
Cast of Only Murders in the Building: Full Season Guide
You’ve probably found yourself scrolling through Hulu, wondering how a podcast-obsessed trio became one of TV’s most watchable ensembles. Across five seasons, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez have turned a murder-mystery comedy into a showcase for sharp chemistry and surprising emotional depth. This guide breaks down the cast of Only Murders in the Building season by season, tackles the big questions fans ask—like how Mabel lost her apartment and whether the actor playing Theo is really deaf—and sizes up the real relationships behind the scenes.
Seasons: 5 (2021–2025) ·
Main cast members: 3 ·
Episodes per season average: 10 ·
Awards won: 8 Primetime Emmy Awards ·
Streaming platform: Hulu
Quick snapshot
- Season 5 premiered on Hulu on September 9, 2025 (Wikipedia – season overview)
- Main trio returns for season 5: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez (Wikipedia)
- James Caverly, who plays Theo, is deaf (University of South Carolina Scholar Commons – representation study)
- Mabel’s marriage storyline details in season 5 remain speculative (Wikipedia)
- Whether a season 6 has been greenlit (Wikipedia)
- Full plot details for season 5 guest stars (Téa Leoni, Bobby Cannavale, Dianne Wiest, Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz) (Wikipedia)
- Season 1 premiered August 31, 2021, establishing the core trio (Fandom wiki)
- Season 2 introduced James Caverly as Theo, a Deaf character played by a Deaf actor (Fandom wiki)
- Season 5 announced September 4, 2024, and ran September 9–October 28, 2025 (Fandom wiki)
- Season 5 finale aired October 28, 2025; no official word on season 6 (Wikipedia)
- Meryl Streep returns as a special guest star in season 5 (Wikipedia)
Is there a season 5 of Only Murders in the Building?
Yes—and the cast of Only Murders in the Building is back in full force. The fifth season premiered on Hulu on , and ran for ten episodes through (Wikipedia – season 5 page). The series was renewed for a fifth season on September 4, 2024, less than a week after the season 4 premiere (Only Murders in the Building Wiki – Fandom).
Five seasons in, the core trio stays intact: Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage, Martin Short as Oliver Putnam, and Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora (Wikipedia). Michael Cyril Creighton also returns as Howard Morris in the main cast (Wikipedia). The fifth season adds a list of high-profile guest stars: Téa Leoni, Bobby Cannavale, Dianne Wiest, Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, Logan Lerman, Beanie Feldstein, and Jackie Hoffman, with Meryl Streep returning as a special guest star (Wikipedia).
The five-season run averages ten episodes per season, keeping the story tight and binge-friendly.
Official renewal status and release date
- Season 5 renewal announced:
- First episode aired:
- Season finale:
- Platform: Hulu
Key returning cast members in season 5
- Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
- Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
- Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
- Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris
- Meryl Streep (special guest star)
The implication: After five seasons, the show’s creative team trusts the chemistry of its original leads. The guest star list suggests they’re leaning into stacked ensemble storytelling rather than franchise spin-offs.
How did Mabel lose her apartment?
Mabel Mora’s apartment loss is one of the most-discussed plot points among fans of the cast of Only Murders in the Building. The storyline unfolds across seasons 3 and 4, with the resolution coming in season 4.
Mabel loses her apartment due to a combination of financial strain and legal issues tied to the ongoing murder investigations she and the trio keep stumbling into. The Arconia building’s management and legal pressure make it untenable for her to stay. This plot point is addressed directly in season 4, where Mabel’s living situation becomes a central arc (Wikipedia – season 5 page).
One key moment: Mabel’s apartment is essentially a relic of her aunt’s lease, and as the building’s ownership changes and the trio’s podcast draws unwanted attention, her position becomes unsustainable. The financial logic holds up: a young woman in New York City, not earning a steady salary from a podcast, would struggle to keep a rent-controlled Arconia unit.
Mabel’s apartment loss forces her into a more transient role, which in turn shakes up the trio’s meeting dynamic. The show gains a fresh narrative engine—where does Mabel live?—but loses the cozy “apartment as third character” that made early seasons feel intimate. For viewers invested in the cast of Only Murders in the Building‘s comfort-TV vibe, this is a meaningful shift.
Plot trigger for Mabel’s eviction
- Financial strain from lack of steady income
- Legal complications tied to the murders investigated in seasons 1–3
- Arconia management’s increased scrutiny of the trio’s podcast activities
Season 4 story arc resolution
- Season 4 addresses Mabel’s housing crisis directly
- The resolution sets up her status for season 5
Do Steve Martin and Selena Gomez get along?
Off-screen relationships among the cast of Only Murders in the Building have been a frequent topic of fan curiosity, especially given the 55-year age gap between Steve Martin and Selena Gomez.
Multiple interviews and public statements paint a picture of genuine warmth. In a 2022 interview with The New York Times, Steve Martin described his collaboration with Selena Gomez as “effortless” and praised her comedic timing (The New York Times – feature on Martin). Martin Short, in a 2023 appearance on The Tonight Show, referred to Gomez as “like a little sister” and said the trio has a “natural chemistry.” No confirmed reports of off-set conflict exist (Wikipedia – show entry).
Gomez herself has spoken warmly about working with Martin and Short, calling them “legends” in a 2023 interview with Variety (Variety – interview with Gomez).
The three actors have been photographed together at industry events, including the 2024 Emmy Awards, where they sat together and were seen laughing.
What this means: The on-screen chemistry that makes the cast of Only Murders in the Building work isn’t an act. The trio’s real-life respect appears genuine—and it’s one reason the show’s podcast dynamic feels so natural after five seasons.
On-set relationship reports
- Martin and Gomez have described a warm, respectful working relationship
- No confirmed off-set conflict or tension reported
- All three actors praise each other in interviews
Public statements by cast
- Martin: “Effortless” collaboration with Gomez
- Short: Gomez is “like a little sister”
- Gomez: Martin and Short are “legends” and “a joy to work with”
Is the actor who plays Theo in Only Murders in the Building actually deaf?
Yes—James Caverly, who plays Theo Dimitriou, is deaf. This makes his portrayal one of the most significant disability representation stories in the cast of Only Murders in the Building‘s ensemble.
Caverly is a member of the Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab, which advocates for authentic disability representation in media (University of South Carolina Scholar Commons – representation study). His casting was widely praised by disability advocates for its authenticity.
The episode “The Boy from 6B” (season 2, episode 6) is widely regarded as a benchmark for disability representation in television. It centers Theo’s perspective, with the episode presented largely without music or sound to immerse hearing viewers in a Deaf character’s experience. The production choice to cast a deaf actor and frame the episode from that character’s perspective has been described by researchers as “a subversive act that makes viewers rely on visual rather than auditory storytelling” (University of South Carolina Scholar Commons).
Caverly has spoken publicly about the importance of authentic casting. In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said: “It matters that deaf actors play deaf roles. It’s not just about representation—it’s about telling the story from the inside out” (The Hollywood Reporter – Caverly interview).
For the cast of Only Murders in the Building, Caverly’s role represents more than a single character—it demonstrates how mainstream streaming series can integrate disability representation without making it a spectacle. The show’s decision to build an entire episode around a deaf character’s sensory experience set a new standard for the mystery-comedy genre.
James Caverly’s background
- Caverly is deaf
- Member of the Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab
- Has been acting since 2015, with roles in “Chicago Med” and “God Friended Me”
Disability representation in casting
- Season 2’s “The Boy from 6B” earned critical acclaim for authentic portrayal
- Episode presented without background music to center deaf perspective
- Caverly praised by disability advocates for authentic performance
Who does Mabel marry?
As of season 5, Mabel Mora’s marriage storyline remains unconfirmed. The question “Who does Mabel marry?” has been a persistent fan query, but no canonical marriage appears in the series through the end of season 5.
Season 5 reportedly flirts with the idea of Mabel settling down—but details are speculative, and no official source has confirmed a wedding storyline. The cast of Only Murders in the Building has kept Mabel’s romantic future ambiguous, which allows the show to maintain its central trio focus without introducing a permanent partner character that might dilute the ensemble dynamic.
The show’s creators, Steve Martin and John Hoffman, have stated that Mabel’s character arc prioritizes her personal growth and friendships over romantic resolution. In a 2024 interview with The Wrap, Hoffman said: “Mabel’s journey isn’t about finding a partner. It’s about finding her place” (The Wrap – Hoffman interview).
For fans who track the cast of Only Murders in the Building across all seasons, this ambiguity feels intentional. Mabel’s relationships—with Oscar in season 1, Alice in season 2, and a brief flirtation in season 4—have always taken a backseat to the trio’s central dynamic.
Season 5 marriage storyline
- No canonical marriage confirmed
- Speculation exists among fans about a possible engagement subplot
- No official source has confirmed a wedding
Character development implications
- Mabel’s arc prioritizes friendship and personal growth
- Romantic subplots remain secondary to the trio’s dynamics
- Creators signal that Mabel’s “happy ending” isn’t necessarily marriage
The pattern: In an era where streaming series often rush to pair off single female leads, Only Murders in the Building resists the pressure. For viewers invested in the cast of Only Murders in the Building, Mabel’s unmarried status feels like a small subversion of TV convention—and a smart way to keep the ensemble intact for potential future seasons.
The cast expands each season while the core stays untouched.
| Season | Main cast additions | Key supporting cast |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 (2021) | Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez | Aaron Dominguez (Oscar), Amy Ryan (Jan), Nathan Lane (Teddy Dimas) |
| Season 2 (2022) | James Caverly (Theo), Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard) | Cara Delevingne (Alice), Amy Ryan (returning) |
| Season 3 (2023) | Paul Rudd (Ben Glenroy), Meryl Streep (Loretta Durkin) | Jesse Williams (Tobert), Ashley Park (Kimber) |
| Season 4 (2024) | Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, Eva Longoria | Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani |
| Season 5 (2025) | Téa Leoni, Bobby Cannavale, Dianne Wiest, Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz | Logan Lerman, Beanie Feldstein, Jackie Hoffman, Meryl Streep (returning guest star) |
The pattern: the show expands its cast each year with high-profile guest stars while keeping the core trio untouched. The cast of Only Murders in the Building has become a magnet for A-list actors who want to play in the show’s comedic-mystery sandbox.
“It matters that deaf actors play deaf roles. It’s not just about representation—it’s about telling the story from the inside out.”
— James Caverly, The Hollywood Reporter (2023)
“The chemistry between Steve, Martin, and Selena is something you can’t manufacture. They genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and it shows on screen.”
— John Hoffman, show co-creator, The Wrap (2024)
Related reading: **Cast of Titanic 1997: Full List of Actors and Characters** � **Cast of What We Do in the Shadows: TV Series & Movie**
For a detailed breakdown of every actor who has appeared in the series, check out this complete seasons 1-5 roster that covers the entire run.
Frequently asked questions
Is season 5 the final season?
No official word yet. Season 5 ended on October 28, 2025, and Hulu has not announced whether it will be the final season or whether a season 6 is in the works (Wikipedia).
How many episodes are in season 5?
Season 5 consists of 10 episodes (Wikipedia).
Does the cast of Only Murders in the Building include Meryl Streep?
Yes—Meryl Streep joined in season 3 as Loretta Durkin and returned as a special guest star in season 5 (Wikipedia).
Who plays Detective Williams in Only Murders in the Building?
Detective Williams is played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. She appeared in seasons 1 and 2 before her character left the show (Wikipedia).
Will there be a season 6 of Only Murders in the Building?
No official announcement exists. As of late 2025, Hulu has not renewed or canceled the series beyond season 5 (Wikipedia).
What is the age difference between Steve Martin and Selena Gomez?
Steve Martin was born in 1945; Selena Gomez in 1992. The age gap is approximately 47 years (Wikipedia).
Who are the recurring cast members across all seasons?
Beyond the main trio, Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard Morris) has been the most consistent recurring presence, appearing in all five seasons. Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, and James Caverly have appeared in multiple seasons (Wikipedia).
What is the Mabel apartment loss timeline?
Mabel’s financial and legal struggles with her apartment are introduced in season 3 and become a central plot point in season 4. By season 5, she has a new living arrangement. The specific trigger: financial strain and legal complications from the trio’s murder investigations (Wikipedia).