Featured Image Credit: George Pimentel/Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival
Topics: Aubrey Plaza, Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, US News
Olivia Burke
Topics: Aubrey Plaza, Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, US News
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Further details have been released regarding the death of Aubrey Plaza's husband Jeff Baena.
The filmmaker had separated from his wife in the months before his passing on 3 January this year, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Baena, 47, died by suicide at his California home hours after he sent Plaza a final text message on that morning, the document obtained by Us Weekly explains.
Advert
It stated that the couple - who got together in 2011 before getting married in 2020 - had separated in September 2024 after 'marital difficulties'.
The medical examiner said in the synopsis of an investigative summary report: "According to the reported information, the decedent Jeffrey Baena is a 47-year-old Caucasian male.
"He was experiencing recent marital difficulties and was separated from his wife since September 2024."
Plaza, 40, had checked in on her husband in October last year, as he 'made concerning remarks which prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband'.
Advert
The report continued: "Baena had been attending therapy since that event. According to (an unnamed person) Baena did not have any previous suicide attempts. He had a history of difficulty sleeping."
Plaza's last text message from Baena came on the day of his death at around 10.36am.
A dog walker who had arrived at his LA home to take his pet out discovered Baena's body.
The report said: "[The dog walker] heard loud music from within the house, which was unusual. She yelled at [Baena] and received no response. [The dog walker] ran to retrieve the decedent’s dog and left the building to call 911."
Miami-born Baena - best known for his work on movies including The Little Hours, Life After Beth and Joshy - was pronounced dead at the scene.
Advert
No drugs were found in his system and he did not leave a note, according to the medical examiner's report.
A mobile phone was discovered close to where the director's body was found.
In a joint statement released earlier this year, Plaza and the Baena/Stern family said of the screenwriter's passing: "This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support.
"Please respect our privacy during this time."
Advert
During her first public appearance in February at Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary event in New York City, Plaza paid tribute to her late husband.
In Baena's honour, she sported a tie-dye shirt - as she previously revealed that the filmmaker loved to tie-dye clothes and that they both even sported the designs for their 2020 wedding.
While on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2021, Plaza revealed that the pair weren't in traditional dress for the nuptials at their home and instead wore tie-die pyjamas made by Baena himself.
She told Barrymore: "We got married on a whim. Literally decided at around 5pm and got married at 8:30. Jeff got really into tie-dyeing during the quarantine.
"So, I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us. I made a love altar in the backyard of all of our love objects. It was very witchcore, but it happened."
Advert
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.