How did Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena meet? Relationship timeline explored as actor’s husband dies at 47

Aubrey Plaza and her husband, Jeff Baena, had a relationship lasting more than a decade. Their love story comes to an end as we got to know that the writer and director Baena died due to suicide on January 3, 2025, at the age of 47.

Their journey began in 2011 when Plaza and Baena met over a game of Balderdash. As it turned out, Plaza had already established herself in Hollywood, and Baena was beginning to find his footing as a screenwriter and director.

They were private about their relationship in the early years. Aubrey Plaza, who previously dated the actor Michael Cera, later described meeting Baena as serendipitous and transformative (People).

Their professional collaborations began on Baena’s debut film, Life After Beth (2014), a zombie comedy. Their creative synergy would continue with projects including The Little Hours (2017), a medieval comedy, and Spin Me Round (2022). Their most high-profile collaboration, though, was the Showtime anthology series Cinema Toast (2021). Based on an original idea by Baena, the project marked Aubrey Plaza’s directorial debut.

In 2020 Aubrey Plaza shared a post on her Instagram with Baena, wishing him a happy Valentine's day.

The couple turned their home into a makeshift post-production studio, showing their love towards filming. During an interview with People in 2019, Plaza shared her feelings about working with Jeff Baena, she said:

“I think that when you’re with someone that is in your field, they understand what you’re dealing with on a deeper level. So obviously you are able to support each other and really understand kind of the journey that we’re both on."

Plaza casually announced on Instagram in May 2021 that she and Baena had gotten married, calling him her “darling husband.” Many speculated the news was part of the couple's heavily private lifestyle. Their wedding was rumored to have occurred in 2020 (GQ).

A Glimpse into Jeff Baena's Career: Writer, Director, and Partner to Aubrey Plaza

Baena was born June 29, 1977, in Miami, Florida, and later studied film at New York University. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to immerse himself in the heart of the entertainment industry.

Baena started his career as an assistant to legendary filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. But got a major breakthrough by his collaborations with David O. Russell in I Heart Huckabees, on which he served as a co-writer.

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Baena made his directorial debut with the 2014 indie comedy Life After Beth, a peculiar take on the zombie genre, which was praised by critics for its freshness. He kept making unique narrative films with Joshy (2016), The Little Hours (2017), and Horse Girl (2020).

His films often featured close collaborators, including Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, and Molly Shannon.

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