Aubrey Plaza to play Heidi Fleiss in first role since husband’s suicide as fans say they look ‘similar’

Aubrey Plaza is stepping back into the spotlight with a daring new project: The Heidi Fleiss Story, a biopic centered on the rise and fall of the notorious 1990s ‘Hollywood Madam.’

The White Lotus star is not only leading the film as Fleiss, but also producing — marking her first major role since the heartbreaking loss of her husband Jeff Baena, who died by suicide on January 3.

The film dives into the chaotic final days before Fleiss’ 1993 downfall, when her high-powered prostitution ring — said to have serviced some of L.A.’s biggest names — was exposed. 

As authorities closed in, Heidi tried to spin her web of influence one last time, leveraging secrets and connections to escape prison time, with the help of a hungry young writer named Jaclyn.

The twisted tale is set to be told with a darkly comic edge and will mark the feature directing debut of Leah Rachel, best known for creating the Netflix series Chambers.

The script was co-written by Rachel, Travis Jackson, and rising star Rachel Sennott, the Bottoms and Shiva Baby actress. 

Aubrey Plaza is stepping back into the spotlight with a daring new project: The Heidi Fleiss Story, a biopic centered on the rise and fall of the notorious 1990s ‘Hollywood Madam’

The film dives into the chaotic final days before Fleiss’ 1993 downfall, when her high-powered prostitution ring — said to have serviced some of L.A.’s biggest names — was exposed; (Fleiss in 1993)

As casting news spread online, fans quickly took to social media to point out the striking physical resemblance between Aubrey and Heidi. 

‘Wow, she looks eerily similar to Heidi,’ one fan wrote on X. 

Fleiss rose to infamy in the early 1990s when she was revealed to be running a high-end prostitution ring in Los Angeles that catered to wealthy clients, including celebrities, Hollywood executives, and powerful businessmen. 

Known as the ‘Hollywood Madam,’ she allegedly inherited the operation from her former lover and mentor, convicted madam Elizabeth Adams, also known as ‘Madam Alex,’ and quickly expanded it into a multi-million-dollar enterprise. 

Fleiss’s empire came crashing down in June 1993, when she was arrested and later indicted on multiple charges including pandering, tax evasion, and money laundering, with prosecutors accusing her of laundering over $1.5 million through shell companies and false bookkeeping. 

During her sensational trial, salacious details emerged about her client list—rumored to include A-list names—though many identities were never publicly confirmed, fueling widespread fan frenzy.

Now, Plaza is stepping into the complex role of the convicted madam, bringing her signature intensity to the character of Fleiss.  

The casting follows a string of high-profile and critically praised performances, including roles in Ethan Coen’s Honey Don’t and Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis.

As casting news spread online, fans quickly took to social media to point out the striking physical resemblance between Aubrey and Heidi

Fleiss’s empire came crashing down in June 1993, when she was arrested and later indicted on multiple charges including pandering, tax evasion, and money laundering, with prosecutors accusing her of laundering over $1.5 million through shell companies and false bookkeeping; (seen in 2003)

Plaza and Baena had been separated since September 2024, an LA County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed; (seen in 2014)

She also earned acclaim for her work in Sundance favorite My Old Ass and HBO’s The White Lotus Season 2. 

Up next, she’ll star alongside Susan Sarandon in The Accompanist, a buzzy indie drama marking the directorial debut of The Office alum Zack Woods. 

In 2024, an autopsy report from the L.A. County Medical Examiner, obtained by DailyMail.com, shed light on the circumstances surrounding Baena’s tragic death. 

At the time, he had been living in New York, where his body was discovered on January 3.

According to the report, the Life After Beth filmmaker had been going through ‘marital difficulties’ in the months leading up to his death and had been receiving therapy.

Though Plaza’s name was redacted, the documents noted that she had spoken to Baena the night before he died and had previously voiced concern for his mental state.

The medical examiner confirmed that Baena had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his passing and noted that Plaza believed he was still alive on the morning of January 3, as he had texted her earlier that day. 

The report indicated that a dog walker discovered Baena’s body.

Shortly after his death, a representative for Plaza said in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.’

Baena, who graduated with a film degree from New York University, got hands-on experience with major filmmakers when he worked as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis and an assistant editor for David O. Russell.