Aubrey Plaza Expecting First Child 1 Year After Husband Jeff Baena’s Death

Actress Aubrey Plaza is expecting her first child with partner Chris Abbott and insiders say the news couldn’t have come at a more meaningful time.

The 41-year-old actress and her longtime collaborator-turned-partner are reportedly preparing to welcome their baby this autumn, a

A rep confirmed the happy news to People, on Tuesday, April 7.  While a source told the outlet that the pregnancy was “a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,” adding that the couple feel “very blessed.”

Plaza and Abbott, 40, have previously worked together on the off-Broadway revival of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea and the 2020 film Black Bear.

The joyful update follows a period of profound loss for Aubrey. Her late estranged husband, Jeff Baena, tragically died in January 2025 at age 47. The pair had separated just months earlier, in September 2024, and Plaza has been candid about the challenges of navigating grief in the aftermath.

Last month, Plaza kept her baby bump under wraps while at Paris Fashion Week with long jackets and oversized sweaters.

She has previously spoken about the challenges of grief. In a candid conversation with Amy Poehler on the Good Hang podcast in August 2025, Plaza admitted that healing hasn’t been easy. “I think I’m okay, but it’s like a daily struggle, obviously,” she said, likening her grief to a “giant ocean of awfulness” that’s always present.