Aubrey Plaza, 41, stepped out for her first red carpet appearance since announcing her pregnancy, cradling her baby bump in a flirty white mini-dress adorned with blue floral patterns at the New York City premiere of her animated series Kevin on Thursday at Metrograph.
Premiere Highlights
The Emmy-nominated actress beamed alongside collaborators Whoopi Goldberg and Quinta Brunson. Plaza accessorized with white high-heel shoes and earrings, her brown hair parted neatly. The adult-oriented series, co-created with Joe Wengert and Dan Murphy, follows a lifelong housecat who rejects human companionship. Voice cast includes Amy Sedaris, Cary Elwes, Jason Schwartzman, Tig Notaro, John Waters, and Patti LuPone.
Pregnancy Reveal
Plaza first shared her news on the Smartless podcast, surprising hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. “Well, there’s a baby inside of me. No, I said there’s a baby inside of me right now,” she revealed. Describing a doctor’s visit, she added, “Today was a big day. I went to the doctor’s today, and my dog also went to the doctor’s… I got a scan earlier. I’m not kidding.”
When asked if she felt excited about motherhood, Plaza responded, “I am. Yeah. I’ve always wanted… to see what that’s all about, you know? It just seems so interesting, that whole thing.” The baby, due in the fall, marks a welcome surprise after an emotional year. Sources describe Plaza and partner Christopher Abbott, 40, as feeling “very blessed.”
Relationship with Christopher Abbott
Abbott, known for his role as Marnie’s on-off boyfriend in HBO’s Girls, first collaborated with Plaza in the 2019 indie thriller Black Bear, where both played dual roles as actors and directors. They reunited onstage in the 2023 Off-Broadway revival of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. The couple recently attended the Death of a Salesman Broadway revival afterparty at Katz’s Deli and Khaite’s Fall/Winter 2026 fashion show during New York Fashion Week.
Personal Challenges
Plaza’s pregnancy follows the suicide of her estranged husband, Jeff Baena, on January 3, 2025. The couple, who met in 2011 and secretly married in 2020, separated in September 2024. An autopsy report notes Baena faced marital difficulties, attended therapy, and prompted a welfare check after concerning remarks to Plaza in October 2024. No drugs or alcohol were in his system; a dog walker discovered his body after noticing unusual loud music.
Plaza expressed grief on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast last August: “Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you. Overall, I’m here, and I’m functioning… it’s like a daily struggle.” She likened grief to a gorge from the film The Gorge: “At all times there’s, like, a giant ocean of awfulness, that’s, like, right there.”
Career Milestones
From sketch comedy to stardom via Parks and Recreation as April Ludgate, Plaza has starred in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Safety Not Guaranteed, Ingrid Goes West, Emily the Criminal, and The White Lotus Season 2. Baena directed her in Life After Beth, Joshy, The Little Hours, and Spin Me Round.
