Actress Aubrey Plaza’s spouse, renowned filmmaker Jeff Baena, died on January 3 at the age of 47. He was declared dead at the spot when an assistant discovered him unconscious at his Los Angeles residence. The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office verified that the medical examiner’s cause of death was hanging suicide.
Known for his indie filmmaking, Baena wrote and directed movies like “Life After Beth,” “Joshy,” “The Little Hours,” “Horse Girl,” and “Spin Me Round.” In 2004, he co-wrote the movie “I Heart Huckabees.” Baena was born in Miami, Florida, and attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He started his career in Los Angeles, first as a production assistant for director Robert Zemeckis and then as a writer-director David O. Russell’s assistant editor.
Following reports of an unresponsive person, authorities told TMZ that emergency personnel were sent to a home in the Los Angeles region on Friday at approximately 10:30 AM. According to law enforcement officials, an assistant found the person and sought for assistance right away. Baena was declared deceased at the scene despite quick reaction efforts.
Plaza and Baena got married in a private ceremony in 2021 after dating since 2011. In addition to working together professionally, Plaza starred in a number of Baena’s movies. In 2021, Plaza stated, “I’m so proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for coming up with another movie that takes us to Italy to cause some more trouble.”
His family and the entertainment industry are in mourning following his unexpected death. Despite having been announced as a presenter, Plaza did not attend the Golden Globes soon after Baena’s passing. In his acceptance speech at the 2025 Golden Globes, filmmaker Brady Corbet offered his sorrow and dedicated his prize to Plaza and Baena’s family.
Plaza, who has a distinct deadpan humor style, became well-known for her portrayal as April Ludgate on the comedy “Parks and Recreation” on NBC. Plaza has also acted in a number of movies, such as “Ingrid Goes West,” “The To Do List,” and “Safety Not Guaranteed.” She has been in music videos and online series in addition to her work in movies and television shows.
In a statement first made public to Deadline, Baena’s lawyer said, “The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time.” His wife Aubrey, mother Barbara Stern and stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena and stepmother Michele Baena, brother Brad Baena, and stepsiblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman are among Baena’s surviving family members.
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