Aubrey Plaza has broken her silence following the death of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who died aged 47 last Friday.
In a statement released on Monday, Plaza and the Baena/Stern family said: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that Baena, known for directing films including Life After Beth and The Little Hours, died by suicide at his Los Angeles home on January 3.
Baena’s body was discovered at his Los Angeles-area residence near the Hollywood Hills and Los Feliz areas by his assistant at approximately 10:30am on Friday.
Emergency services were called to the scene, where he was pronounced dead.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they responded to a call near Baena’s residence on Friday.
Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena tied the knot in 2021
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A full report from the medical examiner’s office will not be available until the case is closed.
The official cause of death has been listed as hanging by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Plaza and Baena began dating in 2011, with their relationship spanning both personal and professional collaborations.
The couple worked together on several projects, including Life After Beth, The Little Hours, and Spin Me Round.
Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena worked together on a number of big-screen films
GETTY
Their marriage in 2021 came about spontaneously, as Plaza revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During the COVID pandemic, whilst celebrating their 10-year anniversary, they decided to wed.
Plaza recalled finding a wedding officiant on “OneHourMarriage.com” and creating “a very quick love altar” in their garden.
The actress had previously spoken about their working relationship, noting how being in the same industry allowed them to “understand kind of the journey that we’re both on”.
Baena was a highly regarded writer and director in independent cinema, first gaining recognition for co-writing I Heart Huckabees in 2004.
He made his directorial debut with Life After Beth in 2014, a zombie comedy starring Plaza.
His other notable works included Horse Girl and Cinema Toast, an anthology series that aired on Showtime in 2021 and marked Plaza’s directorial debut.
Brady Corbet wins Best Director – Motion Picture for #TheBrutalist at the 2025 #GoldenGlobes and sends his condolences to Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena’s families. pic.twitter.com/a9Vg3Rols7
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 6, 2025
Baena’s most recent film, Spin Me Round, premiered in 2022 and starred both Plaza and frequent collaborator Alison Brie.
His films received critical acclaim, with multiple nominations at the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
Plaza was scheduled to present at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards but did not attend following the tragedy.
During the ceremony, filmmaker Brady Corbet paid tribute to Plaza whilst accepting the award for Best Director for The Brutalist.
“Tonight, my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family,” Corbet said during his acceptance speech.
The tribute came just two days after Baena’s death, highlighting the impact his passing has had on the entertainment industry.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
