CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses suicide.
Indie director, writer and the husband of beloved actor Aubrey Plaza, Jeff Baena, has died, aged 47.
According to US Publication TMZ, at about Friday 10.30am (US time), local authorities arrived at a Los Angeles home after Baena’s assistant discovered him dead.
The publication adds the Life After Beth director was declared dead at the scene and that authorities are investigating the tragic incident as a suicide. However, other news outlets say the circumstances surrounding Baena’s death are unclear.
Baena is known for his contributions as a writer, producer and director to cinema and has created a bunch of iconic indie classics such as Horse Girl (2020), I Heart Huckabees (2004) and The Little Hours (2017).
The director was also married to the iconic Aubrey Plaza, who is known for her work in Parks and Recreation, The White Lotus and Agatha All Along.
The silver-screen duo have been together since 2011 and officially tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2021.
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, Plaza spoke about how quarantine strengthened their relationship in an interview with PEOPLE.
“We were quarantined for months and months like everybody else,” she said.
“And we did enjoy it. I think it was, obviously other than all of the catastrophic things happening in the world, just on a personal level, relationship level, was kind of nice to just be forced to be in one place for that long.”
Throughout their relationship, the pair worked on a number of projects together such as Cinema Toast (2021) and The Little Hours.
Speaking to the Reel Talker in 2022, Baena expressed how he loved working with Plaza and how it opened up the pair to a bunch of creative opportunities.
“She’s awesome. I would be working with her if she wasn’t my wife, but luckily she is,” he told the publication.
“Having that sort of shorthand and that sort of connection is amazing… The opportunities to create together and do something creative where we’re both fulfilled, how rare is that.”
Plaza has not publicly commented on the passing of her husband. However, Deadline reports that the family are devastated and has asked for privacy during this difficult time.
