8 minute readMeryl Streep and Martin Short, his co-stars in The Billboard, are the only longtime friends. But things took a romantic turn in 2024, a source told Page Six in March 2025. As of March 13, 2025, the actors had been dating for “over a year.”
The couple has never officially acknowledged their relationship. Short made it clear that he and Streep were really just friends, and at one point shut down rumors of a relationship.
Short was married for 30 years to his late wife, actress Nancy Dolman, who died of ovarian cancer in 2010. Streep married sculptor Don Gummer in September 1978 and they were together for 40 years until they separated in 2018.
Short and Streep have spent decades professionally at the top of the industry, and have been in the spotlight as friends for the past nine years.
Ahead is a timeline of the actor’s history, including recent moments that led to dating rumors.
February 2015
Streep supported the Broadway short. Stars pose backstage at It’s Only a Play at the Jacobs Theater on February 3, 2015. On January 7 of the same year, Short joined the cast as James Wicker.
June 2017
Short and Streep sat next to each other at AFI’s 45th Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala in memory of Diane Keaton on June 17th.
February 2023
Streep, Short and Steve Martin partied together on February 9th. Specifically, they attended the afterparty for the opening night of their Broadway debut, “Pictures from Home,” and documented the event with photos.
August to October 2023
Short and Streep co-starred in the hit series Only Murders in the Building, where they played on-screen lovers. Viewers liked their chemistry on the show, which led fans to believe that perhaps their relationship wasn’t just fictional.
August 29th
In an interview with The Wrap, series showrunner John Hoffman said he was especially grateful that Streep had an on-screen romance with Short. “It was pretty unexpected to imagine the pairing of Meryl Streep and Martin Short and watch them find this incredible connection. And like Meryl said, it wasn’t about age or age or anything else,” he said. “I think it’s because of who these two characters are. But then to see Marty step up incredibly and bring more intelligence to the piece where no one else puts in more effort, and then to see Marty have to play these scenes that break your heart with such dramatic poignancy, riding the line of keeping it comedic and keeping it mysterious…I’m amazed.”
January 2024
January 28th
Short spoke on the podcast “Club Random with Bill Maher” and cleared up any confusion regarding his position with Streep.
“We’re not a couple. We’re just very close friends,” he said.
January 12th
Streep and Short attended the AFI Awards together, where OMITB won TV Show of the Year, and some adorable photos were snapped of them sitting together.
Co-stars Selena Gomez and Steve Martin also attended the ceremony, and the cast reunited on the red carpet.
January 7th
Streep and Short were seated next to each other at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, and the internet loved seeing them laughing and having fun together. However, Short’s rep quickly confirmed to People that they are “just very good friends and nothing more.”
February 2024
February 21st
In several photos obtained by People on Wednesday, Streep and Short are seen having dinner with a group of friends at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.
March 2024
March 16th
Streep and Short spent Saturday night at the theater. The friends attended the Broadway production of “Merrily We Roll Along.”
Corey Mach, who plays Tyler on the show, tweeted: “Today is the day my beautiful Merrily cast has been waiting for almost two years… Meryl is here (along with Martin!) 😭 #MeryllyWeRollAlong.”
An Instagram user shared a photo of Streep and Short sitting together at a show and chatting happily. Users tagged the location as Hudson Theater.
Crystal Joy Brown, who played Gussie in Merrily We Roll Along, commemorated the moment with a reel after the show featuring photos and videos of Short and Streep.
May 2024
May 14th
In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Short revealed how Streep ended up appearing in OMITB and that it was a complete “coincidence” that he was cast as Streep’s love interest.
“The story with Meryl is that she called me and said, ‘I want to be in it,'” he recalled.
“They were already planning for me to have a theatrical experience and be a love interest,” the actor added. “It was a coincidence, but she just wanted to be on the show. She didn’t know[the love story].”
Short also explained how he feels about the constant public intrigue surrounding his friendship with Streep.
“It’s always interesting. Show us your business relationships and specifications,” he said.
But he made it clear that he was not offended by all the attention.
“She’s amazing. There’s no one who doesn’t respect her,” he said of his co-star.
Short also recalled when Streep first joined the cast, admitting that he was a little nervous before filming with her, “I remember driving to work and thinking, ‘Oh, this is weird. I’m a little[nervous]. Oh, of course! I’m going to do a scene with Meryl.'”
August 2024
August 22nd
At the Los Angeles premiere of OMITB’s fourth season, the two walked hand in hand on the carpet, reigniting romance rumors. Deadline shared a video of Streep and Short on X (formerly Twitter).
However, just hours before the premiere party, Short denied any speculation about their relationship, asserting in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that they are truly just friends.
August 26th
In an interview with Extra, Short spoke about his love for Streep. “I think when you work with someone and you love them, a friendship always grows,” he said during a sit-down with Selena Gomez and Steve Martin.
Although Short “doesn’t want to reveal too much” about what happened between OMITB characters Oliver Putnam and Loretta Durkin, Gomez chimed in, calling their bond “very sweet.”
Martin later clarified that Streep is “friends with all of them.” “I’ve worked with her before,” the comedian said, with Short nodding. “I’m very lucky that I did a movie with her…and if you don’t see her for two years (and) you get back together again, you’re already laughing and talking. It’s friendly.”
August 27th
A source at the OMITB premiere told Page Six that Streep and Short’s relationship “has to be more than just a ‘showmance.'” There’s definitely something there. ” As for why the source believed this, he added that Short was “attentive” when they were together. “They walked in holding hands and were laughing with joy. They were so sweet and cute,” the source added.
However, Streep’s representative denied any rumors. “They are just friends,” a rep told Page Six.
September 2024
September 13th
With the Emmy win, fans were hoping to see Streep and Short work together again. A post on X (formerly Twitter) indicated that they were very close to the awards ceremony, which will be aired on ABC. It was said to be a screenshot of behind-the-scenes footage that “confirmed” that the two were sitting next to each other at the event. This shot shows rows of red seats, some with photos and information. Short and Streep appeared to be holding placards in the seats next to each other.
October 2024
October 18th
On Friday, Oct. 18, Steve Martin seemed to hint at Streep and Short’s relationship in an Instagram post. It was a photo of the three of them as part of a screenshot for an article in Glamor magazine. Martin’s face had a large red circle with lines on it.
A fan asked in the comments section if this was about the two possibly becoming a couple, but he didn’t respond.
March 2025
March 8th
On March 8, Streep and Short attended a taping of Saturday Night Live. The two appeared together in a clip posted by TMZ.
Earlier in the night, the actors also attended the Broadway production of Oh Mary!, where they posed for photos backstage with Jennifer Lopez and the show’s cast. Lopez later shared the moment on her Instagram Story.
March 13th
Page Six reported that Streep and Short have actually been dating for “over a year.”
According to those involved, they never expected that they would end up in a relationship like this. That “surprised them,” the official said. “Meryl couldn’t help but be attracted to Martin. He’s a gentleman, always makes her laugh, and is an all around positive person. She loves being around him.”
The actors added, “When they started dating, they weren’t looking for a relationship.” But they have a lot of support behind them. “[Their]friends and family, including their children, absolutely approve of their relationship and think they are adorable together.”
May 2025
May 7th
Streep and Short were photographed kissing in New York City while filming The Bill Murders. The two were dressed as Loretta Durkin and Oliver Putnam, characters who marry in the series’ fifth season.
June 2025
June 30th
Short appeared on an episode of the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and talked about working with Streep on “Only Murders in the Building.” “The first day I worked with Meryl, I remember driving to the studio and thinking, ‘I’m going to be nervous today,'” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been so nervous to go on set. Oh yeah… Mary Streep.”
Afterwards, he shared his memories of his first scene. “The first scene we shot in ‘Only Murders’ was him at the piano, making out a little bit,” he said. “The first shot is set on me, so the pressure is on me. And then we break down so they can flip the camera to her side. We go to the holding area, and she just says, ‘Okay, the tension is half way through.’ “Wait a minute, I was nervous.” Don’t be nervous. ”
September 2025
September 14th
During the 2025 Emmy Awards, Gomez was caught on camera reacting to Short texting Streep from the audience. Gomez playfully poked her fiancé Benny Blanco and appeared to say, “Martin is texting Meryl.” Streep did not attend the ceremony.
November 2025
November 18th
Streep and Short performed together at the opening night of Tom Hanks’ new play, “This World of Tomorrow,” in New York City.
