A medical examiner has revealed that Aubrey Plaza had separated from her husband months before he tragically took his own life.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, the ME’s report showed the actress had moved to New York after they broke up in September 2024.
It was also disclosed that Plaza had briefly spoken with her late spouse, Jeff Baena, right before he passed. She had shared a phone conversation with him the night before — and on the morning of, the screenwriter had sent her a text message at 7:36am.
Highlights
- Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena separated months before the latter's tragic s--icide.
- Plaza spoke with Baena the night before his passing and on the morning of, he sent her a text at around 7AM.
- One of Baena's films highlighted mental health issues, which were inspired by his own family struggles.
Aubrey Plaza had separated from her husband months before he took his own life
Image credits: Netflix
On January 3, 2025, at around 10:30am, Baena’s dog walker arrived at his home in Los Angeles, California, at his normally scheduled time.
Authorities say she then heard loud music blasting from the interior, which was considered unusual. After unlocking the front door, she stumbled upon his body.
The medical examiner confirmed his passing was via s–icide.
No illicit drugs or alcohol were found in Baena’s system, and no note was found.
Image credits: Jeff Vespa / Getty
Per the outlet, Plaza has also informed officers that her husband made some “concerning remarks” back in October 2024, which prompted her to call a friend in order to perform a welfare check on Baena.
Since then, the 47-year-old had allegedly been attending therapy. Plaza claimed there hadn’t been any attempt to take his own life.
The actress has been grieving out of the public eye since her husband’s sudden passing, but she did release a statement four days after the news broke.
The two had also shared a brief phone conversation the night before Baena's passing
Image credits: David Crotty / Getty
“This is an unimaginable tragedy,” said Plaza and Baena’s family. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”
The two tied the knot in 2021 on their tenth anniversary as a couple. In an interview on The Ellen Show, Plaza gave a little sneak peek into their wedding ceremony, which was an impromptu event that took place in their backyard while the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing.
Baena was best known for his work as a writer and director of independent films, as reported by CBS News. A few of his standout credits include the 2014 comedy Life After Beth, his directional debut, which Plaza starred in, as well as the 2004 comedy I Heart Huckabees.
“So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to italia to cause some more trouble,” Plaza gushed in May 2021, right before the premiere of Spin Me Around, the dark comedy film directed by the screenwriter, starring the actress herself.
Image credits: Mark Davis / Getty
Image credits: Noam Galai / Getty
And before his psychological drama Horse Girl was shown to audience members, Baena opened up about how his family’s struggles with mental health heavily inspired the film.
“Alison and I both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence on working on this,” he shared.
“While I would not consider Horse Girl to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this.”
Image credits: CRITERION
A few of his projects have even been featured several times at the Sundance Film Festival over the course of his career — and the festival responded to confirmation of his passing.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jeff Baena for sharing his stories and contributing to the lasting memories we’ve built together,” the statement read. “Jeff, we’ll miss your wit, humor, and daring vision. Rest in peace, friend.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm or s–icidal ideation, help is available. International Hotlines provide resources.
Plaza and Baena married one another during the height of the pandemic after ten years together
