Aubrey Plaza made a surprise appearance alongside Michael Shannon and Bad Bunny in a Ritz ad during the Super Bowl LIX, marking her first on-screen appearance since her husband Jeff Baena passed in early January.
The “salty” ad showed Plaza and Shannon sparring over some crackers at the Ritz Salty Club in Salt Flats, Utah.
“When I smile, people assume it’s a glitch,” Shannon announced in the ad.
“Please,” Plaza responded in her signature deadpan voice. “I’m the human version of Monday.”
The pair later shared a hilarious moment when Shannon commented, “You are a salty freak,” to which Plaza sincerely replied, “Thank you.” Their “salty” mood then got interrupted by a smiling Bad Bunny, who risked getting them all kicked out of the “No Smiling Allowed” zone with his good mood.
The Super Bowl ad marks Plaza’s first performance, just weeks after Baena’s shocking death. Per Entertainment Weekly, the ad was reportedly filmed in November.
Baena was discovered the morning of Friday, Jan. 3, in a Los Angeles home by an assistant. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner ruled his death to be a suicide by hanging, per TMZ.
Plaza released a joint statement with Baena’s family days after his passing. “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support,” the statement reads, per Deadline. “Please respect our privacy during this time.”
The couple had been married since 2021 after dating for almost a decade. They collaborated on several projects together, including the 2014 comedy Life After Beth, marking Baena’s directorial debut. The independent filmmaker and screenwriter also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees and directed Horse Girl.
Plaza was set to present at the Golden Globes just days after Baena’s death. But the White Lotus star noticeably absent.
Check out Plaza’s appearance in the Ritz Super Bowl ad above.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org.
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