Aubrey Plaza is holding tight to her grandmotherâs wisdom as she moves forward with strength. The “Parks & Recreation” alum, 41, appeared on Today on Wednesday, October 8, to promote her new childrenâs book, Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party, and reflected on the life lessons that continue to guide her.
âShoutout to my grandma, Margie,â Plaza said with a smile during her chat with co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. âShe taught me from a very young age that life is a party, and no matter what happens, we have to have fun and move forward. I think this book was inspired by that.â
Plaza added that the story is also a loving tribute to the women who shaped her. âI think on both sides of my family, I have a lot of witchy women that raised me, so this is an homage to all the women in my life,â she said.
Remembering Jeff Baenaâs Life & Legacy
Plazaâs comments come just months after the sudden passing of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who died at age 47 in January. People confirmed the couple had quietly married in 2021, after Plaza referred to Baena as her âdarling husbandâ in an Instagram post that year.
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner later ruled Baenaâs death a suicide. Plaza and Baenaâs family described the loss as âan unimaginable tragedyâ in a joint statement asking for privacy.
Plazaâs Journey Through Grief
In August, Plaza opened up about her grief for the first time during an appearance on Amy Poehlerâs podcast Good Hang. âOverall, Iâm here and Iâm functioning,â she shared. âI feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think Iâm okay, but itâs like a daily struggle, obviously.â
The Agatha All Along star described her emotions using a powerful metaphor. âAt all times thereâs like a giant ocean of awfulness thatâs right there, and I can see it,â she explained. âSometimes I just want to dive into it and be in it. Then sometimes I just look at it, and sometimes I try to get away from it. But itâs always there.â
Plaza also mentioned that watching “The Gorge”, the Apple TV+ film starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, helped her articulate her own experience with grief. âWhen I watched it, I was like, that feels like what my grief is like⦠or what grief could be like,â she said.
While Plaza didnât directly tie her grandmotherâs advice to her loss, her reflections reveal a quiet strength in moving forward. Her latest childrenâs book, co-written with author Dan Murphy, celebrates resilience, creativity, and the power of finding joy again â themes that seem deeply personal for her right now.
Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party marks Plaza and Murphyâs third collaboration, following The Legend of the Christmas Witch and The Return of the Christmas Witch.
The book is available now, just in time for Halloween: a season that, for Plaza, carries new meaning as she continues to honor her loved ones while embracing hope.
The post How Aubrey Plaza Has Moved ‘Forward’ After Her Husband’s Tragic Passing appeared first on EntertainmentNow.