The Brutalist director Brady Corbet, in his Golden Globes acceptance speech Sunday, mentioned actress Aubrey Plaza following the tragic death by suicide of her spouse Jeff Baena at the age of 47.
Corbet, 36, made mention of both as he concluded his acceptance speech after receiving the honors for Best Director.
‘Finally, tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family – good night,’ Corbet said, as the cameras panned on an emotional Adrien Brody, 51, as The Brutalist leading man held back tears in the audience.
While Baena had not received any Golden Globe nominations in his career, he did nab a pair of nods for the Grand Jury Prize for two of his films at the Sundance Film Festival. They included Joshy in 2016 and Life After Beth in 2014.
The mention of Baena came after Corbet spoke about other key figures in his life and career who have died in recent years, including producer Kevin Turen, who died at the age of 44 in November of 2023.
‘I’d like to thank the opportunity to acknowledge three people that I lost while making this picture: My grandfather, James, his brother Jerry, and my dear friend Kevin Turen, who I miss every day – I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it were not for their influence,’ said the feted filmmaker.
The Brutalist filmmaker Brady Corbet, 36, in his Golden Globes acceptance speech Sunday, mentioned actress Aubrey Plaza, 40, following the tragic death by suicide of her spouse Jeff Baena at the age of 47
Plaza, pictured in NYC last month, had been slated to attend Sunday’s ceremony but did not after the family tragedy
Corbet, in his victory for the drama, which is set after the events of World War II, defeated a list of fellow nominees that included Emilia Pérez’s Jacques Audiard; Anora’s Sean Baker; Conclave’s Edward Berger; The Substance’s Coralie Fargeat; and All We Imagine as Light’s Payal Kapadia.
Plaza, 40, was flooded with condolences following her spouse’s passing, as colleagues such as Julia Fox and Selma Blair have been among the people to offer the actress-producer, 40, comforting words in the wake of the family tragedy.
Baena was found dead Friday morning at a Los Angeles home, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, with his death being ruled ruled a suicide by hanging.
‘No words can touch this painful time,’ Blair, 52, said in an Instagram comment thread adjacent to Plaza’s most recent post December 24.
Fox, 34, wrote in the thread, ‘Sending you so much love’ with an emoji of a dove.
Actress Alison Brie, 42, shared a series of images of Baena on her Instagram Stories, adding an emoji of a broken heart.
She also reposted a statement from actor-comedian Adam Pally, 42, a friend and collaborator of Baena’s who lauded him on a personal and professional level.
‘He was a collaborator, a mentor, the scrappiest basketball player with the ugliest jump shot you ever saw,’ said Pally. ‘He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, a fosterer of possibility, the guy who knows where the best restaurant was no matter where you were.
‘An overly gracious host with an almost disturbing open door policy, a film encyclopedia, and most importantly to me a friend.’
Pally wrapped up in saying, ‘My heart breaks for my friend Aubrey and the Baena family and for all of us who spent time on his sets or at his house or in or in his orbit. Thanks for believing in me Jeff, may your memory be a blessing.’
Corbet, 36, made mention of Plaza and Baena as he concluded his acceptance speech after receiving the honors for Best Director
An emotional Adrien Brody, 51, held back tears in the audience during the filmmaker’s speech
Baena and Plaza began dating in 2011 and wed in 2021; pictured in LA in June of 2017
On Plaza’s Instagram, actress-producer Barbara Crampton, 66, wrote to Plaza, ‘So sorry. I hope the love of others can hold you up.’
Actor-model Rain Dove, 35, wrote, ‘Aubrey we love You so much and it’s absolutely devastating to hear the news about Your beloved.
‘We truly wish You lots of protection in this time. Take all the space You need to process this. Don’t succumb to and pressure to return to work any sooner than feels right.’
Baena, whose darkly comedic independent films included The Little Hours, co-wrote David O. Russell’s 2004 film I Heart Huckabees and wrote and directed five of his own films, four of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
He had been dating Plaza for three years before she starred in his 2014 directorial debut, the zombie comedy Life After Beth.
His next film, 2016’s Joshy, featured Thomas Middleditch as a man who gets together with friends months after his fiancée commits suicide.
The son of an attorney and teacher, Baena grew up in Miami and attended film school at New York University.
He told podcaster Marc Maron in a 2017 interview that his interest in cinema was sparked after watching Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 as a child.
‘I was always drawn to left-of-center things,’ he told Jim Alexander two years ago in an interview for the Reel Talker YouTube channel.
Colleagues such as Julia Fox and Selma Blair were among the people to offer the actress-producer comforting words in the wake of the family tragedy
A number of other people in the entertainment industry offered Plaza kind words
Baena said in the same interview that it was ‘amazing’ to work with Plaza, who appeared in four of his five films.
Plaza rose to fame playing April Ludgate on the television series Parks and Recreation and was nominated for an Emmy for her role on The White Lotus.
The couple, who began dating in 2011, married in 2021.
‘The opportunities to create together, to do something creative where we’re both fulfilled, it’s like, how rare is that? She’s down and she’s so talented, so I’m really lucky,’ Baena said.
A representative for Plaza said that in addition to Plaza, Baena is survived by his mother, Barbara Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena, stepmother Michele Baena, brother Brad Baena and stepsiblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.
This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.