‘Only Murders in the Building’ goes Hollywood: ‘This is a dreamy way to start the season’

As a seasoned resident of the City of Angels, I can’t help but appreciate the charm and authenticity that this article brings to the table. Having lived through the Hollywood Hills myself, I can attest to the allure and mystery that such a place holds, especially for those who are new to town.

On a gloomy early March day, with skies heavy and gray, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short were seen walking along a lively street in New York City. This marks the beginning of filming for the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building.”

In this particular setting, they observe a succession of brief scenes: A man resembling a supporting actor from “A Bronx Tale” shouting at a recalcitrant taxi; a child in a Knicks jersey avoiding his mother’s calls from the fire escape of an apartment above, where a sign reads “Diversity”; and a young couple who missed noticing the imaginary Godzilla in the distance, each switching between exaggerated New York accents. Additionally, you’ll find a group of children uncovering a fire hydrant and a slow-moving hot dog vendor pushing a cart along a sidewalk filled with garbage bags.

You know, just everyday New York things in New York.

As I stand here, it feels like I’m living the stereotypical scene straight out of a movie set, doesn’t it? Truth be told, the cast of this Hulu comedy series, who portray crime-obsessed, New York detectives in their show, are just navigating a Hollywood backlot dressed up to look like the Big Apple. The twist? Our production team is ingeniously finding fresh ways to make the storyline reflect reality itself.

As a passionate cinephile, I find myself 3,000 miles distant from my familiar haunts – the Arconia building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, infamous for its murders. However, this new location offers a fresh mystery and an intriguing opportunity for my friends Mabel (Gomez), Charles (Martin), and Oliver (Short). The start of Season 4 finds us delving into the enigmatic circumstances surrounding Sazz Pataki’s (Jane Lynch) demise, a longtime stunt double for Charles who met an untimely end at the close of last season. Amidst our quest for truth, we are also pondering an offer from Tinseltown to bring our hit podcast, which solved the murder in our very building, onto the silver screen.

On the filming location, John Hoffman – a co-creator of the mystery series alongside Martin – is directing the premiere episode. During breaks, he convenes with the actors near the video village, where multiple screens recording the day’s footage are located, which will be incorporated in the scene for the episode when the camera sweeps across. They are brainstorming various options for Mabel’s response to the stereotypical portrayal they’ve just filmed – “They absolutely captured New York” is her line.

“What about, ‘Looks like AI New York’?” Martin suggests. “Or maybe we look at each other?”

Later on, Short approaches Benny Blanco, who’s with Gomez, and greets him by saying, “Hey there, can you spare some affection,” in a friendly manner as they embrace.

Hoffman appears satisfied, basking in his accomplishment of taking his team to a place brimming with glamour, dazzling sunsets, and glitz. He hadn’t envisioned this when he initially proposed the show. However, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood recognized its potential – audio content frequently serves as an equal muse for adaptations, alongside books. The success of the podcast at the heart of the series paved the way. Moreover, some of the show’s characters have existing links to the entertainment world; Charles, for instance, was a popular actor in the ’90s crime drama “Brazzos,” and Oliver is a struggling theater director trying to make his mark.

We’ve arrived at Paramount Pictures Studios on Melrose Avenue, a place that has served as the production base for iconic films such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “The Godfather,” along with popular TV series like “Cheers” and “Happy Days.” Today marks the beginning of our three-day West Coast tour.

“It really has become a sweet spot for us to lean into a season of a thing,” Hoffman says while seated at the commissary on the lot. “What we’re doing here in L.A. is very purposeful for the case, but it’s also purposeful for the underlying story we’re telling. I watched the three of them sitting out there by the Paramount Theater and Steve was saying, ‘This is a dreamy way to start the season.’ ” (A bonus: Each actor has a home in L.A.)

Throughout the show’s run, it has humorously critiqued the true-crime genre and the influence of celebrity culture by weaving these themes into its mystery plots each season. The beginning of the fourth season offers a quick compilation of home videos of the three friends, hinting that this installment, set against a filmmaking backdrop, will explore the concept of one’s identity being preserved and immortalized on screen.

Today’s shoot takes us to another scene: Gomez portrays Mabel walking away from a significant meeting with the studio crew. She finds solace on a bench by the iconic fountain in the renowned circular courtyard, pondering how the trio will be depicted by Hollywood: Oliver as an enigmatic character we all desire to both strangle and embrace; Charles as the grumpy uncle with a surly turtle-like visage; and Mabel as a tormented, homeless, and jobless millennial muttering aimlessly.

“Mabel wonders, ‘If someone creates a major film based on her, what if I never want to be identified with her for the rest of my life?'”

In a subsequent chat with her fellow actors, Gomez displays maturity regarding the challenges of being in the limelight from an early age: “I’ve managed to grow up as well as anyone could. I’m far from perfect, but given that this has been my life for so long, there isn’t much about it I’d change, even though it brings its share of complexities.”

Hoffman explains that it seemed fitting for the narrative to veer towards a Hollywood style, as he often receives suggestions such as “There’s a podcast idea…” or “There’s a podcast idea…” or even just “There’s a podcast” during his conversations. Interestingly, he has recently initiated the writers’ room for his forthcoming project, a limited series on Apple TV+ centered around Las Vegas entertainers Siegfried & Roy, which is derived from the original podcast by Apple titled “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy.”

He mentions it seemed incredibly relatable to him, observing such events unfold so swiftly. “The group, who likely solved not only three but potentially four murders – with their exceptional achievements – were bound to catch the attention of Hollywood. Witty remarks popped into my mind.”

Hoffman considered making the podcast adaptation a TV series rather than a film, but he opted for the latter because, he says, it simplified the storytelling and kept it within the confines of a season while still giving due to the overarching murder mystery. He also didn’t want the studio in this season’s storyline to be associated with “Only Murders in the Building,” which is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. The choice to use Paramount — Molly Shannon plays fictional studio executive Bev Melon — required some orchestrating, Hoffman admits.

He acknowledges that the situation was not simple and transparently states so. About Paramount, he emphasizes, “We’re going to handle your brand with great care,” and they warmly accepted this promise. They recognized our intentions and even hinted at a shared understanding characteristic of the Hollywood studio world.

Not only did the location bring a touch of nostalgia, but it was also familiar ground for Hoffman. Previously, he worked as a writer on “Grace and Frankie” at this Paramount lot, and more recently, it housed the writers’ room for his new series on Apple TV+, “Only Murders in the Building.” Interestingly, this same location was once the base for Short’s short-lived sitcom from 1979, titled “The Associates.”

Short recalls, “I must have been around 28 years old when I noticed they filmed a scene from ‘The Ten Commandments’ using a fake sea back there.” It was astounding, he added.

Martin mentioned: “I have a long history with Paramount, dating back to when David Picker was the president. They were planning to produce ‘The Jerk’, but then David Picker left and they chose not to make it. However, they had already given me around $50,000 as payment.”

“That’d be like $18 million today,” Short quips.

“Martin confirms, ‘Yes, I was allowed to keep the money and given the script.’ In my opinion, that situation could be described as a mistake.”

Indeed, Hollywood’s puzzling conferences and negotiations continue to serve as rich material for comedic portrayals on television, as it becomes increasingly challenging to discern joke from actuality. Shannon found this aspect, along with her shared interest in true crime, particularly enticing when she appeared as a guest star this season. Much like Martin, she’s captivated by true crime stories, and her current fascination is binge-watching recaps of the Black Swan murder trial on YouTube.

She shares, “I’ve never taken on a role like a Hollywood executive before, but I found it incredibly enjoyable since I have a passion for the industry. The character wasn’t modeled after anyone specific, but given the current situation post-strikes and post-COVID, it was fascinating to portray such a role. It felt like being invited to the most exciting Hollywood party happening behind the scenes.”

This show, “Only Murders in the Building,” has attracted an impressive roster of big-name celebrities as guest stars. Among them are Sting, Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Shirley MacLaine, Paul Rudd, and Meryl Streep. In the current season, Streep reappears as Loretta Durkin, a rising actress with romantic ties to Oliver. The star-studded cast of this season has further drawn in more famous faces. Besides Steve Martin, Shannon, Zach Galifianakis, Eva Longoria, and Eugene Levy play exaggerated versions of themselves, portraying the actors who play Oliver, Mabel, and Charles respectively. Kumail Nanjiani and Melissa McCarthy, who almost made an appearance in a previous season, are also part of this season’s lineup.

In some instances during filming, Gomez shared that she found herself unable to suppress her giggles. Interestingly enough, this turned out to be quite beneficial for her character, as she was able to poke fun at the Hollywood scene, something her character didn’t fully comprehend.

“Have you seen that scene where you turn your back?” Short asks. “It made the final cut.”

“In one of the scenes, Gomez shares, I found myself unable to stop laughing due to Molly Shannon’s antics. They eventually decided to keep that laughter in the final cut because it was so amusing. To contain my chuckles, I actually had to turn my face away, but Hoffman managed to make it fit seamlessly into the scene. It seems they didn’t have any other choice.”

Martin often finds himself discussing the impact of their high-caliber guest stars on set: “The key point is, yes, they are renowned celebrities, but what truly matters is their exceptional talent. Whenever we collaborate with an actor who’s exceptionally skilled, regardless of their fame, it’s a genuinely enjoyable experience. It reminds me of the old saying in tennis, when you play with someone more skilled than yourself, you tend to step up your game a bit.”

“Except for Marty,” he deadpans.

In terms of who they might choose to portray their real-life counterparts in the biographical series, this topic sparks some friendly banter.

“Obviously you go to Leo [DiCaprio] first,” Short suggests for Martin.

“Oh wow,” Gomez says.

“But then you go from Leo to Andy Dick,” Short continues.

“How about Tim Walz?” Martin says.

OK, so, who would Martin tap to play Short?

“Uh … has Mickey Rooney died?” he says.

“Yes, he’s gone,” Short says.

Martin remarks, setting himself up with a joke, “He’s passed away,” referring to the person in question. “Nonetheless, if I had to pick someone, it’d be Mickey Rooney. They both have that similar, energetic spirit.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah,” Short says.

Returning to the Los Angeles scene, the show’s itinerary included filming at a luxurious residence in the Hollywood Hills, depicting an extravagant party aimed at tempting their characters into striking a deal, as well as the apartment building where Sazz resides. Hoffman remarks, “We searched extensively for the ideal, suggestive location that could serve as the foundation for something greater.”

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself in the midst of the legendary Hollywood studio, where Oliver and Charles are trying to console a flustered Mabel amidst extras dressed as cowboys strolling through the iconic archways that open onto numerous soundstages. In a pause from filming his upcoming Hulu series, “Paradise City,” its creator Dan Fogelman, famously known for “This Is Us,” wanders over to watch the unfolding scene. With Oliver and Charles at ease, humor seems inevitable, especially when Robert Evans, the late film producer, is brought up. A soft chuckle echoes around the monitors.

“Now, remember, you’re playing Charles here,” Short teases Martin between takes.

The final shot shows the threesome jumping into a 1980s black limousine, allegedly the same Lincoln town car used in “Die Hard”, and piloted by Charles’s former chauffeur from his Brazzos days. With this, our New Yorkers embark on their Hollywood tour and commence their probe into the mysterious Sazz affair.

Once more, the untrained investigators have hit the streets. As expected, they’ve decided to drop by In-N-Out during their Los Angeles adventure. Inevitable LA stereotypes, you know!

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2024-08-27 02:02