Aubrey Plaza’s husband Jeff Baena wrote film on family's mental health struggles before death

Jeff Baena co-wrote a film exploring personal mental health struggles, offering a look into his family's experiences.

Aubrey Plaza’s late husband, Jeff Baena, co-wrote a film about his family’s experiences with mental health struggles five years before his untimely passing.

Baena, who died by suicide on Friday, collaborated with actress Alison Brie on the screenplay for Horse Girl, released in 2020. Ahead of the film’s debut, Baena discussed its inspiration during a Reddit Q&A session.

“Alison and I both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence on working on this,” he wrote in response to a question from a fan.

Baena, who also directed Horse Girl, shared that his first stepmother suffered from “manic depression” and was frequently hospitalized in Miami under the Baker Act (similar to California’s 5150 law).

When a fan asked whether the movie was intended as a critique of how the current system handles mental health issues, Baena clarified its intent. 

“While I would not 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 replied.

He also elaborated on systemic issues, noting that individuals in need of ongoing care are often discharged from facilities prematurely.

“The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period,” he explained to another fan.

Brie, 42, reflected on her own emotional connection to the project, revealing it was deeply personal due to her grandmother’s battle with “paranoid schizophrenia.”

“It’s based on my family’s history with mental illness, specifically my grandmother’s schizophrenia, and my fear of that existing in my DNA,” the Mad Men actress shared.

Baena, who had also collaborated with Plaza and Brie on Spin Me Round, was discovered unresponsive at his Los Angeles residence on Friday. He was 47.

An assistant found Baena, and authorities pronounced him dead at the scene.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they responded to a death investigation, and the case is currently being managed by the Coroner’s Office.