‘The Gorge’ Director On Aubrey Plaza’s ‘Touching’ Comments About Grief

The Gorge filmmaker Scott Derrickson responded to Aubrey Plaza‘s recent comments about the Apple TV+ movie helping her process her grief over her late husband Jeff Baena.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director noted he was affected by the Parks and Recreation alumna’s “very touching” words and how much it meant considering his “personal fondness” for the actress.

“I mean, how could I not be moved by that?” the Emmy nominee said. “It was very touching. I think she was being really earnest and, of course, it makes you as a filmmaker feel good that your work is out there giving people experiences and helping them define their own feelings.”

The Black Phone and Doctor Strange helmer continued, “I don’t think it was something unique to The Gorge. I think that she just happened to talk about it the way I’ve talked about movies giving clarity to my own experiences and my own feelings many times.”

Earlier this week, the Honey Don’t actress appeared on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, where her friend and former co-star gave her space to talk about how she is coping with Baena’s death. The Agatha All Along star compared her grief to the open chasm depicted in the action horror sci-fi, which separates two snipers played by Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy Plaza, adding that while the analogy began as a joke, it also represents how she feels.

“At all times, there’s a giant ocean of awfulness, that’s right there and I can see it, and sometimes I just wanna just dive into it and be in it. Then sometimes I just look at it. Then sometimes I try to get away from it, but it’s always there,” she said in part.

Baena — a screenwriter and director best known for projects like Life After Beth (2014) and The Little Hours (2017), both of which starred Plaza — died at the age of 47 in January of this year as a result of suicide. At the time of his death, Plaza released a statement, writing, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support.” The filmmaker was lovingly remembered in tributes from Alison Brie, Adam Pally, Molly Shannon and many others.