"But I'm pretty sure it’s legal"—When Aubrey Plaza married Jeff Baena during lockdown with help from a witch and an online marriage website

Aubrey Plaza's husband Jeff Baena reportedly died by suicide on Friday, January 3, 2025, in the couple's Los Angeles home, according to the LA County Coroner’s Office. Jeff's body was discovered by his assistant in the morning and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:39 am Jeff was 47 years old.

Fans first learned of Aubrey Plaza's marriage when she referred to Baena as her "darling husband" in an Instagram post in May 2021. Aubrey and Jeff reportedly began dating in 2011 and the couple wed in a "quickie ceremony" in 2020, as per GQ.

Plaza shared details about her secret nuptials during her appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show season 19 on December 15, 2021. She mentioned that the couple jokingly decided to get married on their 10th dating anniversary, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While recalling her wedding ceremony, The White Lotus actress said that she signed up on a website called 1hourmarriage.com. Two hours later, their wedding officiant arrived dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and carrying a briefcase.

Plaza also sought the blessings of her neighbor, a practicing witch named Dandelion, whom she asked to cast a spell for her. She used the rosemary wreath given by Dandelion to create a love altar in her yard. She admitted that her memories regarding the actual wedding ceremony are "fuzzy" while saying:

"I can’t remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But I’m pretty sure it’s legal."

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Who was Aubrey Plaza's husband Jeff Baena?

The screenwriter and filmmaker Jeff Baena co-wrote the screenplay for the 2004 black comedy I Heart Huckabees with the film's director, David O'Russell. Jeff also wrote and directed films like Life After Beth, Joshy, The Little Hours, Horse Girl, and Spin Me Round, many of which starred Plaza.

In the wake of the tragic death, Aubrey Plaza released a joint statement with the Baena / Stern family on January 6, 2025, that read as follows:

"This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time."

Baena's death was also addressed during the recent Golden Globes award ceremony held on January 5, 2025. Filmmaker Brady Corbet, who won the award for 'Best Director – Motion Picture' for The Brutalist shared his condolences during his acceptance speech by saying, "Tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family."

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Aubrey Plaza starred in Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis in 2024

Aubrey Plaza's latest film role was in the epic sci-fi drama, Megalopolis. The film was directed and written by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-produced the film along with Barry Hirsch, Fred Roos, and Michael Bederman.

The film focused on Adam Driver's Cesar Catilina, a pioneering architect, who dreamed of building a futuristic utopia 'Megalopolis' in an alternate 21st-century New York City known as the New Rome. It took inspiration from Roman history, especially the Roman Republic's transition to the Roman Empire.

Aubrey Plaza played a power-hungry television presenter named Wow Platinum in the film. She was joined by Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Talia Shire. The supporting cast included Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Jon Voight, Chloe Fineman, and D. B. Sweeney.

Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2024, and was released theatrically on September 27, 2024. Made on a budget of around $100 million, the film grossed a measly $13.9 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Moreover, the film received mixed reviews and was generally panned by critics.

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