\n\t\t\t
\n Related: <\/span>Aubrey Plaza and Late Husband Jeff Baena\u2019s Relationship Timeline<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tAubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena were together for over a decade ahead of his death in 2025. The pair started dating in 2011 but never confirmed exactly when they met or when their love story began. Plaza and the Horse Girl director have collaborated on films including Life After Beth and Joshy in 2016 and [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Baena echoed Plaza\u2019s sentiments several years later, telling Reel Talker<\/a> in 2022 that \u201cshe\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019d be working with her if she wasn\u2019t my wife, but luckily she is my wife,\u201d Baena quipped. \u201cThe opportunity to do something creative [together] where we\u2019re both fulfilled \u2014 how rare is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Baena died nearly three years later<\/a> in January 2025, at the age of 47. Keep scrolling to revisit his star-studded filmography:<\/p>\n\u2018I Heart Huckabees\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
Baena cowrote the 2004 film with David O. Russell<\/strong>, who also served as the director. The movie starred Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Schwartzman, Naomi Watts, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin<\/strong> and Isabelle Huppert<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u2018Life After Beth\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-03-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan<\/span> Abbolita Productions<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLife After Beth <\/i>was Baena\u2019s directorial debut, which he also wrote ahead of its 2014 release. In addition to Plaza, the film featured Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Anna Kendrick<\/strong> and Matthew Gray Gubler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u2018Joshy\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-04-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Thomas Middleditch<\/span> American Zoetrope<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHe wrote and directed Joshy <\/i>in 2016, working with actors Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Brett Gelman, Lauren Graham<\/strong> and Alison Brie<\/strong><\/a>, in addition to Plaza.<\/p>\n\u201cJeff [came] to the set of Community<\/i><\/span> in our sixth season and asked me to play a small role in his film, Joshy,<\/i>\u201d Brie recalled of working with Baena during a 2022 interview with Collider<\/a>. \u201c<\/span>There was no script for that. All of his films that I\u2019ve been involved with, prior to this one, were fully improvised. So, he came to my dressing [room]. We set a meeting, and he came to meet me. \u2026 I knew a lot of the cast members in that movie. Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Adam Pally were friends of mine. I just thought, \u201cYeah, that sounds fun to do.\u201d It was one day. I\u2019m in two scenes in that movie. I thought the story was cool. And then, it just grew from there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n![\"Aubrey](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Aubrey-Plazas-Husband-Jeff-Baena-Died-at-47-01-2025.jpg?crop=0px%2C59px%2C1389px%2C785px&resize=400%2C225&quality=40&strip=all\")
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
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\n Related: <\/span>Aubrey Plaza’s Husband Jeff Baena Dead at 47<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tUPDATE \u2014 January 4, 2024 at 7:01 p.m. EST: Medical examiner records were updated to reveal that Baena died by suicide at his residence in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, January 3. Original story: Aubrey Plaza\u2019s husband, director Jeff Baena, has died at the age of 47, according to medical examiner records viewed by\u00a0Us Weekly. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018The Little Hours\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-05-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Alison Brie, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza<\/span> Concourse Media<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe next year, Brie and Plaza reunited to play nuns in 2017\u2019s The Little Hours. <\/i>Brie\u2019s husband, Dave Franco<\/strong>, also starred in the flick, as well as Kate Micucci, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke<\/strong> and Nick Offerman<\/strong>.<\/p>\nBrie told Collider in 2022 that Baena pitched The Little Hours <\/i>on a phone call with her and Franco, who were both excited about the prospect of working on a completely improvised film.<\/p>\n\u2018Horse Girl\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-06-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n John Ortiz, Alison Brie<\/span> Katrina Marcinowski\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBrie once again led Baena\u2019s Horse Girl<\/i>, which debuted in 2020. The film also featured Shannon, Goldenite, Stella Chestnut, John Ortiz<\/strong> and Debby Ryan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cDave and I<\/a> lived quite close to Jeff and Aubrey. Jeff and I started hiking together pretty regularly, just as buddies, and during these long hikes, we would talk about different ideas,\u201d Brie told Collider two years later. \u201cEventually, I felt comfortable enough with him to talk to him about my idea for Horse Girl<\/i><\/span>, which we co-wrote and co-produced together. That was such a good experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018Cinema Toast\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-07-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>SHOWTIME<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBaena created and cowrote the eclectic 2021 TV show with episodes starring the likes of Brie, Christina Ricci, Chloe Fineman, Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph <\/strong>and Jake Johnson.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\u201cThis project is way up my alley. I just loved just the concept of it,\u201d Plaza told AwardsWatch<\/a> in 2021. \u201cIt almost felt like a new art form for me, like, it\u2019s beyond just overdubbing a movie, it\u2019s creating a new movie out of old stuff, and I don\u2019t know, there\u2019s just something very film noir and nerdish about it. To me, it talked to my film school brain.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018Spin Me Round\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n\n![\"Revisiting](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Revisiting-Late-Director-Jeff-Baenas-Film-Career-and-Stars-He-Worked-With-08-2025.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Alessandro Nivola, Alison Brie<\/span> Duplass Brothers Productions<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBaena cowrote 2022\u2019s Spin Me Round <\/i>with Brie, who also starred in the romantic comedy alongside Plaza. Other performers included Jake Picking, Lil Rel Howery, Ego Nwodim, Alessandro Nivola <\/strong>and Zach Woods<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s an insane benefit to have the person that you\u2019re collaborating with on all fronts also be on the other side of the camera,\u201d Baena told AV Club<\/a> in August 2022 of collaborating with the film\u2019s leading lady, Brie. \u201cBecause in addition to understanding, obviously, where the script is coming from and what the intention is, they can also set the tone in terms of acting.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be working with her if she wasn\u2019t my wife, but luckily she is my wife,\u201d Baena quipped. \u201cThe opportunity to do something creative [together] where we\u2019re both fulfilled \u2014 how rare is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Baena died nearly three years later<\/a> in January 2025, at the age of 47. Keep scrolling to revisit his star-studded filmography:<\/p>\n Baena cowrote the 2004 film with David O. Russell<\/strong>, who also served as the director. The movie starred Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Schwartzman, Naomi Watts, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin<\/strong> and Isabelle Huppert<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Life After Beth <\/i>was Baena\u2019s directorial debut, which he also wrote ahead of its 2014 release. In addition to Plaza, the film featured Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Anna Kendrick<\/strong> and Matthew Gray Gubler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He wrote and directed Joshy <\/i>in 2016, working with actors Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Brett Gelman, Lauren Graham<\/strong> and Alison Brie<\/strong><\/a>, in addition to Plaza.<\/p>\n \u201cJeff [came] to the set of Community<\/i><\/span> in our sixth season and asked me to play a small role in his film, Joshy,<\/i>\u201d Brie recalled of working with Baena during a 2022 interview with Collider<\/a>. \u201c<\/span>There was no script for that. All of his films that I\u2019ve been involved with, prior to this one, were fully improvised. So, he came to my dressing [room]. We set a meeting, and he came to meet me. \u2026 I knew a lot of the cast members in that movie. Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Adam Pally were friends of mine. I just thought, \u201cYeah, that sounds fun to do.\u201d It was one day. I\u2019m in two scenes in that movie. I thought the story was cool. And then, it just grew from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\tUPDATE \u2014 January 4, 2024 at 7:01 p.m. EST: Medical examiner records were updated to reveal that Baena died by suicide at his residence in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, January 3. Original story: Aubrey Plaza\u2019s husband, director Jeff Baena, has died at the age of 47, according to medical examiner records viewed by\u00a0Us Weekly. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The next year, Brie and Plaza reunited to play nuns in 2017\u2019s The Little Hours. <\/i>Brie\u2019s husband, Dave Franco<\/strong>, also starred in the flick, as well as Kate Micucci, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke<\/strong> and Nick Offerman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Brie told Collider in 2022 that Baena pitched The Little Hours <\/i>on a phone call with her and Franco, who were both excited about the prospect of working on a completely improvised film.<\/p>\n Brie once again led Baena\u2019s Horse Girl<\/i>, which debuted in 2020. The film also featured Shannon, Goldenite, Stella Chestnut, John Ortiz<\/strong> and Debby Ryan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cDave and I<\/a> lived quite close to Jeff and Aubrey. Jeff and I started hiking together pretty regularly, just as buddies, and during these long hikes, we would talk about different ideas,\u201d Brie told Collider two years later. \u201cEventually, I felt comfortable enough with him to talk to him about my idea for Horse Girl<\/i><\/span>, which we co-wrote and co-produced together. That was such a good experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Baena created and cowrote the eclectic 2021 TV show with episodes starring the likes of Brie, Christina Ricci, Chloe Fineman, Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph <\/strong>and Jake Johnson.<\/strong><\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \u201cThis project is way up my alley. I just loved just the concept of it,\u201d Plaza told AwardsWatch<\/a> in 2021. \u201cIt almost felt like a new art form for me, like, it\u2019s beyond just overdubbing a movie, it\u2019s creating a new movie out of old stuff, and I don\u2019t know, there\u2019s just something very film noir and nerdish about it. To me, it talked to my film school brain.\u201d<\/p>\n Baena cowrote 2022\u2019s Spin Me Round <\/i>with Brie, who also starred in the romantic comedy alongside Plaza. Other performers included Jake Picking, Lil Rel Howery, Ego Nwodim, Alessandro Nivola <\/strong>and Zach Woods<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an insane benefit to have the person that you\u2019re collaborating with on all fronts also be on the other side of the camera,\u201d Baena told AV Club<\/a> in August 2022 of collaborating with the film\u2019s leading lady, Brie. \u201cBecause in addition to understanding, obviously, where the script is coming from and what the intention is, they can also set the tone in terms of acting.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\u2018I Heart Huckabees\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u2018Life After Beth\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan<\/span> Abbolita Productions<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u2018Joshy\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n Thomas Middleditch<\/span> American Zoetrope<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t
\n Related: <\/span>Aubrey Plaza’s Husband Jeff Baena Dead at 47<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\u2018The Little Hours\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/div>
\n Alison Brie, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza<\/span> Concourse Media<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u2018Horse Girl\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n John Ortiz, Alison Brie<\/span> Katrina Marcinowski\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u2018Cinema Toast\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/div>Thank You!<\/h3>\n
\u2018Spin Me Round\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n Alessandro Nivola, Alison Brie<\/span> Duplass Brothers Productions<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n