Actor Aubrey Plaza and the late director Jeff Baena were said to have been separated several months prior to his suicide in January. According to a report by Philip Kim, a Los Angeles County Coroner Investigator, Aubrey, 40, and Jeff, 47, ended their relationship in September 2024. 

Aubrey expressed growing concern for her estranged husband's well-being in the months leading up to his death. The Los Angeles County medical examiner determined that Jeff died by suicide.

Baena was going through marital problems

Jeff collaborated with Plaza, known for her role in Parks and Recreation, on the 2014 horror film Life After Beth and the 2017 historical comedy The Little Hours.

According to the report, "In October 2024, Baena expressed troubling thoughts, which led her to contact a friend for a welfare check on her husband." Following this incident, Baena began attending therapy. An anonymous source indicated that Baena had no prior suicide attempts but had experienced ongoing sleep difficulties.

The examiner noted that Plaza "last heard from her husband when he sent her a text message" on the morning of January 3, the day he passed away. He was discovered by a dog walker at a residence near the Fern Dell Nature Trail in the Hollywood Hills, with the cause of death ruled as hanging.

Another unnamed individual mentioned that Plaza relocated to New York after their separation. Plaza had previously released a statement with his family, describing the situation as an "unimaginable tragedy" and expressing their "deep gratitude to everyone who has provided support."

Plaza and Baena's relationship

She had been in a relationship with him since approximately 2011, and they exchanged vows a decade later. In December 2021, Plaza shared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that they decided to marry after feeling “a little bored one night” during the Covid pandemic.

In 2023, Plaza received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the second season of HBO's dark comedy, White Lotus. She is also recognized for her role in the Disney+ series Agatha All Along. Her film credits include Hollywood productions such as Megalopolis, My Old Ass, Ingrid Goes West, Dirty Grandpa, and Emily The Criminal.

Baena is the writer of the 2020 thriller Horse Girl, featuring Alison Brie, and the 2022 dark comedy Spin Me Round, both of which he directed. He also co-wrote the 2004 comedy I Heart Huckabees, which starred Jude Law, Jason Schwartzman, Dustin Hoffman, and Mark Wahlberg. Furthermore, he created the anthology comedy series Cinema Toast, which included an episode directed by Plaza and another featuring Community actor Brie.

Last month, Plaza participated in the 50th-anniversary celebration of Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she introduced musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard, who performed a rendition of the late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor’s song Nothing Compares 2 U.

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