Reviewing the film career of the late director Jeff Baena and the stars he worked with

jeff brothers He wrote and directed a number of independent films and television shows before his sudden death in January 2025.

“(Directing is) all I ever want to do; I felt very comfortable and fun,” said Baena. striking in 2014, referring to the directorial debut Life after Beth. “I’ve been a writer for 12 years and it’s always been a means to an end. “I never wanted to be a writer, I wanted to be a director, so that was always my intention and it felt good.”

Life after Beth star-strewn Aubrey Squarewho started dating Baena four years earlier. The couple, who married in 2020, later collaborated on films. Three little hours and Make me spin.

“It is an incredible experience to work with your partner in this way,” Plaza gushed. moviefreak in 2017. “I have worked with Jeff since his first film. I have seen it evolve and I have seen it grow. It’s a really special dynamic we have. “Sometimes it is a challenge, but it is also very rewarding to do something together.”

Baena echoed Plaza’s sentiments several years later, saying reel talker in 2022 that “she is amazing.”

“I would be working with her if she wasn’t my wife, but luckily she is my wife,” Baena joked. “The opportunity to do something creative. (together) where we both feel fulfilled, how rare is that?

Baena died almost three years later, in January 2025, at the age of 47. Keep scrolling to check out his star-studded filmography:

‘I love the Huckabees’

Baena co-wrote the 2004 film with David O. Russellwho also served as director. The film starring Jude Regulation, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Schwartzman, Naomi Watts, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin and Isabelle Huppert.

‘Life after Beth’

Life after Beth was the directorial debut of Baena, which he also wrote before its release in 2014. In addition to Plaza, the film featured Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Anna Kendrick and Matthew Gray Gubler.

‘Joshy’

Wrote and directed José in 2016, working with actors. Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Brett Gelman, Lauren Graham and Alison Briein addition to Plaza.

“Jeff (came) to the set of Community in our sixth season and he asked me to play a small role in his movie, Josh,Brie recalled working with Baena during a 2022 interview with Collider. “There was no script for that. All of his films that I’ve been involved in, before this one, were completely improvised. Then he came to my dressing room. (room). We arranged a meeting and he came to meet me. …I knew a lot of the cast members from that movie. Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Adam Pally were friends of mine. I just thought, “Yeah, that sounds like fun to do.” It was one day. I’m in two scenes of that movie. I thought the story was great. And then it just grew from there.”

Related: Jeff Baena, husband of Aubrey Plaza, dies at 47

UPDATE – January 4, 2024 at 7:01 pm EST: The medical examiner’s records have been updated to reveal that Baena committed suicide at his residence in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, January 3. Unique story: Aubrey Plaza’s husband, director Jeff Baena, died at the age of 47, according to medical examiner records seen by Us Weekly. (…)

‘The little hours’

The following year, Brie and Plaza reunited to play nuns in 2017. The little hours. Brie’s husband, David FrancoHe also starred in the film, as well as Kate Micucci, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke and Nick Offerman.

Brie told Collider in 2022 that Baena launched The little hours on a phone call with her and Franco, who were excited at the prospect of working on a completely improvised film.

‘Horse Girl’

Brie once again led the Baena team horse girlwhich debuted in 2020. The film also featured Shannon, Goldenita, Stella Chestnut, John Ortiz and Debby Ryan.

“Dave and I lived pretty close to Jeff and Aubrey. “Jeff and I started walking together pretty regularly, as friends, and during these long walks, we would talk about different ideas,” Brie told Collider two years later. “In the end, I felt comfortable enough with him to talk to him about my idea of horse girlthat we co-wrote and co-produced together. It was a very good experience.”

‘Cinema Toast’

Baena created and co-wrote the eclectic 2021 television show with episodes starring the likes of Brie, Christina Ricci, Chloe Fineman, Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph and Jake Johnson.

“This project is very important to me. “I loved the concept,” Plaza said. AwardsSee in 2021. “It almost felt like a new art form to me, it’s more than just overdubbing a movie, it’s creating a new movie out of old stuff, and I don’t know, there’s something very film noir and nerdy about that. he. For me, it spoke to the brain of my film school.”

‘Turn me’

Baena co-wrote 2022 make me spin with Brie, who also starred in the romantic comedy alongside Plaza. Other artists included Jake Selecting, Lil Rel Howery, Ego Nwodim, Alessandro Nivola and zach woods.

“It’s an incredible benefit that the person you’re collaborating with on all fronts is also on the other side of the camera,” Baena said. audiovisual club in August 2022 to collaborate with the film’s protagonist, Brie. “Because in addition to obviously understanding where the script is coming from and what the intention is, they can also set the tone in terms of acting.”