Meryl Streep and Martin Short were photographed sitting closely together at a London restaurant last week, adding fresh fuel to ongoing speculation about their relationship. The pair, both 76, appeared relaxed as they examined a phone screen side by side, with Streep resting her shoulder against Short’s chest in the candid shot shared by a diner on social media.
The fan who captured the image posted it on X on Sunday, May 17, noting they had chosen the spot at random while visiting the city. “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,” the caption read, though the poster had mistaken Short for Streep’s spouse. Streep has been single since her 2023 split from Don Gummer, while Short has remained single since the death of his wife Nancy Dolman in 2010.
Representatives for both actors have not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest sighting. The moment comes as the Netflix series Only Murders in the Building films its sixth season in London, the first time the production has moved outside the United States. Co-star Steve Martin has shared several Instagram posts showing himself visiting local landmarks such as Trafalgar Square during the shoot.
Speculation about a romance between Streep and Short first surfaced in January 2024 after they attended the Golden Globes together. At the time, a representative stated clearly that the two were simply close colleagues. “They are just very good friends, nothing more,” the statement obtained by People magazine read.
Those rumors persisted despite the denial. Short has spoken warmly about Streep in multiple interviews, and comedian Amy Schumer suggested during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary events that Short might no longer be available. “I think that the tea is, I think Marty might be off the market. That’s what I’m seeing,” Schumer, 44, told People in February 2025.
The actors have also been seen holding hands at promotional events for the series. During a June 2025 appearance on the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast, Short recalled feeling nervous ahead of his first scenes with Streep. “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.”
Streep first appeared on the show as Loretta Durkin in season 3. “The first scene we shot in Only Murders was a scene where we’re at the piano and we’re, kind of, flirting a little bit,” Short continued. “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. 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.’”
Additional reports have described the pair sharing a passionate kiss while filming scenes for the series. They have also been regular patrons at Giorgio Baldi in Los Angeles, with multiple sightings of them leaving the restaurant together in recent months.
Five months after the podcast appearance, Streep and Short joined Steve Martin, his wife Anne Stringfield, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Chet Hanks for the opening night of Hanks’ play This World of Tomorrow, posing together backstage for photographs.
Observers note that the actors’ easy rapport has been visible throughout the promotion of Only Murders in the Building. Their public interactions, from hand-holding at premiere parties to the recent London dinner, have kept fans and media outlets interested in whether the friendship has developed into something more.
Production on season six continues in London, where the cast and crew are expected to remain for several more weeks. No official statements have addressed the personal nature of Streep and Short’s relationship beyond the earlier clarification that they are close friends.
Industry watchers point out that both performers have long maintained private personal lives, making any public appearances together particularly noteworthy. The pair first worked together on the Hulu series in season three, and their chemistry has been credited with boosting viewer interest in subsequent seasons.
As filming wraps in the coming weeks, attention may shift back to promotional events in the United States. Whether the London sighting leads to further confirmation or remains another unverified moment is still unclear.