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Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Still grieving': Famed Miami director's family marks his first birthday without him
Barbara Stern would call her son Jeff Baena, the acclaimed screenwriter who co-wrote 'I Heart Huckabees' and 'Horse Girl,' at 8:30 p.m. on June 29 every year. It's the exact minute he was born, a moment she'll never forget. This year, however, he won't answer. Baena, who grew up in Miami, died by suicide in his Los Angeles home on Jan. 3. He was 47. His family and friends were stunned as his career had taken off. 'Horse Girl' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 and was picked up by Netflix. Ever since Jeff moved to Los Angeles in 1999, June 29 was filled with birthday poker nights, chocolate mousse cake and a vintage Cocker Spaniel figurine. The writer-director made sure all players honored poker rules and that movies were playing so anyone mad about a poker loss could soothe their financial pain. The dark comedy genius planned for everything. Most of Jeff's family lives in the Miami area. Jeff graduated from Killian Senior High in Kendall. 'My parents are still grieving,' said Brad Baena, Jeff's brother. 'I don't know what's going to happen.' The coroner's report said Aubrey Plaza, the actress who married Baena in 2021, had moved to New York last September while Baena remained in Los Angeles, according to news reports. READ MORE: Two months after the death of Aubrey Plaza's husband, a key detail has emerged Jeff is survived by Plaza, his mother Barbara Stern and stepfather Roger Stern, his father Scott Baena and stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena and stepsiblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text 'STRENGTH' to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to
Perth Now
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Debby Ryan pays emotional tribute to 'dear friend' Jeff Baena six months after his death
Debby Ryan "lost a dear friend" in Jeff Baena when he took his own life. The 32-year-old actress worked with the late screenwriter on his films Horse Girl and Spin Me Round and took to social media on Sunday (30.06.25) - which would have been his 48th birthday - to pay a legnhty tribute to her friend. She wrote on Instagram: "Bear with me, I've never been a public griever, and have a hard time sharing fragile feelings with strangers. "Meanwhile I've thought about him every day for the past six months. Ok see at the beginning of the year, I lost a dear friend, cherished collaborator and mentor in Jeff Baena. It's been very hard and heavy, and a lot of people lost him, because he was like the nucleus of this whole Jeff universe. "I've discovered the stages of grief aren't linear; they're like space stations I've docked at, in between periods of floating. My hope is they eventually feel more like satellites— always orbiting, often in view, but not a place to live. "But today on his birthday, I want you to know a few things about Jeff— he was generous. Warm while principled. Intentional with a casual lilt. Usually right about stuff we have no way of knowing about. Spirited in debate. "His standard for quality was in the ingredients— just like his casts. He had a menagerie of players and games, and it was a real collection. " The former Disney Channel star thanked Jeff - who was married to Hollywood actress Aubrey Plaza from 2021 until his death - for "believing in" her throughout their time together, and hailed him as a "rare person" who became an "active person" in all aspects of her life. She added: "He believed in me. I feel really proud to be able to say that. Jeff was a rare person in the world who gave me the dignity of introducing myself, of being taken at my present. And I liked who he saw. Like good friendship helps you love yourself, good collaboration gives you the chance to be the best evolution of yourself. "From the moment we met, Jeff was an active person in my life- personally and professionally. He somehow saw me, trusted me, and vouched for me from jump. He brought me to my first film festival, after putting me in his and Alison Brie's film Horse "Girl, a film largely improvised based on an outline— which is a process he was accustomed to working but was a big leap for me. He never doubted me."
Fox News
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Aubrey Plaza called in welfare check on husband after he made 'concerning remarks' months before his death
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. Aubrey Plaza was concerned about her husband, Jeff Baena, months before his death, according to a report. Plaza and Baena had been separated since September 2024 when, a month later, Baena made "concerning remarks" to Plaza that prompted the actress to "call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband," according to a report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, which was obtained by People. After the welfare check, Baena began going to therapy. According to the outlet, Baena explained that he was experiencing "recent marital difficulties" with Plaza. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed authorities responded to a call near Baena's residence on Jan. 3. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, the LAPD told Fox News Digital at the time. His cause of death was ruled a suicide. "The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time." Plaza last communicated with her husband via text on the day of his death at 10:36 a.m. ET, according to People. On Jan. 6, Baena's representative directed Fox News Digital to a statement originally shared with Deadline. "The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time," the statement read. Baena and Plaza were private about their relationship after meeting in 2011. It is unclear when the two wed, but Plaza confirmed the couple's marriage status in 2021 with an Instagram post. Plaza has deactivated her Instagram page following Baena's death. Plaza did not attend the Golden Globes days after Baena's death, although she had previously been announced as a presenter. Baena was born and raised in Miami. He attended film school at New York University and later began his career in Los Angeles. Baena made his directorial debut with "Life After Beth," which starred Plaza, in 2014. He was also known for films such as "The Little Hours," "Horse Girl" and "Joshy."
New York Times
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
An Engagement Fib That Came True
On her first date with Clarke Daniel Adams, Carrie Kelly Seim intentionally wore a shiny bracelet. 'It was a really unusual studded silver bracelet that I'd purchased at a bazaar in Oman,' she said. 'It sounds silly,' she added. 'But I swear many men are drawn to shiny things.' What she didn't intend on was losing it. Mr. Adams and Ms. Seim had matched on the League dating app in May 2017. After they messaged one another, he suggested a first date at the Library Bar at the NoMad Hotel, now known as the Ned NoMad, in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood. 'He didn't know it was one of my favorites,' Ms. Seim said. 'I remember her walking in the door looking exactly like her pictures — always a plus when you meet people online,' he said. 'She was dressed to the nines.' 'He looked so handsome,' she said. 'He had this James Bond look, and he had this really warm smile. I was worried he might be dull. But he was instantly funny. He has this very dry wit.' It was clear from the start that there was a connection. Ms. Seim appreciated that Mr. Adams was asking her questions, 'which doesn't always happen,' she said. 'He is genuinely interested in women's thoughts and ideas and likes interesting, strong women.' The ease of conversation struck Mr. Adams, too. 'We were able to talk instantly about a variety of subjects effortlessly for two hours,' he said. At the end of the evening, as Mr. Adams was walking Ms. Seim out of the restaurant, she realized that the shiny bracelet she had worn — which, alas, he doesn't recall noticing — was gone. When she told Mr. Adams it was missing, he 'crawled under the tables and found it,' she said. The two went on several more dates in the early summer months of 2017 when their work and travel schedules allowed. But they kept up 'quite the texting rapport,' Ms. Seim said. Three months into dating, their relationship took a turn. 'We had been on four or five dates and everything seemed to be going well,' Ms. Seim said. Then she received a text from him in mid-August: He said he was dealing with some family issues and couldn't date anyone. 'I was really shocked and disappointed,' she said, but added that she earnestly wished him well. Ms. Seim, 47, who is from Bellevue, Neb., has written children's novels like 'Horse Girl' (Penguin Random House), which is currently being developed for television with producing partner Zosia Mamet, the Audible Original series 'The Flying Flamingo Sisters' and the upcoming 'Horse Camp: A Horse Girl Mystery.' She is also a freelance television writer; a freelance journalist (who has written for The New York Times); and an actor who has appeared on 'Inside Amy Schumer' and many TV commercials. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and a master's degree from Northwestern University, both in journalism. Mr. Adams, 54, is a managing director and head of high yield capital for the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Franklin & Marshall College and a graduate degree in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He grew up in South Plainfield, N.J., and Chadds Ford, Pa. Binge more Vows columns here and read all our wedding, relationship and divorce coverage here. In October, Ms. Seim was planning a charity auction event for the NYC Autism Charter Schools, where she served on the junior board. 'We needed a big guest list to raise as much money as possible for the school,' she said. On a whim, she invited a few men she had dated. The only one who came to the event was Mr. Adams, and Ms. Seim said she was 'absolutely giddy' to see him. 'I was in a better spot,' Mr. Adams said. 'She was very gracious and hung out with me all night. Plus, I accidentally won a bunch of auction items.' One of his winnings was two tickets to see the musical 'Hello, Dolly!' on Broadway. 'I told him that I felt bad that he'd spent so much on the auction,' she said. 'He said I could make it up to him by being his date for the show.' She wasn't sure if he was just inviting her to be polite. But once at the theater in mid-October 2017, he reached over to hold her hand. By January, Mr. Adams asked Ms. Seim to be his girlfriend, and, the next month, he introduced her to his two sons at his home in Darien, Conn. She met his daughter, who was away at college, a few months later. Mr. Adams's his first wife, Lisa Bonchek Adams, died of metastatic cancer in 2015. She had written extensively about her medical journey. He has three children from that marriage — Paige, 26, Colin, 22, and Tristan, 18. The couple continue to live in both Mr. Adams's home in Connecticut and Ms. Seim's apartment in Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town development. They became engaged in June 2023 when Mr. Adams was in Los Angeles visiting Ms. Seim, who was there for meetings about the 'Horse Girl' TV adaptation. Ms. Seim had arranged a dinner for them with friends and actually fibbed about celebrating her engagement in order to get a reservation at Nobu Malibu. 'It can be impossible to get a table there,' she said, adding that she 'knew we would be getting engaged in some months.' Ms. Seim slipped a costume ring on her left ring finger to complete the ruse. When Mr. Adams noticed the ring, he seemed flustered, she said, and their friends, who were in on Mr. Adam's secret plan to propose, could not help but laugh at the situation. While taking in the ocean view, one of their friends asked Ms. Seim if he could see the ring so that she would take it off, and Mr. Adams asked their friends to have a photo taken of him and Ms. Seim. As they posed, he proposed. 'All I remember is him saying, 'You love my children like they're your own,'' Ms. Seim said. On Feb. 15, Brian Clark, a close friend of the couple who was ordained by Universal Life Church for the event, officiated an outdoor wedding at the Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, with 101 guests in attendance. The wedding party included Ms. Seim's sister, Lindsay Seim, and Mr. Adams's three children. The bride wore three dresses: the Swan by Esteé Couture for the ceremony; a secondhand white flapper dress with heavy beading and feather trim by Nadine Merabi for the first dance; and a mini dress by Nicole + Felicia for the after-party. 'I come from a sketch-comedy background,' said Ms. Seims, who is an alumna of the Groundlings Sunday Company in Los Angeles, 'and love a costume change.' The groom wore a Michael Andrews Bespoke tuxedo with a white dinner jacket, along with vintage Chanel cuff links, with the interlocking 'C' motif representing Carrie and Clarke, a gift from the bride. 'I have a large family and we were all together in one place for the first time in many years,' Mr. Adams said. 'I can't imagine that it was easy, but from the beginning Carrie has always fit in perfectly with my rambunctious crew.' When Feb. 15, 2025 Where The Palms Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach Medical Miracle Last March, Ms. Seim's mother, Sharon Seim, had a stroke and was 'given only a 10 percent chance of survival,' said Ms. Seim, who spent several months in Florida helping with her care. 'When my mom was in a coma and on a vent and feeding tube, they put a 'recovery goal' in her room,'' Ms. Seim said. 'My sister wrote, 'Go to Carrie's wedding.'' Not only did Ms. Seim's mother make it to the wedding and walk Ms. Seim down the aisle along with her father, Donald Seim, but, the bride added, 'my mom, who has only been able to walk on her own for a few months, started grooving on the dance floor with me, my dad and my sister.' Going For the Laugh 'My ceremony gown was on the ginormous side, including an impressively long train. As I made my way down the staircase solo, I could feel the crowd palpably holding their breaths, worried I was about to trip and fall on my face in front of 100 of my loved ones,' Ms. Seim said. 'So, I faked an off-kilter wobble and got a big laugh, which I think lifted the tension and got us off to a fun start.' Love's a Puzzle Mr. Adam's older son, Colin, designs crosswords puzzles — including some for The New York Times. 'He created a custom, giant crossword with clues about us for guests to solve during cocktail hour,' Ms. Seim said. It Takes All Kinds The guest list included people with a vast array of professions. As the officiant shared during the ceremony, those in attendance included, 'writers, financiers, actors, authors, doctors, nurses, EMTs, attorneys, directors, teachers, students, volunteers, entrepreneurs, musicians, crossword puzzle constructors, beekeepers — on both sides of the family — and even a couple of puppeteers and a sea lion trainer,' Mr. Clark said. 'Please find each other during cocktail hour.'
Express Tribune
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Aubrey Plaza makes first public appearance since husband Jeff Baena's death
Listen to article Aubrey Plaza stepped into the public eye for the first time since the tragic passing of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena. The 40-year-old actress attended the SNL50: The Anniversary Special event in New York City on Sunday, February 16, where she introduced musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard. Plaza, however, skipped the red carpet ahead of the event. Baena, known for films such as I Heart Huckabees (2004), Life After Beth (2014), Horse Girl (2020), and Spin Me Round (2022), was found dead at a Los Angeles-area home on January 3, 2025. According to TMZ, his body was discovered by an assistant and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner later ruled his death a suicide. Plaza and Baena had been together for over a decade, starting their relationship in 2011 before tying the knot in 2021. Following his passing, Plaza and Baena's family released a statement to PEOPLE on January 6, saying: "This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time." A funeral service was held for Baena in Miami on January 10, where loved ones gathered to honor his memory. An obituary published in the Miami Herald described him as "a beloved son, husband, brother, uncle, and friend to many." It highlighted his passion for storytelling and his ability to bring people together, both on and off movie sets. The obituary also referenced Baena's childhood love for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, noting the poignant words from the book: "Ironically, in it, the Little Prince exclaims, 'I haven't much time. I have friends to find and so many things to learn.' And so it was for Jeff." Concluding with a heartfelt tribute, the obituary read: "We shall always love and deeply miss Jeff. His presence, as well as his work, made the world feel better. He had lots more to offer. Alas, all that is gone. Sweet dreams, our Little Prince." At the SNL50 event, Plaza appeared somber yet composed, dressed in black dress pants, a black blazer, and a simple tee underneath. While she did not address Baena's passing during the event, her quiet return to the spotlight marked a significant moment following weeks of mourning.
