AUBREY PLAZA’S husband Jeff Baena revealed how mental health inspired his work before tragically taking his own life aged 47.
The late screenwriter wrote a movie based on his own family‘s history with mental illness, revealing how it influenced the storyline.
The 47-year-old – who was married to White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza – was found dead at their Los Angeles home on Friday.
Baena spoke openly about his mental health before his film Horse Girl was released in 2020 on a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum.
The screenwriter was asked about the film’s main character Sarah, played by Alison Brie, being released from the mental hospital and if that specific scene was based on personal experiences.
Baena responded, admitting to watching his own stepmom suffer bipolar disorder.
He wrote in February 2020: “Unfortunately, people get released all the time when they still need treatment.
“The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period.”
The late star added that his first stepmom “had manic depression and was in and out of facilities in Miami due to the Baker Act,” or 5150 in California.
Baena also said that while he wouldn’t consider Horse Girl “to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this.”
Baena and Brie co-wrote Horse Girl about Brie’s family history with mental illness, specifically her grandmother who suffered from schizophrenia.
The actress, married to fellow actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum: “That was the original impetus for writing a story like this.”
But Baena also said his family history with mental illness influenced the movie’s plot too.
He wrote: “Alison and I both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence [while] working on this.”
In one of the emotional scenes, Baena asked Brie to draw her personal experience and “talk about [her] own family”.
The actress added: “I definitely tapped into very real emotions about that.”
And what’s more a lot of the script within the film was not scripted, Baena told Collider.
The actors instead had basic plot points they knew they had to get to – but the dialogue wasn’t written down ahead of filming.
Baena – who was married to White Lotus star Audrey Plaza – was tragically found dead at their Los Angeles home on Friday.
Baena married actress Plaza in 2021 and was best known for Indie movies such as Life After Beth, Joshy and The Little Hours.
The U.S. Sun obtained the LA County Fire Department’s radio call which states it dispatched a unit “to a hanging” at the address in Los Feliz.
His body was found by an assistant at the property, which the couple bought together in 2022, at 10.25am.
Baena was pronounced dead at the scene.
Los Angeles Police Department told The U.S. Sun: “We responded to a death Investigation and the case is being handled by the Coroner’s Office.”
The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the screenwriter died by hanging.
His family have been left “devastated” by the sudden news and have asked for privacy, US outlet Deadline reported.
Baena and Plaza – who starred in Parks and Recreation – wed more than four years ago after a decade together.
They kept both the engagement and marriage a secret before Plaza described Baena as her “darling husband” in a touching Instagram post in 2021.
Plaza told how “proud” she was of him in the post – their final together.
Baena was born and raised in Miami before he headed to New York to attend film school at university.
He then started his journey as a filmmaker in Los Angeles where he became a writer.
SUICIDE doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
In the US, if you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Or in the UK the following organisations provide support:
