Aubrey Plaza has responded to the unexpected passing of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support,” said Plaza and members of the Baena and Stern families in a joint statement released Monday. “Please respect our privacy during this time.”
A well-respected indie filmmaker known for titles like Life After Beth and The Little Hours — both of which starred Plaza — Baena died on January 3, aged 47. Per a report released by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner, the cause of death was suicide.
News of Baena’s passing sent shockwaves through the town. In the days since, the filmmaker has been lovingly remembered in tributes from Alison Brie, Adam Pally, Molly Shannon and many more. Remembering Baena as “a collaborator, a mentor…a talented director with impeccable taste and vision,” and much more, actor Pally said that his “heart breaks for my friend Aubrey and the Baena family and for all of us who spent time on his sets or at his house or in his orbit.”
Messages of support for Plaza have proliferated on social media, with the likes of Selma Blair and Julia Fox also chiming in. In a message on Plaza’s last Instagram post, the former wrote, “No words can touch this painful time. Only love and strength and support from everyone. I am so sorry.”
Suicide is preventable and support can be found via a list of helplines here, and information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health can be found here. For additional support, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline via text.
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