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Interview with Selena Gomez, star of Only Murders in the Building
Since 2021, Only Murders in the Building has established itself as an endearing and atypical comic and detective marvel. And its mischievous trio of actors, made up of superstar Selena Gomez and the two comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short, has a lot to do with it. As season 5 of the show has just came out, throwback to our interview with the three stars with contagious humor.
Interview by Violaine Schütz.
It’s one of the most surprising, endearing and funny series of recent years.
Since 2021, Only Murders in the Building – broadcast on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ in France – has attracted praise from audiences and critics alike, and received a series of awards and nominations at the Golden Globes and Emmy Awards.
Only Murders in the Building, the endearing Disney+ series unveils its fifth season
The reason for this craze? A mess of twists and turns, well-meaning satirical lines (about the world of media) and an original story about three lonely neighbors who launch a crime podcast and investigate murders in a New York building.
But above all this, the trio of protagonists, who have become friends, is what’s making sparks. On the one hand, two septuagenarian legends of American comedy Steve Martin (Father of the Bride) and Martin Short (Three Amigos!) and on the other, pop star, icon of mental health and beauty and actress Selena Gomez crowned at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for Emilia Perez.
Meryl Streep and Eva Longoria as guest stars
You have to add to this mischievous, cunning and whimsical troupe luxury guest stars (Paul Rudd, Meryl Streep or Eva Longoria), to understand why the transgenerational show with a Cluedo air is worth the detour.
As season 5 of Only Murders in the Building is airing on Disney+ since September 9th, 2025, throwback back at our interview with Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, who display the same chemistry both on and off screen.
Interview with Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short, stars of the series Only Murders in the Building
Numéro: How do you explain the public and critical success of Only Murders in the Building ?
Steve Martin: Well, I think the writing and the stories are very good, and the premise is unusual. What we didn’t know was that there was this chemistry that was going to emerge on screen between the three of us that none of us can explain or try to explain. We’re just having fun. We love each other. We are all professionals and we go all out. Our writers do it too, and we have great directors and quality writers. We are lucky.
“In this new police investigation, I didn’t know who had done what until the shoot approached.” Selena Gomez
Selena and Martin, do you agree with Steve?
Martin Short: No, I don’t agree.
Steve Martin: You don’t agree with any of the things I said, Martin?
Martin Short: No, I didn’t listen or remember what you said, nuance (laughs).
Season 4 has many storylines: a trip to Los Angeles, a new mysterious murder – that of a stuntwoman who served as an understudy for the actor character played by Steve Martin, editor’s note – a love story, a tribute to stuntmen…
Martin Short: Yes, there are a lot of things… This new detective story has many twists and turns. I think it will keep the audience completely at an impasse, even towards the end: we don’t know, who the hell committed the murder.
Selena Gomez: yes, it’s crazy. I didn’t know who had done what until the shoot approached. So it was a real surprise.
Steve Martin: You wanted it that way, Selena, didn’t you? (The actress nods in agreement, ed.).
“Eva Longoria is hilarious.” Selena Gomez
In this season, the crime podcast that your characters host becomes a movie. Actors play the role of your characters. Are you happy with the cast (Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy and Zach Galifianakis)?
Selena Gomez: I was thrilled. Honestly, I was so excited to work with all the actors on the show. And I think Eva Longoria has done a fantastic job. It’s hilarious.
Steve Martin: I’m very happy to have Eugene Levy (American Pie, Welcome to Schitt’s Creek) play my part. We worked together many times, including for the film The Father of the Bride and Thirteen by the Dozen 2. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s as funny on screen as he is in real life.
He’s just a great guy to be around.
He has also emerged as the most beautiful of all of us (comedy actors, editor’s note), in recent years.
He has established himself as the Marcello or Alain Delon of our generation.
Martin Short: I was a big fan of Zach Galifianakis (Very Bad Trip) before I met him. In season 4, he plays the actor who really doesn’t want to make this film adapted from the podcast. He accepts only for the money. He doesn’t like the character he has to play. But he succeeds brilliantly.
Steve Martin: By the way, if we analyze things a bit, each actor who plays our role in the series does it for a different reason. Eugène Lévy adores me. Zack doesn’t care and lives his life. Each one embodies the character he must embody in his own way.
Your characters have evolved a lot over the seasons. What was the biggest challenge, as an actor, for you this season?
Selena Gomez: I don’t think I personally experienced things in terms of challenge. I feel like I was able to become Mabel (the character played by Selena Gomez in the series, editor’s note) as I went along and grew up with her. And is a part of me now. I just enjoy the process.
Steve Martin: For me, the biggest challenge; It’s like when you’re given a scene that’s supposed to be very funny and it’s up to you to make it funny. You want to make sure of these things: “What is the right level? Is it too big? Is it too small? Marty (Martin Short, editor’s note) doesn’t have a speed. Fast and strong. But I have several speeds.
Martin Short: And most importantly, what the audience does, speaking of speed, is that when Steve is on screen, he presses “fast-forward”. They want to get back to energy.
“Sometimes it’s just impossible to keep a straight face and not laugh on set.” Selena Gomez
How do you manage not to have a laugh on set during the most hilarious scenes?
Selena Gomez: Sometimes it’s just impossible to keep a straight face for me. And they (Martin Short and Steve Martin) are much better than me in this area. I love comedy and I have so much fun on set. And I think it’s mainly thanks to the writing, to the writers.
Martin Short: I think that to make a comedy, you have to laugh on set. You want the cameramen to shake in a certain funny scene because they hold back laughing. We have a lot of laughter on set. We just cut them during editing.
“All three of us are also crazy.” Steve Martin, star of Only Murders in the Building
What have you learned from working together?
Selena Gomez: I just enjoy their company. Even when I’m just sitting on set waiting for something to happen and they’re playing a game, there’s a comfort in that, and I feel very protected and safe around them.
Martin Short: When you have that chemistry, which we had from the beginning, after four seasons, those moments of waiting between takes are not only comforting. This is something we are traditionally comfortable with. I look forward to these moments shared on set as much as the filming of the series.
Steve Martin: In any group, when there are three actors, usually there’s one who’s a little crazy, and when that person leaves the room, the other two say, “What was that?” But that just doesn’t happen here. We are just people.
Martin Short: It’s because you’re not in the room when we say it…
Steve Martin: It’s true that I often leave the rooms… In short, the three of us are also crazy.
The season 5 of Only Murders in the Building, created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, is available now on Disney+.
