Hulu’s unexpectedly massive surprise hit of 2021 Only Murders in the Building is returning for its second season incredibly soon. Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, the series follows three strangers living in the Arconia, an apartment building in New York City. Charles, Oliver, and Mabel each come from very different walks of life, but they form an unlikely bond when they discover they all share a love for true-crime podcasts.
When one of the building’s residents, Tim Kono, is suspiciously found dead, the three decide to investigate the case together, giving them the perfect mystery to launch their own true-crime podcast. They name it (as you might guess) "Only Murders in the Building". During the investigation, their personal lives become uncomfortably intertwined as shocking secrets are revealed, terrifying discoveries are made, and the trio finds themselves in life-threatening situations.
Our favorite podcasters will have a brand-new mystery to solve in the show’s sophomore season, which premieres on June 28, 2022. If you can’t remember where we left these characters at the end of last season though, don’t worry because you’re in luck! Keep reading below for a cast and character guide that will refresh your memory, and help you learn about some new faces as well before Season 2 arrives on Hulu. But fair warning, deadly spoilers for Season 1 lie ahead!
Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
Living in apartment 14C, Charles is a former television star, famous for playing a character called Brazzos in a popular 1990s detective series. He lives alone in the Arconia and has very few friends. Prior to the series, he had been in a long-term relationship with a woman named Emma. She and her daughter Lucy were living with Charles, but after the break-up, he has struggled to move on. During his investigation with Oliver and Mabel, Charles starts a relationship with another Arconia resident, Jan. With his life on the upswing again, it crashes harder than ever when Jan is revealed to be the murderer that he, Oliver, and Mabel are pursuing.
Rocky love life aside, Charles is quite friendly once he learns to open up to people. He’s also excited to be back in the limelight thanks to the podcast. Season 1 ended with him being arrested, alongside Oliver and Mabel for the murder of Bunny, but more on that later!
Steve Martin has done a bit of anything and everything throughout his multi-decade career. He’s been a stand-up comic, a writer, producer and actor in TV and film, and even an author. He’s dabbled in Broadway and embraced his banjo-playing roots in albums and live on tour. Some of his biggest films include The Jerk (1979), Three Amigos (1986), and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1989), not to mention the Pink Panther franchise.
Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
Living in apartment 10D, Oliver’s once-thriving career as a Broadway director has gone south following a string of flops. Struggling to pay his bills and facing eviction from the Arconia, he strums up the idea for a true-crime podcast with Charles and Mabel, where sponsors can help pay his rent.
Being the creative "leader" of the podcast, Oliver can be super picky and pedantic about its production, but he’s also willing to take lots of risks to keep his listeners entertained. Much like Charles, working on the podcast gives Oliver another turn in the spotlight as he hopes to redeem his name and reputation. Again, like Charles, Season 1 ended with Oliver being arrested for his alleged involvement in Bunny’s murder.
Martin Short got his big break as a comedic performer on Saturday Night Live. He’s since gone on to star in films such as Three Amigos (1986) and Father Of The Bride (1991) alongside co-star Steve Martin. He’s also had numerous guest spots on TV shows like How I Met Your Mother, Big Mouth, and The Morning Show.
Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
Living in apartment 12E, aspiring artist Mabel shares a personal connection with the deceased Tim Kono. The two were best friends having grown up together in the Arconia, and though they had drifted apart, Mabel is committed to solving his murder.
Being friends with Tim, Mabel also finds herself as a central figure in another crime, the murder of Zoe Cassidy ten years prior. With numerous connections between these two horrifying incidents, Mabel arguably plays the most significant role in the trio, bringing both Tim and Zoe’s murderers to justice through the investigation. Once again, Season 1 ended with Mabel unexpectedly finding Bunny’s dead body in her apartment, resulting in her arrest.
Selena Gomez had her start on the hit Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. Following her time with Disney, she has continued to act in films such as The Dead Don’t Die (2019) and lent her voice to the role of Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania series. She is also an accomplished singer with her most recent album, Rare, released in 2020.
Aaron Dominguez as Oscar
Wrongly convicted for Zoe’s murder ten years ago, the series introduces us to Oscar after he’s been released from prison. Being one of Mabel and Tim’s best friends, Oscar is pulled into the investigation too, and does all he can to assist the main trio. Throwing some romantic tension into the mix, Oscar and Mabel both have feelings for each other. Already flirting prior to Zoe’s death, their feelings were put on hold for a decade, but now they’re not sure how to move forward in their relationship.
At the end of Season 1, Oscar’s name is officially cleared after being wrongly accused of Zoe’s murder. Ready to start over, he goes to the Arconia only to see Charles, Oliver, and Mabel being arrested by the NYPD. Though starring in Only Murders In The Building was arguably his breakout role, Aaron Dominguez has also appeared in recent films such as Shaft (2019) and Words On Bathroom Walls (2020).
Amy Ryan as Jan
While she might be a bassoonist, Jan is also an incredible actor! Jan managed to misdirect and fool the main trio about her true identity until their investigation was almost over. However, she couldn’t keep up the act forever. When Mabel and Oliver find her bassoon cleaning equipment in Tim’s apartment, they realize the two were in a relationship.
Jan ultimately murdered Tim when he decided to break up with her. Though she covered her tracks well, even stabbing herself for the ruse, she is proven guilty and sent to prison. It’s unclear how Jan will factor into the series moving forward, but as she appears in the Season 2 trailer, it’s only a matter of time until we find out.
Amy Ryan is best known for her recurring roles as Beadie Russell in The Wire and Holly Flax in The Office. She has also starred in films such as Birdman (2014) and Late Night (2019).
Julian Cihi as Tim Kono
Poor Tim, the Arconia’s very first (and unfortunately not last) murder victim. Being friends with Mable, Oscar and Zoe, Tim had a long history at the Arconia before mostly shutting himself off from his personal life. Of late, his only real relationship was with Jan, and we all know how that sadly turned out. Though his murder was tragic, it helped pave the way for Zoe’s murderer to finally be caught, for Oscar’s name to be cleared, and to bring Oscar and Mabel back together.
Despite being the focus of Season 1’s mystery, it will be interesting to see whether his presence in the Arconia will continue, or if it can somehow be linked to Bunny’s murder.
Like his co-star Aaron Dominguez, the role of Tim Kono was arguably Julian Cihi’s breakout role. However, he also previously had recurring roles on TV shows such as Gypsy and The Tick.
Jayne Houdyshell as Bunny
After going over all the main characters, it’s time to get back to Bunny, the newest murder victim at the Arconia. Her death served as Season 1’s big cliffhanger, resulting in our lead trio being arrested as an unknown assailant has (presumably) fled the scene.
So, what do we know about Bunny? She was the board president at the Arconia, meaning she had the power to decide who could move into the building, and who could be evicted. Throughout Season 1, Bunny attempted to kick out Charles, Oliver, and Mabel on multiple occasions, but after they solved Tim’s murder, she let them off the hook. However, only moments later, she was found dead in Mabel’s apartment.
Jayne Houdyshell has appeared in numerous theater productions over the last twenty years including Wicked, Romeo and Juliet, and The Humans, with the latter being adapted into a film in which she also starred.
Seeing how quickly everything played out, could the killer have already been at the Arconia as a resident, or among those watching our main trio being arrested? We need to start thinking about who could help Charles, Oliver, and Mabel out of their situation, and who Bunny’s potential killer could be. Therefore, let's take a look at...
Other (Innocent?) Residents of the Arconia:
Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller
Uma is a rather crabby woman who doesn't get along very well with most of the other residents but she was one of Bunny’s closest friends in the Arconia. Jackie Hoffman has appeared in multiple Broadway productions such as The Addams Family, On The Town, and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. She also recently appeared in the TV series Feud: Bette and Joan.
Vanessa Aspillaga as Ursula
As Arconia’s building manager, Ursula did her best to keep all utilities in working order and her tenants happy. Saying this, she also had access to the numerous complaints her tenants filed against Tim Kono, proving to be an early ally, as well as a potential threat, to the trio with this information. Ursula also has a fascination with marketing schemes, one of which was Gut Milk, that she convinces Oliver to invest in.
Vanessa Aspillaga has had recurring roles on The Jim Gaffigan Show and the Starz miniseries Flesh and Bone. She also recently starred in the films Hustlers (2019) and A Journal For Jordan (2021).
Zainab Jah as Ndidi Idoko
Ms. Idoko wanted to annex Tim Kono’s apartment quickly after his death so she could expand her own and was, therefore, a suspect in the first season for a brief time. Zainab Jah has recently starred in the British espionage series Deep State, playing Aminata Sissoko, and had a guest role on The Good Lord Bird portraying historical figure Harriet Tubman.
Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris
Howard is a super enthusiastic cat lover whose cat, Evelyn, was killed on the same night as Tim. He was also briefly a suspect, even though that was fairly ridiculous. Michael Cyril Creighton most recently had a recurring role as Jeff the Elf in the Netflix series Dash and Lily, and as Fred Jr in Dexter: New Blood.
Russell G. Jones as Dr. Grover Stanley
Dr. Stanley is the building’s resident therapist who is always looking for clients. Russell G. Jones has had recurring roles in Godless and The Americans, as well as a lead role in Tommy.
Maulik Pancholy as Arnav
Arnav is a friend of Charles’s ex Emma and is still in touch with her daughter Lucy. He is one of the few Arconia residents who doesn't outright hate our lead trio. Maulik Pancholy has had notable long-running TV roles as Sanjay Patel on Weeds and Jonathon on 30 Rock, as well as being the voice actor for Baljeet Tjinder on Phineas and Ferb.
Sting as Himself
With Tim being his former stockbroker, Sting was one of the trio’s lead suspects in their investigation. A legendary musician, Sting first rose to fame as the frontman of the band The Police, before embarking on a successful solo career in the mid-1980s. He continues to perform, as well as occasionally act in guest or cameo roles on TV and film.
Nathan Lane and James Caverly as Teddy and Theo Dimas
We get introduced to Teddy as a deli chain owner who makes lots of tasty dips, according to Oliver at least. Teddy and Oliver are old friends, so Teddy agrees to sponsor the podcast. Little did we know that Teddy has been helping cover up the truth behind Zoe’s murder for a decade as it incriminates his deaf son Theo. It was Theo who accidentally got Zoe killed. The father-son duo manages to keep this a secret until the trio investigates Tim’s death, leading Teddy and Theo to make some drastic decisions, one of which is to kidnap Oliver and Mabel.
Unfortunately, during this kidnapping, Oliver and Mabel discover that the Dimases are stealing jewelry from dead bodies and selling them on the black market. By the end of Season 1, Teddy and Theo are officially cleared from the Tim Kono investigation. However, their grave robbing scheme gets them arrested instead. Though it’s not clear how yet, it’s confirmed that Teddy (and likely Theo too) will return for Season 2.
In his long-lasting career, Nathan Lane has made his mark on TV, film, and Broadway. He has had recurring TV roles on The Good Wife, Modern Family, and most recently, The Gilded Age. He is the voice of Timon in The Lion King film series. On stage, he has also performed in plays such as The Man Who Came To Dinner, The Producers, and The Addams Family.
Similar to a few other co-stars, James Caverly had his breakout role on Only Murders In The Building. As of now, his other credits include two episodes of Chicago Med and the film A Bennett Song Holiday.
Though each of these residents was cleared of any involvement in Tim Kono’s death, nothing rules them out yet from Bunny’s, not even the Dimases! Like any good mystery, there’s a lot about their lives that could be hidden behind closed doors…
Characters Outside the Arconia:
Tina Fey as Cinda Canning
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Cinda Canning is the host of the incredibly popular true-crime podcast All Is Not OK In Oklahoma, which our main trio first bond over and become inspired by. In Season 1, the trio asks for her help when they suspect Sting of being Tim’s murderer. Though their theory is quickly debunked, the trio nonetheless was excited to meet Cinda, even when it turns out she’s not a very friendly person.
Season 1 ended with Cinda deciding to create a new podcast about Charles, Oliver, and Mabel’s alleged murder of Bunny, naming it Only Murderers In The Building. Having a large fanbase, we can only assume her new podcast will cause many issues for our lead trio in Season 2 as they attempt to clear their names.
Tina Fey got her start on Saturday Night Live as a writer and performer. She later created the hit NBC series 30 Rock, working both as a writer and the lead actor, playing Liz Lemon. She was also the co-creator of the TV shows Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mr. Mayor.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Williams
Despite initially ruling Tim Kono’s case as a suicide, Detective Williams jumps back into the case once she starts listening to the trio’s podcast. She becomes an ally to Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, offering them Tim’s phone, which was originally taken as police evidence, and access to Tim’s toxicology report. While happy to help them, she kept her involvement a secret from her fellow officers.
With the trio arrested for Bunny’s murder, Detective Williams will undoubtedly play a significant role in Season 2 as she begins working on this new investigation. However, considering she now has a personal connection to the trio, her integrity as an NYPD detective could be tested if the secret were to come out.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph has had recurring roles on Empire and On Becoming A God In Central Florida, as well as a lead role on the latest season of The Last O.G. She also recently starred in Dolemite Is My Name (2019) and The Lost City (2022).
New Characters in Only Murders in the Building Season 2
With any new season, we need new characters to shake things up! The mystery around Bunny’s death is only just beginning so let’s start speculating how these new characters will fit into the mix.
Cara Delevingne as Alice
Despite being billed as a main character for Season 2, we really don’t know too much about Alice yet. However, what we do have is very interesting. Alice is an art-gallery owner. Could artwork or a connection to this industry play an important part in unraveling the mystery around Bunny’s death? It has also been reported that Alice will be Mabel’s new love interest in Season 2. With Oscar still around though, this could signal the start of a new love triangle at the Arconia.
Cara Delevingne is currently playing a lead character on Amazon Prime’s fantasy series Carnival Row. She has also starred in films such as Paper Towns (2015), Suicide Squad (2016), and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017).
Michael Rapaport as Detective Kreps
There’s no doubt that we’ll see an increased focus on the NYPD this season as Charles, Oliver, and Mabel navigate this unpredictable situation they’ve been placed in. In Season 2, we’ll be meeting Detective Kreps, a lead detective on Bunny’s murder case. Again, not much is known about Detective Kreps yet, but he’ll surely prove to be a big threat to our trio’s freedom.
Michael Rapaport has starred in numerous TV series over the last two decades such as My Name Is Earl, Prison Break, and Justified. More recently, he was a lead character on Netflix’s Atypical, and he also appeared in Hulu’s Life & Beth.
Shirley MacLaine as Bunny’s Mother
This has become a pattern with these new Season 2 characters, but yet again, we don’t know much about Bunny’s mother. We barely knew anything about Bunny herself! That being said, her mother will (hopefully) shed some more light on the unfortunate situation and Bunny’s life, giving us some insight into who might have wanted Bunny dead. Bunny’s mother will likely play a crucial role in solving this mystery and finding her daughter’s killer.
Shirley MacLaine first made her film debut in 1955 starring in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Trouble with Harry. In recent years, she has had guest roles on shows such as Downton Abbey and Glee, and also starred in the Christmas film Noelle (2019).
Amy Schumer as Herself
Last, but not least, for our Season 2 newcomers is Amy Schumer, playing a fictionalized version of herself like Sting did last season. Whether the trio will go as far as to accuse her of Bunny’s murder, much like they did with Sting for Tim Kono, remains to be seen. No matter her role, big or small, everyone plays their part in a murder mystery, and she’ll be no exception to the rule.
Amy Schumer is best known for playing herself, and other characters, in her self-made comedy sketch show Inside Amy Schumer. She recently wrote, directed, and starred in the Hulu series Life & Beth. She also wrote and played the lead character in Trainwreck (2015).