Aubrey Plaza and her husband, Jeff Baena, were reportedly facing significant marital challenges prior to Baena’s tragic passing. According to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner as cited by People magazine on March 19, 2025, the couple had separated as early as September 2024.
Baena’s body was discovered by his dog walker on January 3, and authorities pronounced him dead at the scene. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as suicide, stating there were no indications of foul play. Following this horrific event, Plaza and Baena’s family issued a joint statement expressing that his death was “an unimaginable tragedy.”
Notably, just a month after their separation, Baena reportedly made some concerning comments to Plaza, which prompted her to ask a friend to check on his well-being. Following this, he began attending therapy sessions. The report also highlighted that Baena reached out to Plaza just hours before his death, which raises further concerns about his mental health during that critical time.
The Journey of Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena: A 13-Year Love Story
Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena spent 13 years together, having started their relationship in 2011 and eventually marrying in 2021. They were known for their discretion regarding their personal lives, which kept many details about their early relationship under wraps.
Although the exact timing of their first encounter remains uncertain, a profile from GQ in November 2022 revealed that the couple met during a game of Balderdash, leading to their blossoming romance.
Initially, Baena made his mark in the industry as a screenwriter, and his directorial career took off with the 2014 film Life After Beth, which starred Plaza in the leading role. This collaboration marked the first major project the couple worked on together, although they had previously collaborated on the film The End of Love.
Watch the Trailer of Life After Beth
In February 2017, Plaza shared insights about their relationship with Page Six, emphasizing their shared passion for film as a driving force behind their collaborations. Later that same year, the couple teamed up on Baena’s medieval comedy, The Little Hours, where Plaza both produced and starred.
In a June 2019 interview with People magazine, Plaza addressed the dynamics of dating within the same industry, finding it both rewarding and challenging. She stated:
“There’s a lot of things we do separately and I think that it’s all about balance. I think that one of the great things about our careers is that we are forced to be independent, take little breaks, go off and do our things and come back.”
She continued with her thoughts on their relationship:
“So it’s kind of fun. Nothing is ever the same. You don’t want to spend too much time apart. But I think that there’s a way that it can work and there’s a balance in that.”
Plaza and Baena collaborated once again for her 2021 directorial debut, Cinema Toast, a project initiated by Baena. Reflecting on the experience of creating the series during the pandemic, Plaza remarked to People:
“Our house became this strange post-production facility and he’s downstairs on his Zooms or on his sessions and I’m upstairs editing, we’re just going back and forth.”
She added that while the experience was enjoyable, it had its challenges, stating, “It was nice to be forced in one place, but it could have gone either way.”
In May 2021, Plaza casually announced their marriage on Instagram, referring to Baena as her “darling husband”in a now-deleted post, expressing her pride in his creative endeavors.
“So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to italia to cause some more trouble.”
The couple’s final collaborative effort was in 2022 with the film Spin Me Round.
Plaza made her first public appearance following Baena’s death during Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary Special, honoring him by wearing a tie-dye shirt—reflecting a personal touch as they had worn tie-dye pajamas during their wedding. In a December 2021 interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, she reflected on their quirky wedding and shared:
“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.”
She humorously described their wedding as a spontaneous event, stating:
“(We) decided at around 5 p.m. and got married at 8:30.”
As of now, Aubrey Plaza has not publicly commented on the recent developments surrounding her relationship and Baena’s passing.