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Aubrey Plaza walks Cannes red carpet in her first appearance since husband's death 

Aubrey Plaza has made her first red carpet appearance of 2025


MAY 24, 2025 11:09 AM EDT

Aubrey Plaza made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday, May 23, walking the red carpet for the premiere of her upcoming film Honey Don't!

The 40-year-old actress was joined by her co-stars Margaret Qualley and Charlie Day, along with filmmakers Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke.

US actress Aubrey Plaza arrives for the screening of the film "Honey Don't!" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP) (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)          © SAMEER AL-DOUMY
US actress Aubrey Plaza arrives for the screening of the film "Honey Don't!" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP) (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

For the star-studded occasion, Plaza wore a full-length, sleeveless nude gown adorned with sparkling gems. The sheer, eye-catching dress revealed a matching corset underneath. She opted for a soft, natural makeup look and accessorized with elegant dangling diamond earrings.

This red carpet moment marks Plaza’s first public appearance at an international film event since the passing of her husband, writer and director Jeff Baena, who died in January.

© Astrid Stawiarz
Director Jeff Baena and actress Aubrey Plaza discuss "The Little Hours"

TMZ reported that Baena's body was discovered by an assistant at a home in the Los Angeles area around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 3. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner later ruled his death a suicide.

Plaza publicly addressed the tragedy on Jan. 6 in a statement to PEOPLE: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.” Six weeks later, she made her first public appearance since his passing at the 50th anniversary celebration of Saturday Night Live on Feb. 16. There, she paid a quiet tribute to Baena by wearing a tie-dye T-shirt.

The gesture carried a deep, personal meaning. During a December 2021 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Plaza shared a story about the significance of the design, saying, “Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine. So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us.”

© David Crotty
Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza

Plaza and Baena began their relationship in 2011 and were known for keeping their personal lives largely private. It wasn’t until May 2021 that fans learned the couple had married, when Plaza referred to Baena as her “darling husband” in an Instagram post.

It's great to see Plaza getting back out there and enjoying a premiere with her peers. 

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