Jeff Baena, Writer-Director Married to Aubrey Plaza, Dies by Suicide at 47
Jeff Baena, a writer and director who was also married to Aubrey Plaza, has died, PEOPLE can confirm. He was 47.
Law enforcement sources declared that an assistant discovered Baena’s body at a Los Angeles-area home around 10:30 a.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 3.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement sources told the outlet that he died by suicide.
Who is Aubrey Plaza?
Aubrey Christina Plaza (born June 26, 1984) is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She began acting in local theater productions as a teenager and performed improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. After graduating from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Plaza made her feature film debut in Mystery Team (2009) and gained wide recognition for her role as April Ludgate on the NBC political satire sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015).
Who is Jeff Baena?
Jeff Baena was an American screenwriter and film director known for Life After Beth, Joshy, The Little Hours, Horse Girl, Spin Me Round, and for co-writing I Heart Huckabees. He was known for his frequent collaborations with actresses Alison Brie and his wife, Aubrey Plaza.
Jeff Baena, Writer-Director and Aubrey Plaza’s Husband, Dead at 47. Filmmaker co-wrote David O. Russell’s I Heart Huckabees and helmed indie films like Life After Beth, Horse Girl, and Spin Me Round.
The circumstances of his death are not yet clear.
Plaza, 40, who is known for TV series including Parks And Recreation and The White Lotus, had been in a relationship with Baena from about 2011 and the pair married in 2021.
The pair frequently collaborated on films. It was while working on his last film, Spin Me Around, released in 2022, that Plaza confirmed they had wed.