Their onscreen love story as Oliver and Loretta in Only Murders In The Building has continued to blossom over time and off-screen, Martin Short and Meryl Streep have continued to fuel the whispers that they are in fact an item in real life.
Martin, 74, and Meryl, 75, held hands as they walked the red carpet of the season four premiere in LA. And despite previously insisting they were merely “just very good friends”, an insider tells Woman’s Day they’ve actually “been dating a while now.”
“They knew exactly what they were doing by coming out on stage holding hands. It was their way of basically telling everyone that there’s a lot more to their relationship, and that they are indeed falling in love,” the source says.
The veteran showbiz couple sparked romance rumours when they got cosy at the Golden Globes in February, just months after the shock news that Meryl had been secretly separated from her husband Don Gummer for six years.
“Meryl and Martin didn’t want to go public because they wanted to give their relationship time to develop naturally,” the insider explains.
THE ROMANCE HAS BEEN BREWING
“But they don’t feel the need to hide anymore, and everyone’s very happy for them. No one expected this, least of all them, but something just sparked between them when they worked together on this TV show.”
In a chat with co-stars Selena Gomez and Steve Martin, Martin spoke of his “love” for Meryl. “I think it’s been a friendship that always grows, you know, if you work with someone and love that person,” the actor said.
Earlier in March, both moved quickly to have their reps deny reports their friendship was anything more. But Meryl and Martin couldn’t help but fuel widespread rumours they were in fact dating!
The giggling pair were snapped having dinner at swanky restaurant Giorgio Baldi, and sources revealed that there was “definitely something going on” between them.
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“They were really enjoying their meal and having a blast the whole time,” one onlooker rushed to tell People magazine following the dinner, adding that there was “lots of laughing” and they “couldn’t have been having a better time”.
Friends tell Woman’s Day, Meryl, who had become extremely close to Martin, 73, on the set of their hit TV series Only Murders In The Building, is “having so much fun” with the actor.
“Their relationship is the worst-kept secret in Hollywood, but everyone’s letting them get on with it. It’s just so darling to see her smile again after so long in an unhappy marriage. Martin’s exactly what she needs right now,” the sleuth divulges.
Speculation of their seemingly blossoming love first made headlines after the 2024 Golden Globes ceremony in January, when Murders co-star Selena Gomez almost let the cat out of the bag during a conversation with Taylor Swift.
While engaging in a not-so-covert conversation at their dinner table, photos of Selena whispering to Taylor were plastered on social media with many fans questioning if she was criticising Kylie Jenner.
However, the headlines prompted Selena to clarify she simply “told Taylor about two of my friends who hooked up. Not that that’s [anyone’s] business”.
While Kylie Jenner fans might have been off her back, it didn’t take long before fans realised she was likely talking about murmurs in the room that Meryl and Martin, who stayed close throughout the ceremony, had secretly become an item.
“It was the talk of the Globes that prompted Meryl’s reps to come out and issue a denial…she and Martin are in the early stages and want to keep things fun and friendly. They’re not looking to become a Hollywood power couple,” says a source.
Friends are convinced that getting to know Martin two years ago on set was what made Meryl come clean last year on her secret six-year separation from her now-ex-husband Don Gummer.
“Meryl has not been this happy in years – her family love him, her fans love him and he’s so genuinely besotted with her,” the insider adds.
Hilariously, sources in Tinseltown say the news of their coupling has prompted so many invitations for the pair to posh parties and chic soirees they “can’t keep up”, not that the duo are remotely interested in any of that.
“They enjoy good conversation and beautiful meals,” says a source.
