The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a nice summary of the events leading up to the third season of “Only Murders in the Building” – and how Meryl Streep’s character, Loretta Durkin, fits in: There’s a new murder to solve in Only Murders in the Building season three — and Selena Gomez’s Mabel, Steve Martin‘s Charles and Martin Short’s Oliver are on the case. In the final moments of season two, Charles stars in Oliver’s play alongside none other than Paul Rudd as series newcomer Ben Glenroy. Right before the curtain rises, Ben and Charles are seen bickering and Charles utters, “I know what you did.” As soon as Ben steps onto the stage and recites his first line, he collapses and dies. Rudd isn’t the only new castmember welcomed into the orbit of the murder-mystery-solving trio in season three. Meryl Streep joins Only Murders as struggling actress Loretta Durkin, who has a role in Oliver’s Broadway play and begs him not to give up on her. The season three trailer shows Ben isn’t a fan of Loretta, even going as far as to call her a “stinkarooni.” Could she be his killer? But, according to Hulu’s season three synopsis, Loretta actually helps the trio as they embark on their toughest case yet — one that sees them leave the comfort of the Arconia, much to the tenants’ joy. “At least you had the consideration to keep the body out of the building this time,” Mia Hoffman’s Uma tells Charles in the two-and-a-half-minute look at the upcoming season. The complete article can be read at The Hollywood Reporter.
In a previous conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator John Hoffman admitted that Streep “was the dream” casting choice for Loretta, and then she “reached out to her friends Steve and Marty” about wanting to be a part of the show. “It’s this domino effect of wonderful experiences, and she is everything anyone has ever said about working with her. It [was] really a hell of a time on our set.” Gomez echoed Hoffman’s sentiment about Streep when she shared a photo in April with the three-time Oscar winner to announce production on season three had wrapped. “I’m not sure I have enough words to explain just how beautiful this season has been,” she wrote in the caption. “It has been deliriously hilarious, challenging and for me, an absolute dream. I’ll post more soon. But I’ll I leave it with the woman I adore, look up to and love.”