Aubrey Plaza’s husband Jeff Baena’s ‘Too-Short Life’ honored in obituary

Jeff Baena is fondly remembered after his “sudden and unexpected death.”

A new obituary for the late filmmaker, published in Miami Herald after his death by suicide at age 47 on January 3, describing him as “a beloved son, husband, brother, uncle and friend to many.”

“Jeff left us too soon, but despite his woefully short life, he left us with treasured memories of a gifted filmmaker, as well as a very special person on so many different levels,” it reads.

The obituary details the early and later life of Baena, who was also the husband of Aubrey Plaza, including his Miami roots, education at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and eventual move to Los Angeles to pursue his filmmaking dreams.

Honoring his penchant for being “a true relationship builder with a gift for bringing people together on and off the film set,” the obituary reads in part: “As a boy Jeff loved to read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Ironically, the little prince in it exclaims: ‘I don’t have much time. I have friends to find and so many things to learn.’ And so it was for Jeff.”

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“Jeff is survived by his wife, Aubrey Plaza; parents, Barbara Stern (Roger) and Scott Baena (Michele); brother, Brad (Ivette); stepsister Bianca Gabay (Maurice); stepbrother Jed Fluxman (Nicole); nephews Jake Baena and Leo Fluxman; nieces Brielle Baena, Ava and Olivia Gabay,” it continues. “Jeff joins his beloved Stevie.”

The obituary concludes: “We will always love and deeply miss Jeff. His presence as well as his work made the world feel better. He had so much more to offer. Alas, all that is gone. Sweet dreams, our little prince.”

Baena was a writer and director whose credits include I Heart Huckabees (2004), Life after Beth (2014), Horse girl (2020) and Spin me round (2022), his last film. He and Plaza, who starred in most of his films, began dating in 2011 and married in 2021.

Plaza and Baena’s family spoke out about his death in a statement to PEOPLE on Monday, Jan. 6, saying, “This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has provided support. Please respect our privacy during this time .”

Baena’s loved ones honored him at a funeral in Miami on Friday, January 10. It is not known if Plaza, 40, was among them.

Among those who paid tribute to Baena after his death was Jake Johnson, who played with Plaza in the 2012 Indies. Safety not guaranteed and in Baena’s 2016 film Joshy.

“I love you Jeff. Hate your last move. But still love you,” Johnson, 46, captioned the photo an Instagram post with two pictures of Baena on Tuesday, January 7.

Adam Pally also reflected on the life of Baena – his friend and frequent collaborator who we worked with Life after Beth, Joshy and 2017 The small hours — in one Instagram tribute for the late filmmaker on Sunday, January 5.

“He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, a promoter of opportunity, the guy who knew where the best restaurant was, wherever you were,” wrote Pally, 42. “An alt too gracious a host with an almost unsettling open-door policy, a film encyclopedia and, most importantly to me, a friend.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the crisis text line on 741741 or going to 988lifeline.org.