Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Actress Aubrey Plaza was present at Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary event in New York City on Sunday (16 February), and took the moment to honour her late husband, Jeff Baena.
Plaza and film director Baena were in a relationship from 2011 to 2021, before making it official with a private ceremony on a whim.
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On Friday (3 January), it was announced that Baena had passed away, with Los Angeles' County Medical Examiner's Office revealing the 47-year-old's cause of death to be suicide, after he was discovered at his Los Angeles home on the morning of 3 January at around 10.30am.
Plaza appeared at the landmark SNL event over the weekend, as the White Lotus actor introduced one of many music acts, as Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard took the stage.
However, many couldn't help but notice the actor's outfit choice and the significance behind it.
In the Parks and Recreation star's first public appearance since his passing, she could be seen sporting a black blazer with a tie-dye shirt beneath it.
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Fans of the couple were quick to point out that the tie-dye shirt in particular was in tribute to her late husband, as Plaza had previously revealed that he loved to tie-dye clothes - in fact, they'd worn these designs for their own wedding.
While on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2021, Plaza revealed that the pair weren't in traditional dress for the wedding at their home, instead wearing tie-die pyjamas made by Baena himself.
She said (via The Independent): “We got married on a whim. Literally decided at around 5pm and got married at 8:30,
“Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine. So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us. I made a love altar in the backyard of all of our love objects. It was very witchcore, but it happened.”
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Plaza and Baena worked together numerous times during their relationship, as Plaza starred in Baena's horror-comedy Life After Beth, as well as other titles such as Spin Me Round and The Little Hours.
Following Baena's untimely death, the Plaza and Baena/Stern family released a statement, reading: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support.
"Please respect our privacy during this time.”
Plaza's team also said in a statement: "The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Aubrey Plaza, Mental Health, Celebrity, Fashion
Joshua Nair