Ever since it premiered on Hulu in August 2021,Only Murders in the Buildinghas been a runaway hit with critics and audiences. The series follows an unlikely trio who all live in the same building in New York City and has a fascination with murder podcast and decide to start their own once actual murders happen in their apartment complex. The series' first season was a hit, nominated for multiple awards, and season two was quickly greenlit, premiering in June 2022.
Only Murders in the Buildingwas confirmed for season three shortly after the fourth episode of season two aired and filming is already underway, with many hoping the series will return in the summer of 2023. While no release date is currently set, for anyone looking to catch up on the series here is a quick breakdown of the major players in the ensemble and some interesting hints at what will come in season three.
Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin)
Charles Haden-Savage is a semi-retired actor who was most famous for starring in a 1990stelevision detective seriesnamedBrazzos. Charles recently reconnected with Lucy, the daughter of one of Charles' ex-girlfriends. He lives in apartment 14C of the Arcadia.
Charles is played by legendary comedic actorSteve Martin. Martin is afamous stand-up comedianand is known for films likeThe Jerk,Parenthood, andThe Father of the Bridefilms. He has a long-time working relationship with fellow co-star Martin Short. Martin also serves as one of the co-creators ofOnly Murders in the Buildingalongside John Hoffman.
Oliver Putman (Martin Short)
Oliver Putman is an ambitious theater producer, although he has recently had a string of bad luck in terms of productions. Starting the podcast is his idea and is often directing both Charles and Mabel. Oliver resides in apartment 10D and has a real passion for dips.
Martin Shortplays Oliver Putman. Short is an iconic comedic actor most famous for his character Jiminy Glick. He has starred in films likeClifford,Mars Attacks, andThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. He also starred with co-star Steve Martin in films likeThree Amigos,Prince of Egypt, andFather of the Bride, along with their comedy specialAn Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Lifeon Netflix.
Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez)
Mabel Mora is the younger member of the trio and is staying in apartment 12E renovating it for her aunt.Mabel is definedby her mysterious past and was friends with season one murder victim Tim Kono. Mabel’s father died of cancer when she was younger, which has helped shape her closed-off nature, although her friendship with Charles and Oliver has allowed her to open up more.
Related:Selena + Chef: Everything We Know So Far About Season 4
Mabel is played bySelena Gomez. Gomez got her start on the television seriesBarney and Friendsas a young kid before her breakout role on the Disney Channel hit seriesThe Wizards of Waverly Place. She is a successful recording artist and producer and has been involved with projects like theHotel Transylvaniafilms and the HBO Max originalCooking with Selena, and is the subject of the recent documentary onApple TV+,My Mind & Me.
Cindy Canning (Tina Fey)
Cindy Canning is a successful podcast host known for her true-crime series. Charles, Oliver, and Mabel are all fans of hers until they approach her in season one, and she dismisses them. She takes on a bigger role in season two as she begins a rival podcast about the main trio being the murderers.
Cindy Canning is played by award-winning comedianTina Fey. Fey broke out onSaturday Night Liveand created and starred in the series30 Rock. Fey has been featured in a number of high-profile films includingMean Girls(which she wrote),Sisters,Megamind, andMuppets Most Wanted. Like Steve Martin and Martin Short, Fey also has a long history of hosting various awards shows including the Golden Globes and the Emmys.
Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph)
Detective Williams is assigned to the murder of Tim Kono in season one. While she is originally dismissive of the podcast Only Murders in the Building, she begins to take notice when her wife starts to listen to it and begins taking an active part in helping the trio solve the case. In season 2 she becomes a key ally in getting the trio released when they are first accused of murder.
Da’Vine Joy Randolphplays Detective Williams. Randolph has been featured in films likeOffice Christmas PartyandDolemite is My Name. She is also famously a renowned singer and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her role inGhost: The Musical. This musical background was used to great comedic effect in season two, when she singsA Chorus Lineafter Oliver assumes she has not seen it.
Teddy Dimas (Nathan Lane)
Teddy is played by legendary stage and screen actorNathan Lane. Lane is famous for many roles including voicing Timone inThe Lion King, starring inThe Birdcagealongside Robin Williams, and playing the role of Max Bialystock in bothThe Producersstage show and the 2005 film adaptation.
Theo Dimas (James Caverly)
Theo Dimas is Teddy Dimas' son. Theo is deaf which forced him to feel isolated from everyone except his father. He partakes in his father’s theft schemes, and while he is arrested in season one, by season two he has tried to turn over a new leaf and helps Mabel with some clues regarding the main mystery of the season.
Related:10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Cast of Only Murders in the Building
Theo is played byJames Caverlywho, like his character, is also deaf. Caverly has been an outspoken advocate for portrayals of deafness in Hollywood and was heavily involved with crafting the narrative and sign language forOnly Murders in the Building. In season two, when his character tries to converse with Mabel, it shows the struggles of communicating when one person doesn’t know sign language, and he can only make out a third of what she is saying.
Lucy (Zoe Colletti)
Added in season 2, Lucy is the daughter of one of Charles’s ex-girlfriends. She was first mentioned in season 1 as someone that Charles grew close with only to lose contact with when her mother broke up with him. She re-enters his life in season 2 and becomes a major character and shows to have liked Charles more than any of her mother’s other boyfriends and even more so than her own mother at times.
Zoe Collettistars as Lucy. Colletti’s first big screen role was in the 2014 filmAnnieand has since appeared in films likeScary Stories To Tell in the DarkandA Boy Called Christmas. On television, she is most famous for the role of Dakota on AMC’sFear the Walking Deadand a starring role on the Netflix seriesBoo, Bitch.
Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd)
The season two finale ofOnly Murders in the Buildingfeatured a time jump, showcasing a play directed by Oliver and starring Charles. One of the co-stars is Ben, who Charles threatens regarding something involving Mabel, yet the audience is not privy to exactly why. Ben then dies for real on stage setting up the main murder investigation of season three. Ben is played bynone other than Paul Rudd, who was confirmed to have a major role in season 3 likely to fill in the details around his murder.
Paul Ruddis one of the most prolific comedic actors working today. He has been in numerous Judd Apatow-produced comedies likeAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,Knocked Up, andForgetting Sarah Marshall. He is now most famous for his role as Scott Lang akaAnt-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the next film,Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania,set for release on July 27, 2025, before the premiere of Only Murders in the Buildingseason three.
Unknown Name (Jesse Williams)
Joining the cast in season three ofOnly Murders in the BuildingisJesse Williamsin a currently unnamed role, though Deadline reveals that he will play a “documentarian with a particular interest in the case that Selena Gomez’s Mabel Mora, Steve Martin’s Charles Haden-Savage and Martin Short’s Oliver Putnam are working on.”
Williams is most famous for his role as Jackson Avery on the hit seriesGrey’s Anatomy. Williams also has appeared in films likeThe Cabin in the Woods,Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and most recently the Paramount+ streaming original filmSecret Headquarters. Williams will make a strong addition to the cast and now is a potential suspect.
