*The following article contains discussion of suicide/self-harm.
Actor Aubrey Plaza honored her late husband with a subtle tribute on SNL's 50th anniversary celebration special on Sunday.
It marked Plaza's first public appearance after her husband, writer and director Jeff Baenaena, took his own life on January 3, 2025. He was 47.
Plaza and Baena's family issued the following statement following news of the tragedy.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support."
"Please respect our privacy during this time.”
The White Lotus actor was previously scheduled to present at the 2025 Golden Globes on January 5 but understandably stepped down.
Plaza eased her way back into the spotlight at the NBC studios in Rockefeller Center to introduce musical act Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard performing a rendition of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U," made famous by Sinéad O'Connor.
She wore a tie-dye shirt under a black blazer while standing among the studio audience, saying, "Ladies and gentleman, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard.”
The shirt was a nod to when Plaza and Baena wore tie-dye pajamas when they tied the knot in 2021, which Plaza mentioned during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.
She told Barrymore at the time:
“Jeff got really into tie-dying during the [COVID-19] quarantine."
"So I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us.”
Here's a clip from Plaza's appearance at The Drew Barrymore Show.
@agathaharkness55 I really hope she’s doing OK. I’ve been really worried about her. #agathaallalongedit #kathrynhahn #marvel #aubreyplazae #motherhahn #rio
The pair had been dating since 2011 and they decided to tie the knot on their tenth anniversary of being together.
Plaza said she accessorized her nuptial outfit with a “rosemary crown."
She said of their small wedding ceremony:
“I made, like, a love altar in the backyard of all our love objects [and] it was very witch-core.”
People were moved by Plaza's strength.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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