NBA
Aubrey Plaza seen smiling at NBA game 2 days before husband Jeff Baena’s tragic death
Aubrey Plaza was in a pleasant mood just two days before her husband, Jeff Baena, tragically died.
Photos exclusively obtained by Page Six show the “Parks and Recreation” alum, 40, having fun on New Year’s Day at a Knicks game with comedian Jerrod Carmichael.
The pair laughed while watching the NBA game from celebrity row at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Carmichael, who was dressed casual for the sporting event, was seen with his arm wrapped around Plaza, who wore an orange cap and black jacket.
The pair appear to be longtime friends and Carmichael, 37, is openly gay. Their reps could not immediately be reached for comment.
Plaza has been married to Baena since 2021. They secretly tied the knot amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “White Lotus” actress and filmmaker were together for more than a decade after working together on multiple projects, including 2014’s “Life After Beth” and 2017’s “The Little Hours.”
Plaza previously shared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that she spontaneously told Baena on their 10th dating anniversary, “We should do something. Get an ice cream cone or do something special” and “joked about getting married.”
The comedian said she then found 1hourmarriage.com, a website that helps couples get marriage licenses and marry in a short period of time, and so they wed in a private ceremony at home.
Plaza and Baena rarely posted about each other on social media, but they did walk red carpets together from time to time.
After the screenwriter’s death on Friday, Plaza’s rep directed Page Six to a statement given to Deadline that said “the family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time.”
The “Life After Beth” star has not yet issued her own statement on her spouse’s passing.
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Baena died at a residence in Los Angeles on Friday at 10:39 a.m. local time. He was 47 years old.
A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but TMZ reported Saturday that the “I Heart Huckabees” co-writer died by suicide, citing law enforcement sources.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.