Aubrey Plaza made an emotional return to the public eye at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of the detective comedy Honey Don’t. This marked her first major appearance since the death of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who died by suicide in January at age 47. Plaza, 40, had been with Baena since 2011 and married him in 2021. Reports confirm the couple was separated at the time of his death.
Plaza was joined by co-stars Margaret Qualley and Charlie Day on the red carpet, wearing a striking beaded cream gown. Honey Don’t, directed by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, features Qualley as Honey, a lesbian detective investigating a preacher, played by Chris Evans, possibly linked to a series of mysterious deaths. The film, noted for its quirky tone similar to Coen and Cooke’s previous work Drive-Away Dolls, received a six-and-a-half-minute standing ovation at Cannes. Honey Don’t is scheduled for U.S. theatrical release on August 22.
Plaza’s appearance at Cannes marks her first major public outing since Baena’s passing by suicide in January 2025. The couple had separated four months prior to his death, a fact confirmed by Plaza during a phone conversation with authorities. Following the tragedy, the actress deactivated her Instagram account and maintained a low public profile. She briefly reemerged at the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special in February to introduce a performance. Plaza and Baena’s family expressed their grief in a joint statement, calling his death an “unimaginable tragedy” and asking for privacy. Baena was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home at the age of 47.
Plaza’s return to the spotlight at Cannes was met with admiration and support from fans and colleagues alike, marking a poignant moment in her personal and professional journey.