Aubrey Plaza is still grieving the loss of her husband, Jeff Baena, who took his own life back in early January, and a source exclusively tells Life & Style that she’s had a ton of love and support from friend and TV costar Chris Pratt, who’s been a rock of support ever since the tragedy.
“Chris and Aubrey hit their early career strides when they worked together on Parks and Recreation, and their bond has only strengthened over the years as they both grew into internationally-known movie stars,” the insider says. “They were an incredibly effective team on that show and they had each other’s backs. It’s not a fake Hollywood friendship, it’s the real thing, and Chris has been extremely supportive of Aubrey during this difficult time.”
The source adds that Chris, 45, “does have a bit of a savior complex” and says “that goes triple” when the Guardians of the Galaxy star is “worried about somebody who he has been as close with for as long as he has been with Aubrey.”
“The big difference of course is that while Aubrey almost never shows emotion and can turn almost anything into a deadpan joke, Chris wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to bring his spirituality into moments like this, which is exactly what Aubrey needs at a time like this,” the insider continues. “The only thing they really have in common is this friendship, and because of what happened with Jeff, it’s become more important to Aubrey than ever.”
Chris and Aubrey, 40, first met on the set of Parks and Recreation, which premiered in 2009. Since then, the two have remained close friends and have spoken about their friendship multiple times.
Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza
When the Super Mario Brothers Movie actor married Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019, Aubrey gushed about how Chris would fare as a husband.
“Well, I mean, [Chris’ character] Andy Dwyer was the best husband that anyone could ask for. I think Chris Pratt… I think there’s a lot of similarities between Andy and Chris Pratt just as there are with me and April Ludgate,” Aubrey told People during an interview published on June 19, 2019. “So, my bet is that he’s gonna be the most fun husband ever and I think that girl is a lucky, lucky, lucky gal. Yeah, it’s a jackpot.”
Chris hasn’t been shy about how highly he thinks of Aubrey either. In 2023, after learning about her joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris was singing the Child’s Play star’s praises.
“She’s having such an amazing moment right now, which makes me really thrilled,” Chris said in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2023. “She’s so unique and talented and special. It’s just great that the rest of the world is waking up to that. She was awesome in White Lotus, and Emily the Criminal was great. And I think she’ll show that it’s perfect for her to be playing a witch in a coven for Marvel.”
