American screenwriter and film director (1977–2025)
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Baena became a production assistant for filmmaker Robert Zemeckis on What Lies Beneath and Cast Away (both 2000).[5][6] After working with Zemeckis, Baena became an assistant editor for writer-director David O. Russell. After a year and a half of working together, a minor car accident injured one of Baena's eyes. Partially to keep his spirits up and pass the time during his recovery, Russell began discussing story ideas with Baena. The two ended up collaborating on four scripts together, including I Heart Huckabees, which Russell directed in 2004, and Jay Roach's Meet the Fockers (also 2004), for which they made uncredited revisions.[5][7]: 146–147
Baena had planned for the comedy-drama Joshy to be his directorial debut, but actor and collaborator Adam Pally had to postpone due to personal reasons. He then decided to work on the zombie comedy Life After Beth, from a script he started writing in 2003.[8] His directorial debut, the film starred Aubrey Plaza and premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.[9][10] Baena returned to direct Joshy, which premiered at Sundance in 2016 to positive reviews.[5] The film's Rotten Tomatoes critics' consensus highlights Baena's direction for "strik[ing] a unique, disarmingly heartfelt blend of dark humor and tragedy".[11] His next film was the 2017 dark comedyThe Little Hours, featuring actors Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, and Molly Shannon along with multiple cameos.[12] He would direct Brie two more times in the films Horse Girl (2020) and Spin Me Round (2022), which they co-wrote together. The latter also featured Plaza.[13][14]
Personal life and death
Baena had been in a relationship with actress Aubrey Plaza since 2011. In 2021, on their tenth anniversary of being together, they were married in a small ceremony in their backyard.[15]
On January 3, 2025, Baena's body was discovered at his home in Los Angeles by his assistant, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Baena was 47.[16] The cause of death was reported as suicide by LA County medical examiner.[17][18][19]
