Jeff Baena, the indie filmmaker known for offbeat comedies such as "The Little Hours" and "Life After Beth", has died at the age of 47. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed that Baena died by suicide, according to CBS News. Representatives for his wife, "Parks and Recreation" star Aubrey Plaza, also confirmed the news.

Baena, celebrated for his unconventional and idiosyncratic style, collaborated frequently with Plaza, who starred in several of his films, including "Life After Beth", a 2014 zombie satire, and "The Little Hours", a black comedy set in a 14th-century convent. His 2022 film "Spin Me Round", a dark comedy starring Alison Brie, further cemented his reputation as a director who could blend humour with deeper, often absurdist, themes.

In addition to his directorial work, Baena co-wrote the 2004 cult hit "I Heart Huckabees", a comedy directed by David O Russell that explores existentialism with humour and quirk. His television project "Cinema Toast," which he created, wrote, directed, and produced in 2021, aired on Showtime and exemplified his continued interest in pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

Baena and Plaza, who had been together for a decade, married in an impromptu backyard wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The intimate ceremony, held on their tenth anniversary, came about spontaneously, Plaza had shared on The Ellen Show. Reflecting on the event, Plaza recalled how the couple, after joking about tying the knot, used a service called OneHourMarriage.com to arrange the ceremony on short notice. 

"I just said, 'It's our 10-year anniversary, we should do something, get an ice cream cone, you know, do something special,'" Plaza recounted. "And then I joked about getting married... Wouldn't it be nice to get married on our actual anniversary?"

Baena's career began as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis before he transitioned into writing and directing. His unique vision brought him success at festivals like Sundance and South by Southwest, and his films were distributed by Netflix, IFC, and Lionsgate, earning him a dedicated following in the independent film world.

Baena is survived by his wife, Aubrey Plaza, mother Barbara Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena, stepmother Michele Baena, as well as his brother Brad Baena, and stepsiblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.

Read more

Award-winning films spotlight indigenous voices at Hill Film Festival