Jeff Baena, Writer-Director Married to Aubrey Plaza, Dies by Suicide at 47

Mar. 15, 2025

Jeff Baena, a writer and director who was also married toAubrey Plaza, has died, PEOPLE can confirm. He was 47.

Law enforcement sources toldTMZthat 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, per the outlet.

Representatives for Baena did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena in June 2017.Monica Schipper/FilmMagic

Baena was born and raised in Miami. He later attended film school at New York University and moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduating to begin his career in entertainment.

Baena has more than a dozen directing and film credits to his name.

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Later on, Baena created an anthology series titledCinema Toast,which aired on Showtime in 2021 and markedPlaza’s own directorial debut.

Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza in May 2016.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Baena met and started dating Plaza in 2011. They kept their relationship very private over the years, never announcing their engagement or wedding.

The world learned that the two had tied the knot in May 2021, when Plaza referred to Baena as her “darling husband” in anInstagrampost.

“So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to italia to cause some more trouble,” her caption read.

A rep later confirmed to PEOPLE that thecouple had tied the knot.

source: people.com