2021 marked the premiere of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, a production that became one of the audience's favorite TV series in no time. This comedy-mystery show was created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, with the former, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez leading the cast. In Only Murders in the Building, the main stars play Charles, Oliver and Mabel, respectively, three wildly different neighbors with only one thing in common: their fondness for true crime podcasts. But after the luxurious building in which they live turns into a crime scene, the trio decides to combine their efforts to investigate and create their own podcast, a task that will put them in danger on many occasions.
To date, Only Murders in the Building has already premiered two tremendously successful seasons, earning acclaim from both audiences and critics, who lauded the chemistry between the main cast. The show's second season wrapped up last August, with a finale that left audiences on the edge of their seats, not only because of the plot, but also for some cameos featuring new additions to the cast. Fortunately, we don't have to wait much longer to see how the story of these three neighbors unfolds, as the premiere of the show's third season is upon us. Here's a look at the cast and characters of the upcoming season of Only Murders in the Building.
Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
The show's co-creator, Steve Martin plays Charles-Haden Savage, a semi-retired actor who rose to fame in the 1990s by starring in the crime drama show Brazzos. However, time has gone by, and so has Charles' heyday, and now that his opportunities in the entertainment industry have diminished considerably, he spends his days listening to Cinda Canning's podcast and trying to solve the mysteries that she presents.
Charles has lived in the Arconia for almost 30 years, but his social anxiety and the fact that his nose bleeds when he gets nervous kept him from engaging with any of his neighbors until Tim Kono's death sparked his podcast venture along with Oliver and Mabel, which prompted him to socialize a bit more.
Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
Martin Short's character is very similar to Steve Martin's in some aspects, but totally opposite in others. Like Charles, Oliver Putnam also happened to be a renowned performer in the entertainment industry, having directed a huge number of Broadway plays. However, after investing all his money and efforts in a production that became one of the biggest flops in history, his career plummeted, and so did his financial situation.
Despite being broke, Oliver still holds on to the extravagant lifestyle he had when he was successful, and keeps his apartment as it was in his golden years while trying his best to get back on track, which is the reason for him to suggest the podcast in the first place. Unlike Charles, Short's character loves to be in the spotlight, and has considerably stronger connections with the rest of the Arconia's inhabitants.
Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
Selena Gomez rounds out the lead trio as Mabel Mora, a young artist in her late-20s with an eye for fashion who seems to be harboring many secrets. Unlike Oliver and Charles, Mabel is not a resident of the Arconia nor does she have the means to be one: she is staying there temporarily while she renovates her aunt's apartment.
Mabel is very secretive about her past and personal life, and does not trust many people. However, her friendship with her neighbors and fellow podcasters pushes her to open up a bit more and heal some of the wounds from her past. She brings the freshness and tech skills of millennials to the trio of podcast hosts, and has proven to be a very good detective.
Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy
The finale of Only Murders in the Building Season 2 left the audience on the edge of their seats as it introduced Ben Glenroy, played by the brilliant and beloved actor Paul Rudd. As he is a new character on the show, he has not yet had enough screen time to reveal his personality. We do know that he is the co-star of Oliver's new play, along with Charles, and that he doesn't get along with his fellow cast member.
However, there is one major reveal in the season finale: Ben dies onstage during the show's premiere in a pretty shady situation, which leads the series' leading trio to cover their first crime outside of the Arconia.
Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin
Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actresses of all time, so when fans found out that she had joined the cast of Only Murders in the Building Season 3, they completely lost it. There is even less information about Streep's character than Rudd's: she plays Loretta Durkin, an offbeat actress that struggles with table reads and takes part in Oliver's new play. It will be a matter of time to see what this phenomenal actress adds to the popular show.
Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris
Michael Cyril Creighton plays Howard Morris, one of Oliver, Charles and Mabel's neighbors. Howard lives in apartment 3C, and is beloved by the entire building community despite being quite gossipy. He is a very shy man and earns his living at the Public Library. Howard is very fond of his cat Evelyn, whom he treats like his own daughter, and becomes utterly heartbroken when Evelyn passes away.
Eventually, he ends up adopting Sevelyn to replace her. However, as much as he seems to love his new pet, Howard is quick to consider sending her to live with a friend of his after finding out that Jonathan, his newest love interest, is allergic to cats.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Williams
Da'Vine Joy Randolph plays Donna Williams, the detective in charge of investigating Tim Kono's death. Initially, Williams wraps up the investigation on the grounds of suicide and dismisses the suggestions of Charles, Oliver and Mabel, whom she even mocks for their fondness for true crime podcasts.
However, after her wife Kiara becomes obsessed with their podcast, Donna revisits the case and collaborates with the trio to solve the mystery, even though they often get on her nerves. Despite her tough exterior, Detective Williams has a big heart and tries, each and every day, to excel at her job in order to make a better future for herself and her family.
Zoe Colletti as Lucy
In the second season of Only Murders in the Building, Zoe Colletti joins the cast to play Lucy. This teenager is the daughter of Charles' ex-girlfriend Emma, and during their relationship, the girl and the Brazzos star developed a beautiful father-daughter bond that fell apart once the couple split up.
After a few years and several attempts to reconnect with Charles, Lucy surprises him in New York City and manages to heal the wounds of the past and rekindle the bond. In fact, she is seen rooting for him in the audience the day of the premiere of Oliver's show making it clear that their relationship got stronger, hence we may see a lot more of her in this new season.
Jesse Williams as Tobert
Jesse Williams is among the new additions to the show's third season that have audiences buzzing with anticipation. The actor, best known for playing Dr. Jackson Avery in the Shonda Rhimes series Grey's Anatomy, landed the role of Tobert, a documentary producer who seems to have a special interest in Ben Glenroy's murder and, furthermore, in Mabel.
Ashley Park as Kimber
Ashley Park is an actress and singer best known for her role in the Netflix show Emily in Paris and the 2021 film Joy Ride. She is another of the performers joining the third season of Only Murders in the Building of which we don't know much about yet. In the show, Park plays Kimber, a TikTok sensation who stars in Oliver's new play.
Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki
Jane Lynch plays Sazz Pataki, who has been Charles' stunt double in Brazzos and throughout his career. Sazz is a funny, smart and slightly self-centered woman who likes to be in the spotlight and generally gloats about being better liked than Charles in all the jobs they share.
Despite her friendship with the actor, Sazz had no qualms about seducing several of Charles' girlfriends, who seem to prefer her over him. Other than that, she sees his true colors, and tries to support him in his life and career in the best way possible.
Tina Fey as Cinda Canning
Tina Fey's character is crucial in Only Murders in the Building, for it is her true crime podcast All Is Not OK in Oklahoma that first brings Charles, Oliver, and Mabel together and prompts them to create their own production.
Cinda Canning is a businesswoman who leads a production company and has won over audiences with her podcasts. However, unlike what the public thinks, her personality is quite different from what she shows in her podcast, as she is known among her employees for being an arrogant, bossy woman who only cares about being famous.
Ryan Broussard as Will Putnam
Ryan Broussard plays Will Putnam, Oliver's son. At the beginning of the first season, their relationship was quite strained, mainly because Oliver had some flaws as a father, and only reached out to his son to ask for money, not caring about him or his family.
However, as time went by, they hit it off, and by the end of the second season, their relationship had greatly improved. Ryan works as a veterinarian, and after serving as director for his son's school play, he discovered that he is passionate about the arts, just like his father.
Andrea Martin as Joy
In the show's second season, Andrea Martin joined the cast as Joy, a makeup artist and hairstylist who worked with Charles on Brazzos back in the 1990s and struck up a short-lived relationship with him. When the actor was told that the show was being rebooted, he called the artist back to work on this new production, and sparks between the two arose again.
By the end of the second season, Charles and Joy appear to be in a relationship, which indicates that we will see much more of this character in the upcoming season.
Matthew Broderick in an Unknown Role
Matthew Broderick is one of the most enigmatic additions to the show's new season, as the role he will play or its significance in the story remain unclear. This renowned actor who rose to fame after starring in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off has been involved in many film, theater and TV projects that won him the audience's praise and a number of accolades, including two Tony Awards.