In a surprise turn of events, Meryl Streep and Martin Short are rumoured to be Hollywood’s hottest new couple. Ever since they played love interests on Only Murders in the Building last year, the internet has been gossiping and asking if Meryl, 75, and Martin, 74, are an item.
People really got talking at the start of this year. At the Golden Globe Awards in January, Meryl and Martin were both in attendance to celebrate OMITB, the murder mystery Disney+ comedy-drama about a group of strangers who start their own true-crime podcast. At the ceremony, Meryl and Martin looked particularly close, which led people to question whether they were dating.
And while Meryl and Martin insisted at the time that they were ‘just very good friends’, that hasn’t stopped the rumours. The pair have gone to see Broadway shows and shared meals together. Last week, they were seen out for dinner together at an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica. Their OMITB co-star and fellow comedy legend Steve Martin, who also writes the show, has also responded to the rumours.
It all begs one question: are Meryl Streep and Martin Short dating? Here’s everything we know.
Are Meryl Streep and Martin Short dating?
Well, not officially. The romance reports were first sparked at the beginning of this year, when Martin and Meryl were sat together and seen looking cosy at January’s Golden Globes. As the pair had played romantic interests on Only Murders in the Building, the Disney+ comedy Martin co-stars in with Steve Martin and Selena Gomez, fans started wondering if their romance had progressed off screen.
In the time since, Meryl and Martin have been out for dinner plenty of times (the most recent case being last week), and went to watch the musical Merrily We Roll Along together. With OMITB up for plenty of prizes in awards season, they also sat together at the Emmys in September.
What have Meryl Streep and Martin Short said about the romance rumours?
Both Martin and Meryl’s representatives have insisted that the pair are ‘just friends’ – something Martin himself reiterated to Vanity Fair.
In January, Martin appeared on Bill Maher’s podcast, where he said, ‘We are not a couple, we are just very close friends.’ Bill responded, ‘You should. Because there’s nothing more powerful in Hollywood than a power couple.’
Is Meryl Streep married?
From 1978 to 2017, Meryl was married to the sculptor Don Gummer, 67. The couple have four children together – actresses Louisa Jacobson, Grace Gummer and Mamie Gummer, and musician Henry Wolfe – and five grandchildren. Meryl and Don separated in 2017, although this wasn’t announced at the time. Instead, in October 2023, it was reported that the couple had been separated six years ago, with a spokesperson for The Devil Wears Prada actress confirming that ‘while they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart’.
Is Martin Short married?
Martin met his late wife Nancy Dolman, a comedic actress, while they were performing together in the musical Godspell in 1972. They married in 1980, and adopted three children together. They stayed together for four decades until Nancy’s death of ovarian cancer in 2010. Discussing her passing in 2019, he said, ‘Our marriage was a triumph, so it's tough. She died in 2010, but I still communicate with her all the time. It's “Hey Nan,” you know? How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids?’ Since Nancy’s death, he has not been romantically linked with anyone publicly.