Jeff Baena, a screenwriter and director known for his offbeat comedies such as The Little Hours and Life After Beth, has passed away at the age of 47. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed his death, with his body found at a Los Angeles residence on Friday. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Baena was married to actress Aubrey Plaza, who starred in both The Little Hours—a 2017 dark comedy set in a 14th-century convent—and Life After Beth, a satirical zombie film. The Little Hours, inspired by The Decameron and Baena’s studies in Medieval and Renaissance literature, received praise for its modern irreverence. Life After Beth was similarly lauded for its unique, comedic twist on the zombie genre. Baena's directing credits also include Spin Me Round (2022), a dark comedy starring Allison Brie, and Joshy (2016), a dramedy featuring Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, and Nick Kroll. Baena and Brie also collaborated on Horse Girl (2020), a psychological drama.
In addition to his directing work, Baena co-wrote I Heart Huckabees (2004), a film by David O. Russell exploring existentialism with humor. His films were featured at prominent festivals like Sundance and South by Southwest, with distribution from companies such as Netflix, IFC, and Lionsgate.
Baena also created, wrote, directed, and produced Cinema Toast, a series for Showtime.
A graduate of NYU’s film school, Baena began his career as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis before working as an assistant editor for David O. Russell. The two later formed a writing partnership.
Baena is survived by his wife, Aubrey Plaza, his mother Barbara Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena, stepmother Michele Baena, brother Brad Baena, and stepsister and stepbrother Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.
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