'Only Murders' romance between Meryl Streep and Martin Short is an “unexpected twist,” says the show's creator

Meryl Streep “had tears in my eyes” as she spoke to her Just murders in the building co-creator John Hoffmann about her on-screen romance with Martin Short.

“It's one of the most unexpected twists,” Hoffman told Decider in an interview published Thursday, October 24, about Streep's character Loretta falling in love with Short's character Oliver. “When I met Meryl, when I met Marty, and when I saw the two of them working together in Season 3, it was just incredible.”

Hoffman said the duo “just enjoyed each other in every way on and off screen.”

Loretta and Oliver shared their first kiss during a third season episode of Just murders in the buildingwhich premiered in August 2023 via Hulu. Although Loretta moved to Los Angeles at the end of the season, the duo's on-screen romance remained strong throughout season four.

Martin Short gushes about Meryl Streep after holding hands at the premiere of Only Murders in the Building

“I remember one night when we were filming on the ferry in episode 5 of season 3. We shot until about 2 a.m. on the most beautiful night in Manhattan,” recalls Hoffman. “I got out there to the jetty and Meryl was waiting and she had tears in her eyes and said, 'I just had to wait here until you got off the boat to say thank you.'”

He added: “I thought, 'What?' and she said, “I just had to do a scene that I really thought I had no chance of doing. “To do romantic scenes like that with this band at this age is just the greatest thing ever.'”

Hoffman said it was “one of the most gratifying things” to hear because he felt like “the luckiest person in the world” to even have Streep on set.

“I kept thinking, 'I hope the world falls in love with this couple like we all do.' And that’s because of the magic they create together,” Hoffman added.

Martin Short says he was “nervous” about working with Meryl Streep on Only Murders in the Building

The couple's love is so palpable on screen that Streep and Short have been the subject of romance rumors in real life, too. Speculation began in January when they were spotted sitting next to each other at the 2024 Golden Globes. (At the time, a representative for Short denied that they were dating.)

Just murders in the building Costar Steve Martin recently appeared to hint at the rumors in a playful Instagram post.

Martin uploaded a screenshot of himself, Short and Streep. He edited the photo, originally taken in February 2023, to have his face crossed out with an emoji so that only Streep and Short are visible.