who feel like they know you, and the people who do know you, how are you feeling today?”
“Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” Plaza replied. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I’m okay, but it’s like a daily struggle, obviously.”
Since her role on “The White Lotus,” Plaza has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. Throughout her career, she has received several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, including for her role on the second season of “The White Lotus.” In 2023, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.
Plaza appeared on Poehler’s podcast as part of a press tour to promote her upcoming movie, “Honey Don’t,” which premieres in theaters this week.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
