Aubrey Plaza did not appear at the Golden Globes this weekend, where she was set to present an award just days after her husband, director Jeff Baena, died suddenly at age 47.
Plaza was announced Jan. 2 as one of the several presenters to take the stage during Sunday’s Golden Globes, alongside Seth Rogen, Ariana Debose, Rachel Brosnahan and more. It is unclear which category she was meant to present, but the White Lotus star was noticeably absent from the broadcast.
The Brutalist director Brady Corbet paid tribute to Plaza and Baena while accepting his award for best director of a motion picture.
“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge three people that I lost while making this picture: My grandfather James, his brother Jerry and my dear friend Kevin Turen, who I miss every day. I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it were not for their influence,” he said. “Finally, tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family.”
Baena died Friday (Jan. 3) at the age of 47. His body was discovered by his assistant at a Los Angeles-area home at 10:30 local time that morning, per TMZ.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled his death was due to suicide by hanging.
The independent filmmaker and screenwriter is best known for his films I Heart Huckabees, Life After Beth and Horse Girl.
The private couple had been together for over a decade. They married in 2021 with a small ceremony.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org.
