The Hollywood rumor mill puts out a lot of insane romantic speculations. And a few not-so-insane ones. But every now and then, the paparazzi manage to snap a photo of two celebs doing something that makes us wonder, "Are they or aren't they?" That's what happened when Meryl Streep and Martin Short were seated very closely next to each other at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards in January.
Their chemistry was as undeniable at the Globes as it was on-screen during the most recent season of "Only Murders in the Building." As photos of them laughing and being silly together made their way across the internet, fans couldn't help but wonder if there was more to their friendship than meets the eye.
"I need these rumors to be real," one fan wrote on Twitter. "The world is really dark right now, but I just think that if Martin Short and Meryl Streep were having sex we could all find the motivation to go on."
As amazing as a romantic union between two of the world's most iconic actors would be, right now, it's just a rumor. And one that Short himself has shut down, according to PEOPLE. "We're not a couple," he told Bill Maher's "Club Random" podcast after the Golden Globes. "We are just very close friends."
Maybe — but we're not entirely convinced. Here's a breakdown of Short and Streep's friendship that makes us hold out hope that there's something more between them.
They've been friends for almost a decade
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
It's not clear exactly when Short and Streep started hanging out, but they were photographed together in 2015 when the actress attended one of his shows on Broadway (pictured above). While Streep was still with her husband, Don Gummer (whom she's now been separated from for six years), Short was single at the time. He hasn't publicly dated anyone since his wife of 30 years, Nancy Dolman, died of ovarian cancer in 2010.
Over the years, they sat next to each other at award shows and were spotted attending the same parties, but their friendship didn't reach the public eye until 2023.
They played lovers on-screen
Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu
Streep joined Short for season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building," the hit Hulu whodunit he stars in with Steve Martin and Selena Gomez. The co-stars announced the Oscar-winner's arrival with a cute video posted to Gomez's account. In it, you can see Streep saying, "Marty, anything you need?"
"Just the tea that I had asked for half an hour ago," he jokingly responds.
That undeniably cute exchange was just the beginning of their amazing chemistry on-screen. Streep played Short's love interest during the third season, which premiered in July 2023. She also apparently asked Martin and Short if she could join the cast, which, at the very least, tells us how close they are.
And let's not forget what series showrunner John Hoffman told The Wrap about their fictional love story — and Streep thanking (yes, thanking) him for writing.
"It's pretty unexpected to imagine a pairing of Meryl Streep with Martin Short and watch them find this incredible connection together and, as Meryl said, to not have it be twee or about the age or about any of that," he said. "It's just a beautiful romance that you buy, I think, because of who these two characters are."
Who these two characters are or who these two actors are? The jury is still out. But we're rooting for the latter.
They keep teasing us
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for FIJI Water
Yes, Short denied the rumors both himself and via his rep. But the gossip didn't make the friends want to lay low. In February 2024, they were photographed having dinner in Santa Monica, California, with a few friends. A source told PEOPLE that there was "lots of laughter" and that they "couldn't have been having a better time."
"They were really enjoying their meal and having a blast the whole time," the source said.
Sure, you can have a really fun meal out with your pals and not be romantically involved. But when you're under the Hollywood microscope the way these two are, any and every hangout is bound to cause speculation.
Their fellow "OMITB" star Jackie Hoffman, who plays Uma Heller, told Page Six that she didn't think there was anything romantic going on between them.
"I've seen platonic chemistry, but I didn't think for one second," she said, "I think they're both such good actors that everyone believed it because they wanted to believe it. He's always 'on,' and I can't picture her tolerating it!"
So, who knows, maybe Streep and Short are just really amazing friends who happen to be really amazing actors. Maybe they aren't secretly in love and laughing off the rumors as they continue to hang out. But hey, a fan can dream.
