Aubrey Plaza Honors Late Husband Jeff Baena with a Tie-Dye Shirt atSNL's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Mar. 15, 2025

Aubrey Plaza on SNL 50.

WhenAubrey Plazaattended on theSNL50: The Anniversary Special, she had a little tribute to her late husband,Jeff Baena.On Sunday, Feb. 16, the actress, 40, introduced musical guestsMiley CyrusandBrittany Howardduring the star-studded special. Plaza was dressed in black dress pants and a black blazer with a tie-dye shirt underneath.Though she kept her look fairly simple, unbeknownst to fans, theParks & Recalum’s tie-dye shirt was an homage to the filmmaker, who died in January 2025, and their 2021 wedding.(L) Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via GettyDuring a December 2021 appearance onThe Drew Barrymore Show, Plaza revealed why the design was significant to their relationship. Instead of wearing a traditional dress and tux for their nuptials, she said that the duo decided to go a different direction.“Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine,” she explained at the time. “So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us.”Plaza and Baena were also frequent work partners, and when it came to their personal and professional lives, the actress admitted that the balance was “complicated” but worth it.“It’s so great. It’s so complicated,” she continued. “It’s extreme highs and extreme complications. It’s a really hard thing to navigate. But man, we’ve been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.”Aubrey Plaza (L) and Jeff Baena.George Pimentel/GettyPlaza began dating Baena in 2011 andmarried in 2021. A writer and director, Baena’s film credits includeI Heart Huckabees(2004),Life After Beth(2014),Horse Girl(2020) andSpin Me Round(2022), his final movie.On Jan. 3, an assistant discovered Baena’s body at a Los Angeles-area home around 10:30 a.m. local time, according toTMZ, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner, themanner of death was ruled a suicide.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Plaza and Baena’s familyspoke out about his deathin a Jan. 6 statement to PEOPLE that read, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.“SNL50: The Anniversary Specialaired Sunday, Feb. 16, on NBC and Peacock.

WhenAubrey Plazaattended on theSNL50: The Anniversary Special, she had a little tribute to her late husband,Jeff Baena.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, the actress, 40, introduced musical guestsMiley CyrusandBrittany Howardduring the star-studded special. Plaza was dressed in black dress pants and a black blazer with a tie-dye shirt underneath.

Though she kept her look fairly simple, unbeknownst to fans, theParks & Recalum’s tie-dye shirt was an homage to the filmmaker, who died in January 2025, and their 2021 wedding.

(L) Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

During a December 2021 appearance onThe Drew Barrymore Show, Plaza revealed why the design was significant to their relationship. Instead of wearing a traditional dress and tux for their nuptials, she said that the duo decided to go a different direction.

“Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine,” she explained at the time. “So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us.”

Plaza and Baena were also frequent work partners, and when it came to their personal and professional lives, the actress admitted that the balance was “complicated” but worth it.“It’s so great. It’s so complicated,” she continued. “It’s extreme highs and extreme complications. It’s a really hard thing to navigate. But man, we’ve been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.”

Aubrey Plaza (L) and Jeff Baena.George Pimentel/Getty

Plaza began dating Baena in 2011 andmarried in 2021. A writer and director, Baena’s film credits includeI Heart Huckabees(2004),Life After Beth(2014),Horse Girl(2020) andSpin Me Round(2022), his final movie.

On Jan. 3, an assistant discovered Baena’s body at a Los Angeles-area home around 10:30 a.m. local time, according toTMZ, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner, themanner of death was ruled a suicide.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Plaza and Baena’s familyspoke out about his deathin a Jan. 6 statement to PEOPLE that read, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

SNL50: The Anniversary Specialaired Sunday, Feb. 16, on NBC and Peacock.

source: people.com