Aubrey Plaza and her partner, Chris Abbott, are expecting their first child together, with the baby due in the fall. A representative confirmed the joyful announcement on Tuesday.

Relationship Background

The couple, who have kept their romance private, first collaborated on the 2020 film Black Bear and later co-starred in the 2023-2024 off-Broadway play Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. Aubrey Plaza, known for her role in Parks and Recreation, rarely discusses her personal life but opened up about their connection during the play.

“He cares, but he also doesn’t care; it’s the best recipe for me for a scene partner,” Plaza said. “It’s fun, and it’s also good, and it’s also safe. I like to just throw things out the window, also, and laugh and mess around and not take it so seriously. It’s a hard combo to come by.”

She added, “We’re both unafraid to be ugly and weird and strange.”

Following Jeff Baena’s Death

The pregnancy news arrives more than a year after the death of Plaza’s estranged husband, Jeff Baena, in January 2025. The pair began dating in 2011, married during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, and separated quietly in September 2024.

They worked together on multiple projects, including Life After Beth (2014), The Little Hours (2017), Horse Girl (2022), and Spin Me Round (2022).

Aubrey Plaza and Baena’s family issued a joint statement after his passing: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

Navigating Grief

A month later, Plaza appeared on Saturday Night Live wearing a tie-dye shirt as a tribute to Baena, who had made them during the pandemic.

On the Good Hang podcast with former co-star Amy Poehler, Plaza discussed her grief candidly. “Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” she shared. “Overall, I’m here, and I’m functioning.”

The star expressed gratitude, saying she felt “okay” and “very grateful to be moving through the world.” She described grief as “a giant ocean of just awfulness that’s just right there, and I can see it. 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.”

The medical examiner’s report notes that Baena texted Plaza just hours before his death.

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