Aubrey Plaza is sharing her strategies for moving on from tragedy nine months after her husband Jeff Baena’s tragic death.

During a Wednesday appearance on the Today Show, Plaza shared some insightful advice her grandmother had passed on to her about how to ‘move forward’ when facing difficult situations.

The 41-year-old star of Parks And Recreation encountered one of her toughest challenges yet when her estranged husband, a respected filmmaker, tragically took his own life on January 3 of this year.

But viewers watching her chat with host Savannah Guthrie may not have realized that she suffered the tragedy thanks to her bubbly demeanor.

She was on the show to promote her new children’s book — her third — titled Luna And The Witch Throw A Halloween Party. 

She wore a playful purple-and-orange witch hat with an embroidered owl on the front to celebrate the book’s Halloween theme. 

Aubrey Plaza is opening up about her methods for coping with loss, nine months after her husband Jeff Baena’s untimely death; she appeared on the Today Show on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old Parks And Recreation star faced one of her greatest challenges to date when her estranged husband Baena, an acclaimed filmmaker, died by suicide on January 3; pictured together in 2017 in Culver City, Calif.

Guthrie noted that Plaza’s new book is ‘an homage’ to her grandmother, who had given her invaluable life advice.

‘Shoutout to my grandma, Margie,’ Plaza said. ‘She 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, and so I think this book was inspired by that.’

‘I 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,’ the Megalopolis actress added. 

Plaza didn’t mention her late husband by name during the interview.

An LA County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed that the filmmaker and actress had separated back in September of last year, and she had been living in New York at the time his body was discovered on January 3.

The report detailed how the Life After Beth director had been ‘experiencing marital difficulties’ in his final months, and how he had been in therapy.

An investigator noted in the documents that Plaza, whose name was redacted in the final report, said she had spoken with Baena the night before his death.

The report also tragically revealed that Plaza had been concerned for her estranged husband’s wellbeing.

Plaza was on the Today Show to promote her new children’s book — her third — titled Luna And The Witch Throw A Halloween Party. She wore a playful witch’s hat to celebrate the Halloween theme

‘Shoutout to my grandma, Margie,’ Plaza said. ‘She 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, and so I think this book was inspired by that’

Plaza, who said the children’s book was an homage to all the ‘witchy women’ who helped raise her, didn’t mention her late husband by name during the interview; seen together in 2014 in LA

‘In October 2024, Baena made concerning remarks to [Plaza] which prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband. Baena had been attending therapy since that event,’ the documents stated. 

The medical examiner’s report also determined that Baena did not have drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death. 

It stated that Plaza ‘knew her husband to be alive’ as of January 3 because he had sent her a text message that morning. 

The report indicated that a dog walker discovered Baena’s body after hearing loud music emanating from his house, which she said was ‘unusual.’ 

After she called the writer and director and didn’t get an answer, she entered the home and discovered his body. 

In a statement obtained by DailyMail.com, a representative for the Plaza said: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.’

Baena, who graduated with a film degree from New York University, got a strong start and on-the-ground education with major filmmakers when he worked as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for David O. Russell. 

His big break came when he co-wrote Russell’s cult classic existential comedy I Heart Huckabees (2004). 

The couple began dating in 2011, and secretly married in 2020. Baena was found dead in their marital home on January 3, while Plaza had been living in NYC since separating last year; seen in 2016 in LA

The actress made her first public appearance since Baena’s death in February at the SNL 50 special. She paid tribute to Baena by wearing a tie-dye shirt, as they wore matching tie-dye pajamas at their low-key wedding after he got into tie dying during the pandemic 

 A decade later, he graduated to directing with his debut, the 2014 romantic horror–comedy Life After Beth, which Plaza starred in. 

They reunited for 2016’s Joshy and 2017’s The Little Hours, which Plaza also produced. 

Baena also regularly collaborated with the actress Alison Brie, who appeared in The Little Hours and starred in and co-wrote his final two films, the psychological drama Horse Girl (2020) and the dark comedy thriller Spin Me Round (2022).

Plaza and Baena began dating in 2011, and in 20187 she told Page Six that the fact that they were mutually ‘obsessed’ with movies helped the two bond and led to their subsequent creative and romantic partnerships. 

She confirmed in 2021 that they had quietly tied the knot a year earlier while promoting Spin Me Round, which she had a supporting role in, when she referred to Baena on Instagram as her ‘darling husband.’ 

Plaza has been making tentative steps to get back into the world after Baena’s devastating death.

The actress made her first public appearance since Baena’s death in February when she introduced musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special.

She made a subtle but moving tribute to her late husband by wearing a tie-dye shirt, a reference to one of his passions and their nuptials.