Years before his shocking death at the age of 47, Jeff Baena wrote a film based on his family’s history with mental illness and how it influenced his work. spoke.
Baena, who was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Friday, spoke candidly about her mental health on Reddit’s Ask Me Anything forum ahead of her 2020 film Horse Girl. TMZ reported that law enforcement sources said the filmmaker died by suicide, but DailyMail.com could not confirm this.
When asked about the film’s main character, Sarah (Alison Brie), being released from a mental hospital and whether the scene was based on personal experience, Baena said that she had watched her stepmother suffer from bipolar disorder. openly admitted.
“Unfortunately, patients who require treatment will be released at any time,” he wrote in February 2020. “The 72-hour mandatory detention only applies to patients who pose a danger to themselves and must be released after that evaluation period.”
“My first stepmother suffered from manic depression and was in and out of a facility in Miami under the Baker Act (California Section 5150). I don’t think of ‘Horse Girl’ as an activist film. But the theme of how we treat people with mental illness as a society and as individuals was a big focus and driving force in making this film.”
Baena and Brie co-wrote the film together about Brie’s family history with mental illness, specifically her grandmother, an actress who suffered from schizophrenia.
“That was my initial inspiration for writing stories like this,” Brie, who is married to actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum.
Director Aubrey Plaza, who is also her husband, said his family history with mental illness also influenced the film’s plot.
Baena, who was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Friday, was released in 2020 when her and co-writer Alison Brie’s film “Horse Girl” is based on her family’s history. Earlier, she spoke candidly about mental health (Photo: Baena and Bree in 2020)
Baena (2022, along with his wife Aubrey Plaza) was found dead inside his home by an assistant on Friday and was pronounced dead at the scene.
When asked about the film’s main character Sarah (Alison Brie) being released from a psychiatric hospital earlier than expected and whether the scene was based on personal experience, Baena explains that she sees her stepmother suffering from bipolar disorder. He openly admitted that he had done so.
“Alison and I both have family members who have suffered from mental illness, and that has had a huge impact on us.” [while] Working on this,” he wrote.
In one scene, Baena asks Bree to “tell me about your family” based on her own personal experience.
“I definitely tapped into very real emotions about it,” the actress said.
Baena said much of the script was not written into the script. collider ahead of the film’s Sundance premiere. The actors understood the basic plot points and knew they had to hammer them out, but the dialogue wasn’t written word for word in advance.
Baena was found dead by an assistant Friday inside Plaza’s Los Feliz home and was pronounced dead at the scene, the Los Angeles Fire Department earlier told DailyMail.com.
“A man, approximately 47 years old, was pronounced dead but was not transported,” they said in a statement.
“We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for the death of a male,” the Los Angeles Police Department added to DailyMail.com. The “Life After Beth” director was pronounced dead at the scene.
Baena’s family said: deadline They say they are devastated by the news and have asked for privacy at this time.
The director entered the film world after graduating from New York University with a degree in film, moving to Los Angeles to begin his career.
Much of the script was unscripted, Baena (pictured) told Collider ahead of the film’s Sundance premiere. The actors had the basic plot points and knew they had to hit them, but the script wasn’t written word for word in advance.
Baena and Brie co-wrote the film together about a family history of mental illness, specifically the actress’ grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia, she revealed on Reddit in 2020.
He gained a foothold in the industry while working in lower-level jobs under big-name directors like Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell. He served on staff as Zemeckis’ production assistant and as Russell’s editorial assistant.
He is best known for directing his directorial debuts Life After Beth and Little Hours, which starred his wife Aubrey Plaza.
