Hulu's Only Murders in the Building stars Martin Short (Oliver), Steve Martin (Charles), and Selena Gomez (Mabel) in a dark-comedy, mystery-thriller. It managed to captivate audiences with an intriguing mystery and great characters but even some of the most diehard fans don't know everything about the production of the series.
The Hulu original was just picked up for a second season after season 1 ended on a perfect cliff-hanger. Filmed in New York City and starring some of the most well-known names in cinematic history, Only Murders in the Building has some interesting behind-the-scenes facts that every fan should know before season 2 aires.
It Is One Of Hulu's Most Watched Series
After the series premiered in August 2021, it gained a cult following. The episodes weren't all released at once, which gave viewers the opportunity to solve the fictional murder of Tim Kono themselves. And while viewers who completed season 1 know who some of the murderers are, there appears to be more in the Arconia.
Due to the show's success, it's now one of the most-watched comedies in Hulu history, according to The Wrap. And while there are shows like OMITB, none can compete with the comedic telling of Martin Short and Steve Martin.
You Can Visit The Arconia In Real Life
While the Arconia isn't an actual apartment building that fans can rent from, the exterior shots were filmed at the Belnord in Manhattan (225 West, 86th Street), according to Atlas of Wonders. In the series, the Arconia is home to some of the most likable characters (and a few murderers).
The interiors of the Arconia were all filmed at Silvercup Studios. The designers did a fantastic job of making each apartment unique to the character who lived there — each showing off their personality and way of living.
The Inspiration For Cinda's Podcast
At the start of the series, the camera followed each character to their respective apartments where they're listening to a murder mystery podcast hosted by Cinda Canning. Played by guest star Tina Fey, Cinda was their podcast queen and guru as they tuned into her podcast every week religiously. It wasn't until the murder of Tim Kono that Oliver, Mabel, and Charles realized they were all fans of Cinda's and wanted to start their own podcast to compete with Cinda's.
In real life, Cinda's podcast All is Not Okay in Oklahoma was inspired by the investigative podcast, Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig, according to Distractify.
Steve Martin Already Knew How To Play The Concertina
Before Charles met his future love interest, Jan, he was seen playing the concertina in hopes of adding some background music to their podcast, Only Murders in the Building. Once he met Jan, he found out she was a basoonist and the two would play their respective instruments from their apartment windows and create a sweet harmony.
It was a major plot twist, however, when Charles found out that Jan wasn't as great a basoonist as she said, and she actually lied about her position within the orchestra. As it turns out, Steve Martin didn't need to learn how to play the concertina for the show because he already knew how to play, according to The Guardian.
It Was Hard To Shoot Scenes In New York With Selena Gomez
Although Martin Short and Steve Martin are legendary actors with iconic resumes, Selena Gomez is a more popular actor in 2021. Selena has an incredible fan base that loves to follow her every move. From her songs to her movies, Selena is on her way to becoming her own legend. As Mabel, she's one of the best characters.
In an interview with Town and Country Magazine, Aaron Dominguez (Oscar) noted that it was hard filming with Gomez in outside settings of New York because fans would chant her name as often as they could during scenes. This made it difficult to stay in character but they did the best they could with the timing they had.
Mabel's Wardrobe Department
Some of the best outfits in the series were worn by Mabel. Her style was incredibly unique and was strong with a dash of color and feminity. According to Vulture, the costume designers spent a good amount of time perfecting Mabel's look.
Costume designer, Dana Covarrubias, said that Mabel was, “The kind of girl who could walk into a thrift store and find five pieces that are amazing.” But as the series goes on, Mabel's style changed to match the theme of the show. Covarrubias said, "As the season goes on, we have them wearing more vulnerable things."
Life On Set
Ever wonder what life on set of a Hulu original is like with Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez? According to Aaron Dominguez, the set was incredibly uplifting and silly.
Dominguez told Town and Country, "Things may have been a little hard at times when there were very intense, high-stakes scenes, but there was never a dull moment, that's for sure. It was constant laughter; there were always jokes.” With two of the greatest comedic actors of all time in one show together, it's bound to have its hilarious moments off-screen.
The Auditioning Process
Steve Martin didn't just star as Charles, he's also one of the co-writers, co-creators, and is one of the executive producers of Only Murders in the Building. Thanks to Seventeen, Martin said this about the casting choices for the series, "You get a list of names, you know, you’re thinking, ‘Sure, they’d be good, they’d be good,’ and then they say, ‘What about Selena Gomez?’ and it’s just—yes, of course. There was no question except ‘Can we get her?’"
Signing Selena to the series was a great way to get an array of viewers to tune in to one of Hulu's best shows. In fact, it's hard to imagine this entire project without Mabel's point of view and knowledge.