Aubrey Plaza’s director husband Jeff Baena dies aged 47

Aubrey Plaza’s filmmaker husband Jeff Baena has died aged 47.

The indie director and screenwriter died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Baena was found dead by an assistant on Friday morning. The sources said he died by suicide, but this has not been officially confirmed.

Baena is best known for writing and directing the independent off-beat comedies Life After Beth (2014), Joshy (2016), The Little Hours (2017), Horse Girl (2020) and Spin Me Round (2022).

He often collaborated with his wife, The White Lotus star Plaza, on his films. She starred in the titular role in Life After Beth and played supporting characters in all of Baena’s other projects, with the exception of Horse Girl.

The filmmaker also frequently collaborated with actress Alison Brie, who appeared in his films The Little Hours and Joshy. Together, they co-wrote Horse Girl and Spin Me Round, which she also starred in.

In television, he co-wrote and executive produced the 2021 experimental anthology series Cinema Toast and directed one episode.

Baena began his career by working as a production assistant for famed filmmaker Robert Zemeckis and an assistant editor for writer/director David O. Russell. With the latter, he collaborated on several scripts, including 2004’s I Heart Huckabees.

Baena and Plaza, 40, began dating in 2011. They quietly got married in 2020 and revealed the news the following year.

In addition to Plaza, he is survived by his mother Barbara Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena, stepmother Michele Baena, brother Brad Baena, stepsister Bianca Gabay and stepbrother Jed Fluxman.