Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza. Mark Davis/Getty Images for Sundance NEXT
Aubrey Plaza and family are paying tribute to Jeff Baena.
“It is with profound sadness and grief that we announce the sudden and unexpected death of Jeff Baena, a beloved son, husband, brother, uncle and friend to many,” Baena’s obituary, which was published in the Miami Herald, read. “Jeff left us too soon but despite his woefully too-short life, he left us with treasured memories of a gifted filmmaker, as well as a very special person on so many different levels.”
While the obit honored Baena for his credits in the entertainment industry, his loved ones shared some insight on how he found his passion for film which he “fell in love with” when he was “11 years old watching A Clockwork Orange and Felini’s 8 1/2.”
“Each of his films reflects a carefully crafted balance of the logical and the implausible. His juxtaposition of intellect and creativity challenged us. He embraced independent film making because of his unalterable distaste for institutional guardrails on creativity,” the message continued. “Those who worked with him praise his vision, taste, technical competence, and ability to coalesce actors into an ensemble that performs in perfect harmony. A family atmosphere always ensued. He loved nature and highlighted it cinema-graphically in his films whenever and wherever possible.”
Aubrey Plaza is in everyone’s thoughts as actors pay tribute to her husband, Jeff Baena, after the director’s shocking death. Baena’s friend and longtime collaborator Adam Pally shared an emotional Instagram statement on Sunday, January 5, which read, “He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, […]
In addition to work, which he did a lot with Plaza, Baena also “loved the company of his friends.”
“Jeff was a true relationship builder with a gift for bringing people together on and off the movie set,” the obit said. “His magic sauce was ensuring everyone was having fun and no one ever left his get-togethers as a stranger.”
Baena’s obituary also revealed that he also had an affinity for the novel, The Little Prince, and included a touching quote from the beloved children’s book.
“When he was a boy, Jeff loved reading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Ironically, in it, the Little Prince exclaims, ‘I haven’t much time. I have friends to find and so many things to learn.’ And so it was for Jeff,” the post read.
Baena is survived by Plaza, his parents, siblings, nephews and nieces.
“We shall always love and deeply miss Jeff,” the obit concluded. “His presence, as well as his work, made the world feel better. He had lots more to offer. Alas, all that is gone. Sweet dreams, our Little Prince.”
Aubrey Plaza briefly gushed over her marriage to husband Jeff Baena three months before his sudden and unexpected death. “I would stay away [from dating actors],” Plaza, 40 quipped during a September 2024 appearance on SiriusXM’s Howard Stern Show. “I’m married to a writer/director. I’ve never, like, really dated an actor [or] been with an […]
Baena died on January 3. He was 47 years old. According to medical examiner records reviewed by Us Weekly, Baena’s official cause of death is listed as suicide. After news broke of Baena’s passing, Plaza’s rep released a statement on her behalf.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy,” the statement to Us read. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
