Aubrey Plaza is making a daring return to the massive display by portraying one in every of Hollywood’s most notorious figures, Heidi Fleiss.

The daring position marks the actress’s first gig since her estranged husband, Jeff Baena, tragically ended his life in January. The previous couple quietly separated in September 2024 however had stayed in contact till the director’s passing.

Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena had been collectively for a complete of 13 years. They dated for ten years, whereas their marriage lasted three years from 2021 to 2024. They didn’t welcome any kids throughout their union.

In line with new studies, Plaza has been chosen to star because the notorious “Hollywood Madam” in a brand new film. She is ready to painting Fleiss, who gained notoriety for operating an enormous high-end prostitution ring in Los Angeles.

The position, Plaza’s first challenge since her estranged husband’s dying, marks Leah Rachel’s directorial debut. The director, alongside Rachel Sennott and Travis Jackson, co-wrote the script, whereas Jessamine Burgum and Kara Durrett’s manufacturing firm, Pinky Promise, will produce it.

Plaza, per Selection, can also be credited because the film’s producer via her firm Evil Hag. Djinous Rowling is reportedly casting key roles as manufacturing is slated to begin in Los Angeles inside the coming months. The actress final appeared in “Megalopolis,” “My Previous Ass,” and Marvel’s “Agatha All Alongside.”

In line with The Day by day Mail, Plaza’s new challenge, “The Heidi Fleiss Story,” is a biopic that follows the tumultuous closing days earlier than Fleiss fell from grace in 1993. The infamous Madam reportedly tried to make use of her highly effective connections to keep away from prosecution with the assistance of a poor, younger author named Jaclyn.

The film will function a darkish comedian tone to seize Fleiss’s rise and downfall because the chief of an upscale prostitution ring. The disgraced madam’s unlawful enterprise reportedly had quite a few A-list shoppers, from celebrities to Hollywood showrunners and influential businessmen.

Fleiss, nicknamed the “Hollywood Madam,” was believed to have inherited the operation from Elizabeth Adams. The latter was her former lover and mentor, often known as “Madam Alex.”

The prostitution ring grew to become recognized in June 1993 when Fleiss was arrested and ultimately indicted on a number of expenses, together with pandering, tax evasion, and cash laundering.

Days after Plaza’s estranged husband took his life on January 3, 2025, she was scheduled to current on the 82nd Golden Globe Awards. Nevertheless, she skipped the occasion attributable to her grief, with The Blast reporting that she broke her silence about Baena’s dying in a press release.

“That is an unimaginable tragedy. We’re deeply grateful to everybody who has provided assist. Please respect our privateness throughout this time,” Plaza’s rep shared. Director Brady Corbet additionally drew consideration to her ache on the Golden Globes whereas accepting the award for Greatest Director.

Corbet concluded his speech with a shout-out to the actress, saying: “My coronary heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s household.” Plaza and Baena had an important relationship as lovers and collaborators, with the actress starring in a number of of his tasks like “The Little Hours,” “Life After Beth,” and “Spin Me Spherical.”

Baena’s reason behind dying, per the LA County Medical Examiner’s Workplace, was suicide by hanging. His physique was found on the Los Feliz property he bought with Plaza in 2022. A month after the tragic incident, his estranged spouse returned to the highlight.

The Blast lined the story, sharing that Plaza made a shock look on the “Saturday Night time Dwell” fiftieth anniversary particular. She launched Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard for his or her efficiency on the occasion, with a clip of the second going viral on X.

Many celebrated Plaza’s comeback after the devastating lack of her former companion, labeling her “courageous” for returning to the highlight. The TV character re-emerged weeks after notable figures within the trade, like director Chad Hartigan, mourned her estranged husband’s passing.