Meryl Streep and Martin Short were recently photographed enjoying a meal together at a London restaurant, further intensifying speculation about the nature of their relationship. The sighting comes as the pair film the sixth season of Only Murders in the Building in the British capital.
A fan photo shared via X on Sunday, May 17, captured the two actors seated side-by-side inside the establishment. In the image, both 76-year-old performers appeared focused on a phone screen, with Streep resting her shoulder on Short's chest in what observers described as an intimate posture.
The fan who posted the photograph mistakenly identified Short as Streep's husband, writing: "Spending a few days in London, choosing a restaurant at random and ending up eating just a few meters from Meryl Streep and her husband." In reality, Streep has been single since her 2023 separation from Don Gummer, while Short has remained unmarried following the death of his wife Nancy Dolman in 2010.
Representatives for both actors have been contacted for comment but have not yet responded to inquiries about the London sighting.
The Netflix series is currently filming its sixth season in London, marking the show's first production outside the United States. Costar Steve Martin has documented the London experience through multiple Instagram posts featuring local landmarks including Trafalgar Square and gift shops selling beanies inscribed with "London."
Speculation about a romantic relationship between Streep and Short first emerged in January 2024 when the pair attended the Golden Globes together. At that time, a representative firmly denied the rumors, stating to People: "They are just very good friends, nothing more."
Despite the denial, the rumors have persisted throughout 2024 and into 2025. Comedian Amy Schumer added to the speculation in February 2025 after observing the duo during Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary celebrations. "I think that the tea is, I think Marty might be off the market. That's what I'm seeing," Schumer, 44, told People.
The actors have displayed public affection while promoting Only Murders in the Building, including holding hands at various events. Their on-screen chemistry has translated into a close off-screen friendship that continues to generate public interest.
During a June 2025 appearance on the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast, Short revealed his initial nervousness about working with the acclaimed actress. "I remember the first day working with Meryl and driving to the studio and thinking, 'I'm nervous today,'" he said. "I [hadn't] been nervous going to the set for a long time."
Short recounted their first scene together, which involved a flirtatious piano sequence. "The first shot set up is over her to me, so pressure's on me and then we break down so that they can reverse the cameras and do her side," he explained. "We go into [the] holding area and she just says, 'OK, nerves to half.' I go, 'Wait a second, I was nervous. You can't be nervous.'"
Streep first joined Only Murders in the Building as Loretta Durkin during the show's third season, bringing her considerable dramatic talents to the comedy-mystery series.
The pair have been spotted together at numerous high-profile events beyond their professional obligations. Five months after Short's podcast appearance, they attended the opening night of Tom Hanks' play This World of Tomorrow, posing for a backstage photograph with Martin, 80, Martin's wife Anne Stringfield, Hanks, 69, Hanks' wife Rita Wilson, and Chet Hanks.
In Los Angeles, Streep and Short have become regular patrons at Giorgio Baldi restaurant, with multiple sightings of the duo leaving the celebrity-favorite establishment together in recent months. The pattern of public appearances has done little to quell ongoing speculation about whether their relationship extends beyond friendship.
As filming continues in London for the sixth season of Only Murders in the Building, fans and media observers will likely continue scrutinizing every public interaction between the two veteran performers, regardless of official statements characterizing their bond as purely platonic.
