Image Credit: Mark Davis Jeff Baena steadily built his career with hard work and perseverance. Long before marrying his wife, Aubrey Plaza, Baena worked on several movies and developed a strong reputation in the film industry. Unfortunately, Baena's life was cut short when he was found dead on January 3, 2025, in Los Angeles. Learn more about Baena's film career below. Who Was Jeff Baena? Baena was a screenwriter, producer, and director, who attended New York University and worked as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis.