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Jeff Baena —the screenwriter and director known for films including Life After Beth, Joshy, I Heart Huckabees, and Horse Girl—died at his home in Los Angeles on January 3, reportedly by suicide. He was 47.
Baena is survived by his wife of four years, actor Aubrey Plaza, as well as his parents and siblings. On Monday, the family released a brief statement about their loss, saying: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
Born and raised in Miami, Baena left a clearly indelible mark on the Hollywood circles he and Plaza traveled in together since they began dating in 2011. Not only did he cowrite I Heart Huckabees with David O. Russell (for whom Baena had previously worked as an assistant editor), but he also frequently collaborated with actors like Molly Shannon, Alison Brie, and Plaza, who appeared in 2022’s Spin Me Round, the final film Baena directed.
At the 2025 Golden Globes on Sunday, Brady Corbet acknowledged Baena’s death while accepting his best-director prize for The Brutalist. “Tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family,” he said onstage. Many of Baena’s former friends and colleagues have also taken to social media to acknowledge his death and remember their time together, Shannon, Marc Maron, and Adam Pally among them. See some of those tributes below:
Very sorry to hear about the death of the writer/director Jeff Baena, I loved "Horse Girl" and "The Little Hours," so unique and funny. A distinct and original voice, he'll be missed. https://t.co/4FueIr1PV4
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) January 4, 2025
Very sad about the tragic loss of a true artist and sweet guy. RIP Jeff Baena. Here’s our talk from 2017 to remember him by. https://t.co/4kRGJtMF6R pic.twitter.com/feFGGvKPb9
— marc maron (@marcmaron) January 4, 2025
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
