Aubrey Plaza is speaking with raw honesty about life after devastating loss, offering a rare glimpse into how she’s coping months after her husband’s death.
The 41-year-old actress, best known for her role in The White Lotus, shared an emotional update during a recent podcast conversation, describing grief not as something that fades, but something she lives with every day.
A Candid Conversation With A Close Friend
During an episode of “Good Hang,” hosted by her longtime friend Amy Poehler, the conversation quickly turned personal.
“You’ve had this terrible, terrible, tragic year,” Poehler, 53, began. “You lost your husband, you’ve been dealing with that and you’ve been looking for all different ways in which to feel and find support.”
Poehler also pointed out that Plaza’s dog has become a source of comfort during this painful time.
“Frankie’s like your therapy dog now,” Poehler added. “On behalf of all the people who feel like they know you, and the people who do know you — how are you feeling today?”
“I’m Functioning, But It’s A Daily Struggle”
Plaza’s response was both grounded and deeply emotional.
“Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” she said. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I’m OK, but it’s like a daily struggle, obviously.”
Her words reflect a reality many grieving people understand. On the surface, life continues. Underneath, the weight remains.
A Private Loss Made Public
Plaza’s husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, died by suicide earlier this year at the age of 47.
In the days following his death, Plaza largely stayed out of the public eye. However, she did share a joint statement with Baena’s family, acknowledging the overwhelming nature of the loss.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy,” she, along with the Baena/Stern family, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
The couple had always kept their relationship low-key, rarely sharing details publicly despite being together since 2011.
Grief Compared To A “Gorge”
Meanwhile, Plaza tried to put her emotions into words using an unexpected comparison, referencing a scene from a sci-fi film.
“This is a really dumb analogy and it was kind of a joke at a certain point, but I actually mean it,” Plaza told Poehler. “Did you see that movie ‘The Gorge?’”
She continued by describing the imagery.
“In the movie, there’s a cliff on one side and a cliff on the other side, then there’s a gorge in between and it’s filled with all these monster people that are trying to get them,” she explained.
Then came the moment that captured the depth of her grief.
“I swear when I watched it, I was like that feels like what my grief is like… or what grief could be like,” Plaza said. “At all times, there’s like a giant ocean of awfulness, that’s like right there and I can see it.”
Living Alongside Loss
Plaza went even further, describing how grief shifts from moment to moment.
“Sometimes I just want to dive into it, and just like be in it. Then sometimes I just look at it, and sometimes I try to get away from it. But, it’s always there.”
It is a striking reflection, one that moves beyond clichés and captures grief as something constant, unpredictable, and deeply personal.
What Happened To Jeff Baena
Baena died on Jan. 3 at his home. Authorities responded to a call near his residence, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The loss has left a lasting impact on Plaza, who now continues to navigate life while carrying that absence with her.
