Aubrey Plaza Talks Her 'Giant Ocean of Awfulness'

Life after the death of her husband is "a daily struggle," says Aubrey Plaza in her first extensive interview since Jeff Baena died by suicide in January. "Overall, I'm here and I'm functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I'm okay, but it's like a daily struggle," Plaza told her Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler on Tuesday's episode of the "Good Hang" podcast. Poehler had acknowledged Plaza's "terrible, terrible, tragic year," noting "people want to see you and want to see how you are."

Plaza compared her grief to the recent film The Gorge, starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as guards of a massive crevasse filled with monsters. "I swear when I watched it, I was like that feels like what my grief is like … or what grief could be like," Plaza said, per People. "At all times there's like a giant ocean of awfulness, that's like right there and I can see it. Sometimes I just want to dive into it, and just like be in it. Then sometimes I just look at it, and sometimes I try to get away from it. But, it's always there."

Plaza and Baena dated for a decade before marrying in 2021. They had separated four months before Baena's death. The interview marked the first time she'd publicly commented on the tragedy since releasing a joint statement with Baena's family in January. Poehler urged viewers to check out the "beautiful, funny" films the couple made together, including Life After Beth and The Little Hours. "He was an incredible writer and director, and his work is really special," Poehler added of Baena. Plaza is currently promoting her latest film, Honey Don't!, out Friday.