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Audrey Plaza's 'gorge' analogy of grief after her husband's suicide is resonating with people

People who've been through a tragic loss are feeling seen in her interview with Amy Poehler.

Images via Wikipedia/Xfranksun, Joe Mabel

Aubrey Plaza opens up on her husband Jeff Baena's death.

Actress Aubrey Plaza gave fans a heartfelt update on her grief journey seven months after losing her husband Jeff Baena to suicide. Plaza, 41, reunited with her iconic Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler on her Good Hang podcast, where she opened up on life and grieving since her husband passed on Jan. 3, 2025.

In an emotional clip, Poehler gently opens the conversation with Plaza to share how she is doing. "To just, to get it out of the way. People want to see you and see how you are. They love you," she says, as she extends her hand out to Plaza to hold with a reassuring "I know" as they clasp hands. As she does, Plaza lets out some uncomfortable laughs, as Poehler continues. "They love you and they want to see you."

Poehler adds, "So, you've had this terrible, tragic year. You lost your husband. You've been dealing with that, and you've been looking for all different ways in which to feel and find support. And on behalf of all the people who feel like they know you and the people who do know you, how are you feeling today?"

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Plaza openly responds, petting her dog Frankie who joined her for the interview. "I mean right in this very present moment I feel happy to be with you. Overall I'm here and I'm functioning, and I feel really grateful to be moving through the world," she says.

She continued, "I think I'm okay. But you know, it's like a daily struggle, obviously."

She goes on to explain how grief has impacted her with a "really dumb analogy." "It was a joke at a certain point, but I actually mean it. Did you see that move The Gorge?" she asks Poehler, who explains its an alien movie starring actor Miles Teller.

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"In the movie there's like a cliff on one side and a cliff on the other side, and then there's a gorge in-between and it's filled with like these monster people that are trying to get them. And I swear when I watched it, I was like, 'That feels like what my grief is like'," Plaza shared. "Or what grief could be like."

She continued, "It's like at all times there's a giant ocean of just awfulness that's like right there and I can see it. And sometimes I just wanna like dive into it and just be in it. And then sometimes I just look at it. And then sometimes I just try to get away from it. But it's always there. It's just always there."

Plaza's beautiful description of grief was praised by fans who applauded not just her openness, but her relatable explanation. "💯 The way she described how grief is always there (in different forms) resonates so much," one wrote. Another shared, "Her self soothing with petting the animal under the desk (I assume) is so relatable."

Fans also opened up about how they were inspired by her honesty. "Agreed. About two years ago, I lost my husband to suicide when I was 29 and he was 30. It’s a terrible experience I would not wish on my worst enemy, and I’m so sad Aubrey Plaza is going through this as well. It’s an isolating experience not many can relate to and her being open makes me feel seen and less alone," another commented.

Another added, "That’s a great description of grief actually. The way she responded to the question at the beginning really resonated with me. When I lost my mom i wasn’t devastated all the time but also I wasn’t exactly doing good inside. So when asked, I would just try to answer how i felt at that very moment because I couldn’t go into how I was really feeling on the inside. And « I’m functioning » was a common answer for me."

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Amy Poehler sent a very candid message to the NRA after it used a GIF of her.

Dana Loesch, a controversial spokesperson for the National Rifle Association, has ruffled feathers yet again.

Loesch was panned at a Feb. 21 CNN Town Hall for misleading the public on where the NRA — one of America's most powerful gun lobbying groups — stands on gun control measures while going head-to-head with student survivors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after they were gunned down on Valentine's Day. The tragedy left 17 people dead.

Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

The NRA, of course, was quite happy with how Loesch represented its organization on the national stage.

After CNN's Town Hall, the group tweeted a GIF of Leslie Knope — a character played by Amy Poehler on NBC's "Parks and Recreation" — telling Loesch "thank you for being the voice of over 5 million NRA members."

Poehler was not happy about it.

About two hours after the NRA shared the GIF of Knope, "Parks and Recreation" creator Michael Schur asked the organization to "please take this down." 

"I would prefer you not use a GIF from a show I worked on to promote your pro-slaughter agenda," he wrote. He also shared a message from Poehler.

"Also, Amy [Poehler] isn't on twitter," he continued. "But she texted me a message: 'Can you tweet the NRA for me and tell them I said fuck off?'"

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for CDG.

Those two weren't the only ones upset that the NRA was capitalizing on the popular TV series to promote their cause.

Actor Adam Scott, who played Ben Wyatt on the show, asked the NRA to "please stay the fuck away from Leslie Knope."

Actor Nick Offerman, who played Ron Swanson, chimed in too: "Our good-hearted show and especially our Leslie Knope represent the opposite of your pro-slaughter agenda."

Twitter beefs aside, it's worth pointing out the content of the NRA's tweet — and who the group is and isn't speaking for.

Loesch may represent the organization's members, but she doesn't speak for all gun owners; only a fraction of of them belong to the NRA. Pew Research from 2017 shows a polled figure of 20% of gun owners who also said they were NRA members while a Washington Post article in 2015 calculates the percent of gun owners who are part of the NRA at 6-7%.

The group's top priorities largely fall in line with gun sellers' bottom lines — not gun owners' views on public policy. And it shows.

Through its immense lobbying power in Washington, almost exclusively among Republicans, the NRA has fended off commonsense and widely popular gun control legislation for decades.

According to a Quinnipiac poll released in February 2018, for example, a whopping 97% of Americans want universal background checks on gun purchases — a provision the NRA has fought for years (although it would want you to believe otherwise). An overwhelming majority of Americans also want assault weapons off our streets. The NRA does not.

"Parks and Recreation" may be a work of fiction, but the stars who brought it to life have a firmer grasp on reality than the NRA when it comes to guns.

Update 2/26/2017: Information has been added about the calculated number of gun owners who are also NRA members.

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27 celebrities who proudly marched with fellow activists in the Women's March.

'We stand together.'

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, more than 2 million people all over the world marched for gender equality rights. Many celebrities were right there with them.

After all, female celebrities — no matter how famous they are — will not escape the gender injustices that are likely to arise in our new administration. So they took their place in the crowds alongside fellow activists, loudly echoing their sentiments every step of the way, as per the Women's March mission:

"We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families - recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country."

Some also used their celebrity status to push the message out even further by giving bold, impassioned speeches in front of the masses.

Scarlett Johansson at the Women's March on Washington. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

But whether they were in front of a microphone, holding a sign, or sporting a pink pussy hat, their presence among the masses was inspiring. So much of the march was about inclusivity and sharing that purpose with like-minded celebrities reminded people that no one is above that concept.

Here are 27 activist celebrities who marched for the cause.

1. Ashley Judd gave a heart-stopping rendition of Nina Donovan's "Nasty Woman" poem.

2. Elizabeth Gilbert brought an appropriately revised copy of her book, "Eat, Pray, Love."

3. Ariana Grande marched with her female role model — her grandmother.

everything #womensmarch #myrock #queeeent

A video posted by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

4. Connie Britton rocked a Planned Parenthood poster in Park City, Utah.

5. Katy Perry made a new feminist friend at the Los Angeles march.

Today a feminist got her wings. Thank you @gloriasteinem ❤👼🏼

A photo posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on

6. Jessica Chastain casually handed out love buttons at the march in Washington, D.C. NBD.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

7. Drew Barrymore's daughter Frankie's sign was honest and on point.

Proud of my daughter and her dad.

A photo posted by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on

8. If anyone messes with Melissa Benoist (aka Supergirl) and her vagina, they'll be very, very sorry.

9. I'd say Brie Larson's fans appreciated her presence among them.

10. America Ferrera's speech at the March on Washington kicked off the day. Watch it here.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

11. Ian McKellen marched in London with a poster of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of him.

12. Scarlett Johansson's speech on how Planned Parenthood helped during her teen years brought the house down.

13. Gillian Anderson sported a "We the People" poster designed by Shepard Fairey.

14. Mandy Moore paired up with the inimitable Jane Fonda.

15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle Monae's speech says it all.

16. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her brother Jake did the Women's March on Washington sibling-style.

17. Amber Tamblyn and Amy Schumer mutually supported women's rights (and NASA).

18. Sometimes there's an actor who was in a movie your protest poster is quoted from, and everything's suddenly right with the world.

19. A highlight from one epic speech by Gloria Steinem.

20. Chelsea Handler, together with Charlize Theron and Mary McCormack, were "loud and proud" at Sundance in Park City, Utah.

21. Nick Offerman wore a pussy hat with pride (as well as some snow).

22. "Orange Is the New Black's" Jackie Cruz showed off major sign skills.

The rise of the Woman= The rise of the Nation 🇺🇸 @womensmarch #womensmarchonwashington

A photo posted by Jackie Cruz (@msjackiecruz) on

23. And Amy Poehler would not be Amy Poehler without creating a hilariously awkward situation.

24. Comedian Jenny Slate carried a sign for someone who couldn't make it to the march.

25. Alicia Keys took sisterhood selfies.

26. Zendaya was just one more in the over 500,000 person crowd in Washington, D.C.

27. And, finally, the feminist who started #HeForShe did her part for gender equality while hanging with her mom, taking photos of kids, and laughing with strangers who are now friends.

Seeing the icons we look up to marching for what's right is one heck of a reminder that we're far from alone in this fight.

Their presence at these protests makes a difference on many levels, but perhaps the most significant is showing we are all unified under one purpose. And we are going to keep defending each other and every group  marginalized under Trump's administration.

Over the next four years, we will be up against a government that may try to strip us of our human rights at every turn. The more powerful, publicly known voices who stand with us and amplify our frustrations, the harder it will be for them to be ignored.

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How Amy Poehler's Smart Girls is empowering teens through gaming.

A glimpse into Amy Poehler's Smart Girls' empowering new series.

Have you heard of Amy Poehler's Smart Girls? Because if you haven't, you really should.

Poehler is a lot of things — an improviser, a Red Sox fan, a mom, a Hillary Clinton impersonator. But she's also a trailblazer. And there's no better proof of that than Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, a group committed to empowering girls to be ... well, whatever the heck they want to be (and to feel great being it).

Rock climber? Astronaut? CEO? Poehler says go for it, girl.

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for TNT LA.

Smart Girls has done a lot of neat things and started many important conversations since it originally launched as a web series, Smart Girls at the Party, back in 2008. But one of its latest endeavors, Smart Girls Build, is particularly notable as being freakin' sweet, as it's using a video game rooted in the virtual world to inspire actual girls living in the real one.

In the Smart Girls Build series, Poehler's Smart Girls teamed up with The Sims to let girls create their virtual selves.

Take, for instance, 13-year-old Californian Celeste Javier, who is the focus of the series' first episode. Among her many interests are dancing and playing with her (adorable) corgi pup.

All GIFs via Amy Poehler's Smart Girls/YouTube.

Javier got to visit the hub where the video game is created by publisher Electronic Arts (EA). In The Sims, users can create virtual versions of themselves and live out their dreams and aspirations (digitally, of course). And that's exactly what Javier got to do.

Yes, creating your digital self is fun. But to Smart Girls, the new series gets at a bigger issue: inspiring girls to live out their creative pursuits, and finding the role models to help.

The Sims might only be a virtual reality to gamers, but the positive effects of playing it can seep into the girls' real lives, according to Maggie Lyons, director of development at Smart Girls.

“Our motto is ‘Change the world by being yourself,'" Lyons explained to Upworthy. "These girls really do that in The Sims, and hopefully are inspired to do the same in their real lives.”

Just 26% of jobs in computing fields are held by women.

The series focuses on opening doors for girls who might be interested in merging their passions with technology, as well.

In another episode, 17-year-old guitarist Tcarla collaborated with a producer to create music in the game. Every EA producer in the series is a woman, and while that may seem inconsequential, it certainly isn't.

"We also wanted to highlight female gamers and game producers," Lyons said. "If girls see more women creating and participating in fields like gaming, they’re more likely to say to themselves, 'Oh, cool! I can do that too!'”

Javier created a Sim that not only looked like her, but had the same qualities and passions as well.

Javier made sure her virtual self, or Sim, had the same traits and talents as she does. In her Sim's world, there was a dance studio, which was perfect for Javier; she's been dancing for nine years and is now in a competitive hip-hop dance group.


Letting girls know they do have a place in tech is vital, and we've got a (very) long way to go.

According to a study released last year by the American Association of University Women, a mere 26% of jobs in computing fields are held by women. When you look at engineering jobs, it's an even more cringeworthy 12%. (And by the way, these figures get more dismal when you consider how women of color, specifically, are represented.)

Looking at the gender makeup at top tech companies confirms this sad reality, as The Huffington Post reported in March 2015.

"At Google, women make up 30% of the company's overall workforce, but hold only 17% of the company’s tech jobs. At Facebook, 15% of tech roles are staffed by women. At Twitter, it’s a laughable 10%. For non-technical jobs at Twitter (think marketing, HR, sales), the gender split is 50-50."

Yes, The Sims is just one video game, and it won't solve this problem overnight. But it's one smart step forward.

"People really seem to be responding to the positive message, how inspiring these incredibly bright girls are, and our encouragement of female gamers," Lyons said of feedback from the Build series. "One girl even told us that Tcarla inspired her to start playing the guitar, which is awesome!"

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