Aubrey Plaza’s husband Jeff Baena revealed how mental health inspired his work before director took own life aged 47

AUBREY PLAZA'S husband Jeff Baena revealed how mental health inspired his work before tragically taking his own life aged 47.

The late screenwriter wrote a movie based on his own family's history with mental illness, revealing how it influenced the storyline.

The 47-year-old - who was married to White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza - was found dead at their Los Angeles home on Friday.

Baena spoke openly about his mental health before his film Horse Girl was released in 2020 on a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum.

The screenwriter was asked about the film's main character Sarah, played by Alison Brie, being released from the mental hospital and if that specific scene was based on personal experiences.

Baena responded, admitting to watching his own stepmom suffer bipolar disorder.

He wrote in February 2020: "Unfortunately, people get released all the time when they still need treatment.

"The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period."

The late star added that his first stepmom "had manic depression and was in and out of facilities in Miami due to the Baker Act," or 5150 in California.

Baena also said that while he wouldn't consider Horse Girl "to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this."

Baena and Brie co-wrote Horse Girl about Brie's family history with mental illness, specifically her grandmother who suffered from schizophrenia.

The actress, married to fellow actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum: "That was the original impetus for writing a story like this."

But Baena also said his family history with mental illness influenced the movie's plot too.

He wrote: "Alison and I both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence [while] working on this."

In one of the emotional scenes, Baena asked Brie to draw her personal experience and "talk about [her] own family".

The actress added: "I definitely tapped into very real emotions about that."

And what's more a lot of the script within the film was not scripted, Baena told Collider.

The actors instead had basic plot points they knew they had to get to - but the dialogue wasn't written down ahead of filming.

Baena - who was married to White Lotus star Audrey Plaza - was tragically found dead at their Los Angeles home on Friday.

Baena married actress Plaza in 2021 and was best known for Indie movies such as Life After Beth, Joshy and The Little Hours.