Aubrey Plaza Makes First Public Appearance at SNL50 Following Husband’s Passing
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Aubrey Plaza made her first public appearance since the passing of her husband, director Jeff Baena, last month. The “Parks and Recreation” actress briefly appeared on “SNL50” on February 16, where she introduced a musical performance.
Plaza brought Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard to the “SNL” stage before they delivered a rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” originally written by Prince and later popularized by Sinéad O’Connor.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard,” Plaza announced, holding a microphone while positioned in the audience with her back to the stage.
She wore a blazer over a tie-dyed shirt, reflecting her late husband’s passion for tie-dye, which was a part of their wedding attire.
“Jeff became very interested in tie-dying during the quarantine, so I decided that we would wear tie-dye pajamas he made for us,” Plaza shared on “The Drew Barrymore Show” in 2021. “I set up a love altar in our backyard with all of our love objects. It had a very witchcore vibe, but it truly happened.”
This marked Plaza’s first public sighting since Baena died by suicide on January 3.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are incredibly thankful for everyone who has offered their support,” his family expressed in a statement following his death. “We kindly ask for privacy during this time.”
Baena co-wrote the 2004 film “I Heart Huckabees,” created the 2021 Showtime anthology series “Cinema Toast,” and directed Netflix’s 2020 film “Horse Girl.”
He and Plaza also collaborated on various projects over the years, such as “Life After Beth,” “The Little Hours,” and “Spin Me Round.”
During his acceptance speech for the Golden Globe Award for best director for “The Brutalist” on January 5, Brady Corbet honored Baena and Plaza while reflecting on those he knew who had recently passed.
“Tonight, my thoughts are with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family. Goodnight,” Corbet said.
Plaza, who first became known as an NBC page, previously hosted “SNL” in January 2023.
