Aubrey Plaza had reportedly been separated from Jeff Baena at the time of his death earlier this year, according to a Los Angeles medical examiner.
“According to the reported information, the decedent Jeffrey Baena is a 47-year-old Caucasian male,” the medical examiner wrote in the synopsis of an investigative summary report, which was obtained by Us Weekly. “He was experiencing recent marital difficulties and was separated from his wife since September 2024.”
News broke in January that Baena died by suicide after he was found unconscious inside his Los Angeles home. According to the medical examiner’s report, Baena’s dog walker discovered his body.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy,” a spokesperson for Plaza, 40, told Us in a statement that month. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
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In addition to Plaza, the late director is survived by his parents and other relatives. Baena and the actress had been together for 14 years, initially meeting in 2011 before tying the knot in 2020.
“A lot of things happened during COVID for me. Yes, we got married. Big deal,” Plaza recalled during a December 2021 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. “We got a little bored one night. We got married and I’ll tell you how: Onehourmarriage.com. That’s real, look it up.”
She added, “We were in the lockdown. Things got a little crazy, especially in my house. My husband got really into tie-dying and when I say tie-dying, I mean 50 shirts a day.”
According to Plaza, she hoped to “do something” special for their 10th anniversary.
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“I created a very quick love altar in our yard. Facts of our love, little stones, smoke, fire. Things of that nature,” the Parks and Recreation alum recalled at the time. “Then the man from Alhambra showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase [to perform the ceremony]. … I can’t remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But I’m pretty sure it’s legal.”
Plaza and Baena also collaborated on the big screen in the likes of movies Life After Death, The Little Hours and Spin Me Round.
“She’s awesome. I’d be working with her if she wasn’t my wife, but luckily she is my wife,” Baena told Reel Talker in August 2022 of Plaza’s career. “The opportunity to do something creative [together] where we’re both fulfilled — how rare is that?”
Plaza has not further addressed Baena’s death or their alleged separation. She made her first public appearance since his passing, after skipping the Golden Globes, at the SNL 50 anniversary special in February. Plaza, a former SNL intern, introduced Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard’s joint musical performance.
As Plaza welcomed the musicians to the stage, she wore a tie-dye T-shirt underneath a blazer. Fans immediately speculated that the DIY top was a nod to Baena’s own wedding attire.
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