New details about the suicide of Aubrey Plaza’s husband, Jeff Baena, have been revealed.
On January 4, it was confirmed that the acclaimed filmmaker and husband of the actress had tragically taken his own life at the age of 47.
Baena was found deceased by an assistant at his Los Angeles home, which he shared with Plaza at approximately 10:25AM, per reports.
Authorities have confirmed that Baena died by suicide, with The U.S. Sun later obtaining the LA County Fire Department’s radio call, which revealed it dispatched a unit “to a hanging” at the address in Los Feliz.
Baena was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a statement to the Daily Mail after the incident was responded to, the Los Angeles Fire Department said: “Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport. We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent.”
The star rose to fame after moving to Los Angeles to persue a career in writing and filming in the world of independent cinema. He directed films such as Life After Beth, Joshy, and The Little Hours.
Other notable pieces of work include I Heart Huckabees, in which he worked alongside a star-studded cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, and Naomi Watts.
Baena also collaborated with his wife on numerous projects. They also hit major milestones in their personal lives, officially tying the knot in 2021 after dating for several years beforehand.
According to a GQ profile of Plaza, she and Baena met over a game of Balderdash and started dating in 2011 before saying ‘I do’ to each other a decade later.
Plaza has not yet spoken publicly about the tragic loss, and his closest loved ones have requested privacy during this difficult period.
However, on social media, people couldn’t help but post tributes for the late star, hailing him as one of the all-time greats in the industry.
“Jeff Baena was a truly unique artistic voice, and our world is poorer without him in it. his co-writing credit for I Heart Huckabees is what I will remember him most fondly by – I attribute him with injecting the characters and dialogue with such specific offbeat rhythms,” wrote one person.
“Saddened to hear of filmmaker Jeff Baena’s passing. He’s gone far too soon. LIFE AFTER BETH and THE LITTLE HOURS are under-heralded comedy gems. He and wife/ frequent collaborator Aubrey Plaza were cute together, sharing an offbeat sense of humor & wit,” another chimed in.
Others also had some kind words to offer those who may be struggling with their own mental health right now.
“Suicide remains a leading cause of death for men under 50. This news about Jeff Baena is awful, just remember it’s never a bad thing to ask for help,” wrote one user, while another added: “Man that Jeff Baena news sucks. Death by suicide is a seriously stigmatized issue that needs to be met with compassion, understanding and empathy for all involved. Suicidal thoughts are way more common than we as people like to admit, and acknowledging that is part of the process.”
Our thoughts are with Plaza and the rest of Baena’s loved ones during this time.
