Aubrey Plaza 'Didn't Spend New Year's Eve' With Tragic Husband Jeff Baena — Days Before He Was Discovered Dead After Suicide Aged 47
Aubrey Plaza was at a New York Knicks game just days before her husband, Jeff Baena, took his life.
Jan. 22 2025, Published 4:40 p.m. ET
Aubrey Plaza was 3,000 miles away during her husband's final moments.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the White Lotus star was photographed laughing and cuddling with a friend at a New York Knicks game just 48 hours before her hubby, filmmaker Jeff Baena, tragically took his own life at their L.A. home.
Plaza was spending time with comedian Jerrod Carmichael on the other side of the country for New Year's Eve.
Sources say Plaza, 40, skipped ringing in the new year with her 47-year-old husband, and instead spent the evening in Manhattan with longtime friend and comedian Jerrod Carmichael.
Troubled Baena, who often collaborated professionally with his wife, was discovered on the morning of January 3.
Baena's death was ruled a suicide by hanging after his body was found inside his home on January 3.
An insider noted: "Jeff was an artistic type who had deep mood swings and kept a lot of things bottled up inside."
Baena, whose stepmother was reportedly affected by bipolar disorder, was known to be deeply aware of mental health struggles. His 2020 film Horse Girl even explored themes of emotional turmoil and suicide.
Prior to the film's release, Baena said he and co-writer Alison Brie "both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence on working on this."
Plaza, who began dating Baena in 2011 and secretly married him in 2021, described his death as an "unimaginable tragedy."
Ironically, she had once said: "One of the great things about our careers is that we are forced to be independent, take little breaks, go off and do our things and come back. So it's kind of fun."
However, a source added the actress' final break from her husband is "something that will likely haunt her the rest of her life."
Baena met Plaza in 2011 and the two tied the knot in a quiet ceremony in 2021.
Baena was pronounced dead on the scene after his body was found by an assistant at 10.25am.
In tapes heard by RadarOnline.com, the LA County Fire Department's radio call stated it dispatched a unit "to a hanging" at the address in Los Feliz.
Los Angeles Police Department said: "We responded to a death Investigation and the case is being handled by the Coroner's Office."
The LA County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the screenwriter died by hanging.
The Parks and Rec star went on to delete her Instagram account days after her husband's suicide.
She also opted out of presenting at the Golden Globes around the same time.
Other A-listers at the event still shared their condolences for the actress' loss, including The Brutalist director Brady Corbet – who shared a tribute in his acceptance speech for Best Director.
At the end of his speech, Corbet said: "Finally, tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff's family. Good night."
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Plaza was supported by A-listers, including Adrien Brody, at the 2025 Golden Globes after choosing to opt out of presenting.
Just months before her husband's suicide, Plaza also eerily starred in a heartbreaking film, about the love of her life dying.
The coming-of-age comedy, My Old Ass, sees 18-year-old Elliott, played by Maisy Stella, meet her 39-year-old self, played by Plaza.
A scene from the movie has been widely shared on TikTok in the wake of her husband's passing, which sees Plaza's character mourn the loss of her lover Chad – sparking users to comment on the similarity to her off-screen life.
