Acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Baena, finest recognized for his work on “Life After Beth” and “The Little Hours,” tragically handed away on the age of 47.
Legislation enforcement sources confirmed that police and fireplace officers responded to a demise investigation name round 10:30 AM on Friday after Baena’s assistant found him unresponsive. He was pronounced lifeless on the scene, with authorities later confirming his reason for demise as suicide.
Baena, who had been married to actress Aubrey Plaza since 2020, leaves behind a legacy of progressive filmmaking and a relationship that captured the hearts of many—but additionally sparked intense reactions from a few of Plaza’s most devoted followers.
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Aubrey Plaza And Jeff Baena Tie The Knot
Plaza and Baena started their relationship in 2011 and remained collectively till his premature passing in January 2025. The couple tied the knot in 2020 throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating their love in an intimate and uniquely private ceremony.
“I created a really fast love altar in our yard. Details of our love, little stones, smoke, fireplace. Issues of that nature,” Plaza shared in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. “Then the person from Alhambra confirmed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase [to perform the ceremony]. … I can’t bear in mind numerous it, it was fuzzy. However I’m fairly positive it’s authorized.”
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Jeff Baena Acquired Demise Threats Following His Wedding ceremony
Nevertheless, regardless of their evident love and devotion to one another, not all of Plaza’s followers supported the union. In a 2022 profile with Cosmopolitan, Plaza revealed the darker aspect of the general public’s response to their marriage.
“Oh my god. Jeff bought demise threats in his DMs,” Plaza shared. “Individuals venture a lot stuff onto marriage, nevertheless it wasn’t some massive assertion I’m making an attempt to make the place I would like all people to react to it.”
Many of those intense reactions reportedly stemmed from a few of Plaza’s bisexual followers mourning her transition from singlehood to married life.
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Inside Aubrey And Jeff’s Relationship
Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena shared one in all Hollywood’s longest and most personal long-term romances, culminating in an ultra-secret marriage ceremony.
In keeping with Individuals Journal, Plaza and Baena first crossed paths in 2011. Whereas particulars about their early relationship stay scarce, a GQ profile of Plaza in 2022 revealed a captivating tidbit: the couple met over a sport of Balderdash. Their connection blossomed each romantically and professionally, leading to a artistic partnership that spanned over a decade.
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Plaza publicly expressed her admiration for Baena’s work on a number of events. In 2021, she shared a heartfelt Instagram submit celebrating her husband’s accomplishments. “So happy with my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up one other movie that takes us to Italia to trigger some extra hassle,” she wrote, referencing his movie Spin Me Spherical.
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A Look Again At Jeff Baena’s Profession
Baena was not simply Plaza’s husband however an completed filmmaker, screenwriter, and director in his personal proper. After graduating from NYU’s Tisch Faculty of the Arts, he relocated to Los Angeles to launch his profession. He labored alongside trade titans like Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell, contributing to movies reminiscent of “I Coronary heart Huckabees” and “Meet the Fockers” in 2004.
In 2014, Baena made his directorial debut with “Life After Beth,” a darkish comedy that starred Plaza herself. This marked the start of a artistic collaboration between the 2 that might proceed via “The Little Hours,” “Horse Lady,” and eventually, “Spin Me Spherical” in 2022.
Remembering The Late Director
Baena is survived by Plaza, his dad and mom, stepparents, and siblings.
As of now, Aubrey Plaza has not publicly commented on her husband’s passing, and followers around the globe have expressed their condolences and help for the actress throughout this heartbreaking time.
Nevertheless, a assertion has been offered to Deadline on Saturday mentioned that “the household is devastated and asks for privateness at this troublesome time.”
In case you or somebody you already know is battling ideas of suicide, please attain out to a disaster hotline in your space. Contact the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline at 988 totally free and confidential help, accessible 24/7.
