Meryl Streep and Martin Short at the season four premiere of
Meryl Streep and Martin Short at the season four premiere of "Only Murders in the Building" in August.
  • Meryl Streep and Martin Short play love interests on Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building."
  • The stars have been friends for years but fueled dating rumors in recent months.
  • Reps for the actors, as well as Short himself, have said that the actors are just friends.

Meryl Streep and Martin Short were friends long before playing love interests on "Only Murders in the Building," but fans can't stop rooting for them to get together in real life.

The two stars have been spotted together at a couple of events over the years, from Broadway shows to the American Film Institute's 2017 gala. But rumors of an on-screen romance gained traction after Streep was cast as Loretta Durkin, a struggling actor who strikes up a romance with Short's character Oliver Putnam in season three of "Only Murders in the Building."

Speculation intensified in October 2023 when it was revealed that Streep and her husband, Don Gummer, had ended their marriage six years prior after more than three decades together. But Short, whose wife Nancy Dolman died in 2010, has repeatedly said that he and his "OMITB" costar are just platonic.

Here's a complete breakdown of Streep and Short's friendship.

August 8, 2023: Streep makes her debut on season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building."
Meryl Streep as Loretta on season three of
Streep as Loretta on season three of "Only Murders in the Building."

Streep's casting was announced in a behind-the-scenes set video Selena Gomez shared on Instagram in January 2023.

On the show, Streep portrays Loretta Durkin, a struggling actor who lands the role of the nanny in Oliver Putnam's play "Death Rattle." It's later revealed that she was keen on being part of the play in order to reconnect with her estranged son, Dickie Glenroy (Jeremy Shamos).

Loretta and Oliver get to know each other before the play's opening night, and they begin dating.

During the season three finale, Oliver encourages Loretta to pursue acting jobs in LA, even though it would mean that they'd be living across the country from each other.

August 29, 2023: "OMITB" showrunner John Hoffman says Streep thanked him for incorporating a romance between Loretta and Oliver on the show.
Meryl Streep and Martin Short on the season three finale of
Streep and Short on the season three finale of "Only Murders in the Building."

"It's pretty unexpected to imagine a pairing of Meryl Streep with Martin Short and watch them find this incredible connection together and, as Meryl said, to not have it be twee or about the age or about any of that," Hoffman told TheWrap, adding that Short brings "dramatic poignancy" to the dynamic.

Hoffman also said that Streep, who's been acting professionally since the '70s, ranked the ferry scene during episode five, in which Loretta and Oliver have a romantic date night, as one of her all-time favorite filming locations.

January 9, 2024: After attending the Golden Globes together, Short's rep tells People they're just friends.
Meryl Streep and Martin Short at the 2024 Golden Globes.
Streep and Short at the 2024 Golden Globes.

At the awards show, "OMITB" was nominated for best TV series — musical or comedy. Short was nominated for best actor in a TV series — musical or comedy and Streep earned a nod for best female actor in a supporting role on TV.

Two days after the Golden Globes, Short's rep said that the pair "are just very good friends, nothing more."

January 28, 2024: Short shuts down romance rumors during an appearance on Bill Maher's podcast.
Martin Short and Meryl Streep at the 76th Emmy Awards in September 2024.
Short and Streep at the 76th Emmy Awards in September.

"We're not a couple. We are just very close friends," Short said during an interview for "Club Random with Bill Maher."

May 14, 2024: Short says that Streep wanted a role on "OMITB," and it was a coincidence that she ended up playing his love interest.
Martin Short and Meryl Streep backstage at the play
Short and Streep backstage at the play "It's Only a Play" on Broadway in February 2015.

Short told People magazine that Streep called him prior to season three and asked about a role for her on the show.

"They already planned that I would have a theatrical experience and there would be a love interest," Short said. "So that was coincidental, but she just wanted to be on the show. She didn't know about [the love story]."

August 22, 2024: Streep and Short hold hands at the LA premiere of season four of "OMITB."
Meryl Streep and Martin Short hold hands at the premiere of
Streep and Short at the premiere of "Only Murders in the Building" season four in August.

Hours before the premiere, The Hollywood Reporter published an interview with Short, in which he said he and Streep are just "friends."

The red carpet took place at Paramount Studios in LA days before the season premiere. Streep and Short were spotted holding hands on the carpet and at the after-party.

A source told Page Six that the costars were "in great spirits, laughing" at the after-party. Streep's rep also told the publication, "They are just friends."

August 26, 2024: Short says that his friendship with Streep has grown stronger.
Martin Short, Meryl Streep, and Steve Martin in February 2023.
Short, Streep, and Steve Martin in February 2023.

In an "OMITB" cast interview with Extra, Short was asked, "Had your friendship grown since playing so close characters?"

"It's been a friendship that always grows if you work with someone and love that person," Short said, stopping himself because he didn't want to unintentionally reveal any spoilers about season four of "OMITB."

"Meryl is a friend to all of us," Steve Martin, who starred alongside Streep in the 2009 rom-com "It's Complicated," chimed in. "I very fortunately had a movie with her. If I don't see her for two years, you get back together and you're already laughing and talking. It's friendly."

August 27, 2024: Season 4 of "OMITB" premieres on Hulu, continuing Loretta and Oliver's love story.
Selena Gomez as Mabel, Meryl Streep as Loretta, and Martin Short as Oliver on the season four premiere of
Selena Gomez as Mabel, Streep as Loretta, and Short as Oliver in season four of "Only Murders in the Building."

Loretta and Oliver reunite in LA in the season four premiere, which is set a few days after the events of the season three finale.

September 27, 2024: Short recalls being nervous on his first day filming with Streep on the set of "OMITB."
Meryl Streep and Martin Short at the season four premiere of Hulu's
Streep and Short at the season four premiere of Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building."

In an interview with E! News, Short recalled having nerves on his way to his first day of work with Streep. As it turned out, Streep felt similarly.

"Then we finished a two-person scene at a piano, and they have to set up for angle and we went into a holding area, and she said, 'OK, my nerves are to half,'" Short said.

"I went, Oh, OK, that's, that's pretty cool,'" he continued. "'Maybe that's why you're the greatest actress, because you've never taken anything for granted.'"

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