Debby Ryan’s Tribute to Aubrey Plaza’s Late Husband Jeff Baena

Debby Ryan shared a heartbreaking tribute to Jeff Baena on what would have been the screenwriter and director’s 48th birthday.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, June 29, to reflect on her friend, the late husband of Aubrey Plaza, Ryan, 32, included a carousel of memories that showcased the pair’s friendship.

“Happy birthday Jeff ✨Bear with me, I’ve never been a public griever, and have a hard time sharing fragile feelings with strangers. Meanwhile I’ve thought about him every day for the past six months,” Ryan, who appeared in 2020’s Horse Girl and 2022’s Spin Me Round which were both directed by Baena, wrote. “At the beginning of the year, I lost a dear friend, cherished collaborator and mentor in Jeff Baena. It’s been very hard and heavy, and a lot of people lost him, because he was like the nucleus of this whole Jeff universe.”

Her photos included memories of time spent with Ryan and her musician husband, Josh Dun, as well as famous faces including Ayden Mayeri, Matthew Gray Gubler, Fred Armisen and Zach Woods.

Ryan also tagged Alison Brie, who cowrote both Horse Girl and Spin Me Round with Baena, into the carousel’s final image. Baena was shown working on various projects and enjoying downtime with his friends.

Ryan’s caption continued, “Today on his birthday, I want you to know a few things about Jeff— he was generous. Warm while principled. Intentional with a casual lilt. Usually right about stuff we have no way of knowing about. Spirited in debate. His standard for quality was in the ingredients— just like his casts. He had a menagerie of players and games, and it was a real collection.”

Ego Nwodim, Jeff Baena and Debby Ryan in 2022 Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for IFC Films

She also reflected on the professional and personal impacts Baena had on her life. “He believed in me. I feel really proud to be able to say that,” Ryan wrote. “Jeff was a rare person in the world who gave me the dignity of introducing myself, of being taken at my present. And I liked who he saw. Like good friendship helps you love yourself, good collaboration gives you the chance to be the best evolution of yourself.”

The tribute included a touching conclusion within the comments section, which Ryan shared several minutes after posting the initial carousel.

“Six months of trying to make sense of this, oscillating between heavy grief and clamoring for acceptance, trying to wade through for some better feelings — trying to adjust to past tense. Trying to absolve guilt for not being able to save my friend. Trying to forgive my friend for taking my friend,” Ryan wrote. “Six months of things happening that Jeff will never know about, that’s so crazy. Six months of trying to accept the new impossibility of the things we were gonna make together. Months of discoveries of the things he left behind; and the gifts he continues to give me and those who he shone his light on. Thanks for all of it, Jeff. Love you dude. ✨ and happy birthday.”