On January 4, the magazine People magazine reported that Jeff Baena was found dead at his home in Los Angeles the previous morning. He was discovered by an acquaintance visiting the house, who found that Baena had ended his own life.
Jeff Baena was the husband of renowned actress Aubrey Plaza. The couple, who began dating in 2011, married in 2021. They had not publicly announced their engagement or wedding, and it was only revealed when Aubrey Plaza referred to Baena as her “beloved husband” on her social media account in May 2021.
After studying film at NYU, Jeff Baena moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for writer-director David O. Russell. He co-wrote “I Heart Huckabees”, a film nominated for the 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature. Baena made his directorial debut with “Life After Beth” which was released in 2014 and also written by himself.
The director-screenwriter was also known for works such as “The Little Hours”, “Joshy”, “Horse Girl”, and “Spin Me Round”.
Meanwhile, Jeff Baena’s wife, Aubrey Plaza, is best known for her roles in “Parks and Recreation” and “The White Lotus”. She and Baena collaborated on several projects, fostering both a personal and artistic partnership. In 2021, Baena supported Plaza’s directorial debut with the episode “Quiet Illness” of the Showtime anthology series “Cinema Toast”, underscoring their mutual growth as creative partners.
Jeff Baena leaves behind his parents, stepparents, siblings, and step-siblings.
Addressing the death of her husband, Aubrey Plaza has expressed her sorrow in a joint statement with Baena’s family, describing it as “an unimaginable tragedy”.
