Aubrey Plaza has wowed fans with a major TV appearance, marking her first public outing since the death of her husband. The star’s husband, Jeff Baena, tragically died on January 3 at the age of just 47. After over a month away from the public eye, Aubrey, 40, appeared on Saturday Night Live at the weekend, with the show marking its 50th anniversary. Viewers were also overjoyed to see Jack Nicholson at the show, sitting in the audience with his daughter. The 87-year-old, who has officially retired from acting, got involved in the special night as he introduced Adam Sandler for a hilarious sketch.
Fans quickly took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to celebrate Aubrey’s return to the screen. “Aubrey’s return was such a pleasant surprise we missed her energy,” one person wrote, with a second adding: “I'm so sorry she has to deal with this horrible tragedy. It's nice to see her here at #SNL50, knowing that she was an intern years ago.”. “She probably felt comforted by them all and knew she was loved, much needed in her life at the moment,” said a third, while another shared: “I’m so glad she was brave enough to come out for this especially with how meaningful this show is to her.”.
“Aubrey Plaza's surprise appearance was the emotional lift we all needed! Welcome back, Aubrey!” another fan celebrated. On the day of Jeff’s death, the director was unresponsive when an assistant found him at his Los Angeles home. Law enforcement offers and the LA fire brigade arrived at his home at 10.25, and he was pronounced dead on the scene. The LA County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Jeff's death as suicide, with the Los Angeles Fire Department also confirming his cause of death.
Aubrey released a short statement via a representative following the news, sharing: "This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”. The Hollywood star then opted to step back from a major public event soon after the tragedy, and hasn’t been publicly seen since SNL. Aubrey was set to appear at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on January 5, but chose against attending the exclusive show.
Aubrey and Jeff first started dating in 2011, when she auditioned for his film Life After Beth. The movie was the first of many collaborations together, with the couple going on the work togetehr on Joshy (2016) and Horse Girl (2020). In 2021, during the pandemic, Jeff proposed to Aubrey after ten years together. Keeping it quiet, they tied the knot quietly and away from the public eye. Aubrey quietly revealed the news on Instagram, referring to Jeff as her "husband" in May 2021 while celebrating their joint project, Spin Me Round.
