Jeff Baena

Jeff Baena, born on June 29, 1977, is an acclaimed American screenwriter and film director notable for his contributions to several well-received films. The Miami native kickstarted his career after graduating from the NYU Film School, upon which he relocated to Los Angeles. Initially, Baena cut his teeth as a production assistant for Robert Zemeckis, collaborating on numerous films. Following this invaluable experience, Baena diverted his professional path and became an assistant editor for writer-director David O. Russell. The professional relationship blossomed into a creative partnership that resulted in four scripts, one of which became the well-known film, I Heart Huckabees.

While working with Russell, Baena started to channel his energies into writing. His efforts culminated in the creation of the zombie comedy Life After Beth, marking his directorial debut. Despite original plans for Joshy to be his first work as a director, the project was thawed due to actor Adam Pally's personal circumstances. Following Life After Beth, Baena helmed the 2017 film, The Little Hours, starring a who's who of Hollywood talents. More recently, Baena co-wrote and directed Horse Girl with Alison Brie, premiering this work at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2020. On a more personal note, Baena has been in a relationship with actress Aubrey Plaza since 2011. The couple announced their marriage in May 2021.