Aubrey Plaza shares message about forging ahead after husband Jeff Baena’s death

Aubrey Plaza shared a poignant message about forging ahead “no matter what happens” following the death of her husband, Jeff Baena.

Plaza has remained mostly out of the spotlight since Baena died by suicide in January at the age of 47. However, she stopped by the “Today” show Wednesday to promote her new children’s book, “Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party.”

The main character of the book is a grandma-like witch who was inspired by Plaza’s own grandmother.

“She taught me from a very young age that life is a party,” the actress, 41, told host Savannah Guthrie. “And [that] no matter what happens, we have to have fun and move forward.”

The “Parks and Recreation” star did not address Baena’s death until August.

Sitting down with former co-star Amy Poehler on the “Good Hang” podcast, Plaza likened her grief to “a giant ocean of just awfulness.”

She explained, “Sometimes, I just want to dive into it and be in it. And sometimes, I look at it and sometimes I just try to get away from it. But it’s always there.”

Despite the “daily struggle” of despair, Plaza noted that she was “very grateful to be moving through the world” and assured Poehler she felt “OK.”

She credited “a group of [her] women friends” with picking her up and making her “laugh really, really hard” on her darkest days.

The “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” star and Baena, a screenwriter, began dating in 2011.

They got married while quarantining together during the COVID-19 pandemic, spontaneously tying the knot in tie-dye pajamas.

Following his death, Plaza issued a joint statement with Baena’s family about the “unimaginable tragedy.” It was later revealed that the two had actually separated four months prior.

Still, Plaza paid tribute to Baena during her brief “SNL 50” anniversary special cameo in February by wearing a tie-dye shirt.