Only Murders in the Building actor Steve Martin has expressed his disappointment over co-star Selena Gomez's Emmy snub. Martin, Gomez, and Martin Short lead the Hulu mystery-comedy series as an unlikely group of friends and true crime aficionados who come together to create a podcast investigating a suspicious death in their Upper West Side apartment building. In Only Murders in the Building season 2, which began streaming on June 28, the trio is looking into the murder of Bunny (Jayne Houdyshell), the Arconia's tough-as-nails board president who was found dead in Mabel's (Gomez) apartment. On Monday, Hulu renewed Only Murders in the Building for season 3.
Besides being Hulu's most-watched comedy series, Only Murders in the Building has also received widespread admiration from fans and critics alike. Things like the charming chemistry of the central trio and the show's hilarious and witty approach to true crime are adored by audiences, and it is for these reasons that Only Murders in the Building earned 17 nominations for the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards, including in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. Both Martin and Short landed acting nods for their performances, while Nathan Lane and Jane Lynch scored nominations for their guest roles. Shockingly, Gomez was the only one of the three leads who was left out of the nominations list, sparking fan outrage and criticism.
Now, Martin has also reacted to the Academy snubbing Gomez ahead of the 2022 Emmys in an interview with Variety. The actor, although elated about his show getting a lot of nods, expresses his disappointment about Gomez not being recognized for this year's awards. Martin explains:
Yeah, we’re very happy we got a lot of nominations. We’re a little dismayed that Selena [Gomez] didn’t get nominated because she’s so crucial to the trio, to the show. She kind of balances us. In fact, in some ways you can say that we got nominated because of her balance in the show. But we’re happy that she is nominated as executive producer on the show. She’s a big asset for us.
Although Gomez's co-stars and her fans have both expressed disapproval over her Emmy snub, the Only Murders actress herself hasn't reacted to the situation yet. In fact, the odds are good that Gomez will instead put all of her focus onto the upcoming season 3. At the same time, it is heartwarming to see that her Only Murders in the Building co-star acknowledges her hard work and show-stealing performance, and that he even credits her for his own nomination. Martin has Gomez's back, and it's very sweet to see.
These comments by Martin are a testament to Gomez's great skill as an artist, and they prove that she was deserving of the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nomination that many had predicted for her. What is additionally adorable is that with Martin supporting Gomez, it seems that the on-screen camaraderie between the leading trio of Only Murders in the Building exists off-screen too. This is very beneficial as their friendship will play into their performances, which has become increasingly evident in season 2. As for Gomez, it is indeed disheartening that she was overlooked by the Emmys despite her remarkable work. However, considering that her delivery of sharp wit and comic timing have only improved in Only Murders in the Building season 2, great things lie ahead for her in the future. Plus, with the backlash against Gomez's snub, Emmy voters must have taken notice, and they will likely attempt to rectify their mistakes next year.
Only Murders in the Building releases new episodes Tuesdays on Hulu.
Source: Variety