Aubrey Plaza makes surprise return in Super Bowl 2025 ad just over a month after husband’s tragic death

Aubrey Plaza shocked her fans during Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX when she returned to the screen following her husband Jeff Baena’s tragic death.

It was the 40-year-old White Lotus star’s first appearance in just over a month since the heartbreaking news broke.

Plaza was featured in a commercial for Ritz crackers in which she, rapper and singer Bad Bunny and actor Michael Shannon competed to see who had the more sarcastic, bitter persona.

Her husband Baena, a respected film director, was found dead by suicide at their home in Los Angeles on January 4, and he had reportedly died sometime the day prior.

His death led to an outpouring of support from Hollywood stars for Plaza, who married him in 2021.

But the Parks & Recreation star’s latest commercial was filmed prior to Baena’s death, and it didn’t feature any hint of tragedy. 

Aubrey Plaza shocked her fans during Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX when she returned to the screen following her husband Jeff Baena’s tragic death

It was the 40-year-old White Lotus star’s first appearance in just over a month since the heartbreaking news of his death broke; pictured together in 2017 in Culver City, Calif.

In the Ritz ad, Plaza and Shannon were seen arriving at what looked like a hotel lobby or resort for fans of the popular crackers, whom Shannon called their ‘salty brethren.’

‘He’s salty,’ Plaza said as she looked over at an angry toll-booth operator, ‘but I’m the saltiest.’

But Shannon took that statement as a challenge.

‘Oh, saltier than me? When I smile people think it’s a glitch,’ he bragged. 

‘Please, I’m the human version of Monday,’ she shot back, before letting out a comical cat-like hiss.

But the Ritz cracker appeared to be the saltiest of all, which annoyed the two actors.

‘Buttery, salty showoff,’ Shannon grumbled as he examined a cracker close up. 

Bad Bunny made a late appearance in the ad as a Ritz fan who couldn’t follow the salty rules. 

Baena, a respected film director, was found dead by suicide at their home in Los Angeles on January 4, and he had reportedly died sometime the day prior; seen together in 2014 in LA

The ad costarred the rapper and singer Bad Bunny (L)

In the Ritz ad, Plaza and Shannon were seen arriving at what looked like a hotel lobby or resort for fans of the popular crackers, whom Shannon called their ‘salty brethren’

‘He’s salty,’ Plaza said as she looked over at an angry toll-booth operator, ‘but I’m the saltiest’

But Shannon took that statement as a challenge. ‘Oh, saltier than me? When I smile people think it’s a glitch,’ he bragged

‘Please, I’m the human version of Monday,’ she shot back, before letting out a comical cat-like hiss

Bad Bunny made a late appearance in the ad as a Ritz fan who couldn’t follow the salty rules

‘I love them!’ he shouted to Plaza and Shannon, before the Shape Of Water actor told him to ‘read the sign.’

The hitmaker, who wore sunglasses with a mustache and goatee, turned to look at a big red sign reading, ‘No smiles allowed,’ even as he couldn’t stop grinning.

He scoffed at it before Plaza warned that he was going to get them ‘kicked out’ of the party.

‘So?’ he replied to her in a salty manner, which got Plaza to begrudgingly admit: ‘That’s better.’ 

In the wake of Baena’s death, a representative for Plaza issued a short statement: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.’

In the wake of Baena’s death, a representative for Plaza issued a short statement: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time’; seen in 2016 in LA