Jeff Baena died in January and the Los Angeles County medical examiner has concluded that he took his own life
Actress Aubrey Plaza had expressed worry over her estranged husband’s wellbeing months before his tragic demise, according to a medical examiner.
Director Jeff Baena passed away at the age of 47 in January, with the Los Angeles County medical examiner ruling it as suicide. Aubrey missed the Golden Globes which were just days later.
He collaborated with Parks And Recreation star Plaza, 40, on the 2014 horror flick Life After Beth and the 2017 historical comedy The Little Hours.
Plaza parted ways with Baena in September 2024, as stated in the report by Philip Kim, Los Angeles County Coroner Investigator.
“In October 2024, Baena made concerning remarks which prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband,” the report reveals.
“Baena had been attending therapy since that event. According to (an unnamed person) Baena did not have any previous suicide attempts. He had a history of difficulty sleeping.”
The examiner mentioned that Plaza “last knew her husband was alive when he texted her” on the morning of January 3, the day he died.
The director and scriptwriter was discovered by a dog walker near a house close to the Fern Dell Nature Trail near the Hollywood Hills, with his cause of death determined as hanging.
Another individual, not named in the report, said that Plaza relocated to New York after their split.
Plaza previously released a statement alongside his family, describing it as an “unimaginable tragedy”, and expressing their “deep gratitude to everyone who has offered support”.
Plaza spoke on The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in December 2021, revealing that she and her partner decided to get hitched after getting “a little bored one night” during the Covid lockdowns. They had been an item since around 2011 and made it official a decade later.
In 2023, Plaza snagged a Golden Globe nomination for her stellar performance in HBO’s dark comedy White Lotus’ second series and has also been seen in the Disney+ series Agatha All Along.
Her Hollywood resume is impressive, featuring roles in flicks like Megalopolis, Ingrid Goes West, Dirty Grandpa, and Emily The Criminal.
Baena, her other half, penned the 2020 thriller Horse Girl with Alison Brie taking the lead, and he both wrote and directed the 2022 dark comedy Spin Me Round. He’s also known for his work on the 2004 comedy I Heart Huckabees, which boasts a star-studded cast including Jude Law, Jason Schwartzman, Dustin Hoffman, and Mark Wahlberg.
He’s the brains behind the anthology comedy series Cinema Toast, which saw Plaza directing an episode and Community star Alison Brie headlining another.
Just last month, Plaza graced the stage of Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary bash, introducing musical acts Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard who delivered a heartfelt rendition of the late Irish songbird Sinead O’Connor’s hit Nothing Compares 2 U.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
