Heartbreaking way Aubrey Plaza honored late husband Jeff Baena during surprise SNL appearance

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

Aubrey Plaza left Saturday Night Live viewers in tears as she paid tribute to her late husband, Jeff Baena.

On January 3, Baena, an American screenwriter and director, was found dead in his Los Angeles home.

It was later confirmed that the 47-year-old had died by suicide.

Baena was married to The White Lotus actress Plaza, whom he wed in 2021. The celebrity couple had long been together before tying the knot though, and first started dating in 2011.

Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza pictured together in 2014 (Mark Davis/Getty Images for Sundance NEXT)

In a statement shared following his untimely death, Plaza described Baena's passing as 'an unimaginable tragedy'.

Now Plaza has made her first public appearance since Baena's death and was part of SNL's 50th anniversary show that aired over the weekend.

During the star-studded special, Plaza introduced musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard.

The Parks and Recreation alum wore black trousers and a black blazer for her appearance, which she paired with a tie-dye tee.

It's since been revealed that the t-shirt was to pay homage to her late husband.

Plaza made a surprise appearance on SNL over the weekend (NBC)

Speaking back in 2021 when she was a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show, Plaza shared her and Baena's love of tie-dying things.

"Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine," she revealed at the time.

"So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us."

People online have since reacted to Plaza's discrete yet heartbreaking tribute to her husband.

"Aubrey wearing a tie dyed shirt... if i wasn't crying already," one Twitter user wrote.

A second penned: "Tears. Just tears. No words needed."

Others applauded Plaza for appearing on the show so soon after her tragic loss.

One SNL viewer said: "I understand it’s a TV appearance, but I also imagine this was very hard to do while grieving. For that, I applaud her, and send her even more love."

"I give her a lot of props for making a public appearance this soon after," echoed someone else.

The two Hollywood stars had been together for over a decade (Monica Schipper/WireImage)

Baena's death has devastated both his loved ones and the film industry.

In his obituary that was shared in the days after he took his own life, the 47-year-old was described as 'a beloved son, husband, brother, uncle and friend to many'.

"Jeff left us too soon but despite his woefully too-short life, he left us with treasured memories of a gifted filmmaker, as well as a very special person on so many different levels," it continued.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.