Alison Brie Responds to the Death of Frequent Collaborator Jeff Baena

Alison Brie mourning the death of a colleague and frequent friend, Jeff Brothers.

Brie, 42, shared a series of photos of the pair together via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, January 5. In the first image, Brie smiled as she looked at Baena as he spoke at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival about The Horse’s Daughter. (Brie and Baeana co-wrote and co-produced the Netflix film, which she starred in and directed.)

Sharing the photo via social media on Sunday, Brie added a broken heart emoji over the image. In another photo, Brie and Baena wrapped their arms around each other while in an additional photo she leaned against him as they sat on a couch.

“Rest in peace my friend,” he wrote over another image of the two smiling.

One day before Brie’s upload, Us Weekly it was confirmed that Baena die by suicide is 47 years old. Baena is survived by his wife, Plaza Aubreywhich is yet to address his death publicly.

Before his death, Baena wrote and directed a series of TV shows and Indie films – several of which starred Brie. Reflecting on their friendship in 2022, Brie revealed that she and her husband, Dave Francoare neighbors with Baena and Plaza, 40.

“Dave and I lived quite close to Jeff and Aubrey. Jeff and I started hiking together pretty regularly, just like friends, and during these long hikes, we would talk about different ideas,” Brie recalled to Collider. “Eventually, I felt comfortable enough with him to talk to him about my idea for The Horse’s Daughterwhich we co-wrote and co-produced together. That was such a good experience.”

After Horsegirl, Brie said Baena approached her about another movie, 2022’s Spin Me Round. The two co-wrote the romantic comedy together, Brie starring alongside Plaza.

“And then, he came to me and said, ‘Well, I have this idea that I’ve been thinking about for a long time.’ That led to this,” he explained to the outlet. “It’s all been quite an organic evolution.

While promoting the film in August 2022, Baena gushed over his collaborative relationship with Brie. “It’s a crazy advantage to have the person you’re collaborating with on every front also be on the other side of the camera,” Baena told AV Club. “Because as well as understanding, obviously, where the script comes from and what the intention is, they are also able to set the tone in terms of acting.”

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