The 7 Best Celebrity Guests On ‘Only Murders In The Building’

Only Murders in the Building is pumped full of all-star celebrity guests, and these are the best of the best.

Updated 3 months ago, September 17, 2024

The fourth season of Only Murders in the Building has attracted stars from every corner of Hollywood, with Eva Longoria, Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, Kumail Nanjiani, and Molly Shannon all lending their distinct charms to the mix. That all came to a head in Episode 3, when Longoria, Galifianakis, and Levy – playing themselves, naturally – clashed with the show’s central trio of Mabel, Charles, and Oliver. In Charles’s case, his social awkwardness simply magnified Levy’s already bumbling personality; in Oliver’s case, his exuberance clashed with the rude, jaded Galifinakis; and in Mabel’s case, she watched in horror as Eva Longoria completely lost her mind. But this show has always been a star magnet, drawing Oscar nominees like Amy Ryan as well as Oscar invitees like Cara Delevingne. That’s not to mention the supporting players like Jane Lynch and Nathan Lane who have crafted memorable, lived-in characters that round out the show’s universe.

That said, there are certain celebrities who have made it into the god tier. Usually, it’s because they played characters who subverted their public personas, but more frequently, they were just game for anything. Here are those lucky seven.

*spoilers ahead*

1. Eva Longoria

Surprisingly, Eva Longoria was the most impactful of the three A-Listers who invaded the Arconia in Episode 3. For one, she actually helped Mabel further her investigation. But more notably, she brought that manic energy that I always loved on Desperate Housewives, plus some newfound wisdom and skill that demonstrated her evolution as an actress. While Galifianakis and Levy just played heightened versions of themselves, Longoria instead played an unhinged she-devil intent on nothing more than dinner with Michelle Obama. She even fired what she thought was a real gun! If that’s what Eva Longoria is like in real life, then I will become famous just to befriend her and have her protect me in the Apocalypse.

2. Meryl Streep

Imagine a world in which Meryl Streep – Meryl Streep – can’t get an acting job. Meryl. Streep! That’s what Only Murders in the Building wanted us to believe, somehow. They even had her bust out some bad accents that detracted from the character she was playing. Again, this was Meryl Streep doing that! Still, the result was more melancholy than hilarious, and Streep’s character Loretta went on to become a memorable love interest for Oliver and an indispensable player in Season 3. Also, she got better at acting. Meryl Streep did.

3. Paul Rudd

While Streep’s character eventually improved her acting skills, Paul Rudd’s character remained stuck in a rut. As his character was known more for his action star charisma than his actual range as a thespian, he gave Oliver quite the headache during the run-up to their Broadway show. On top of that, everyone hated him! Paul Rudd! They even literally murdered him for it. Paul Rudd!!

4. Tina Fey

As Cinda Canning, Tina Fey was essentially Sarah Koenig if Koenig were secretly a greedy psychopath. Like the Serial creator, she even wore similar glasses. That said, Cinda’s chilling sadism and dry humor added an extra layer of sarcasm to this show, furthering the plot while terrifying our three heroes.

5. Amy Schumer

All Amy Schumer wanted to do was make out with Charles. No cap that was her entire motivation for seeking the streaming rights to Only Murders. She even learned how to play bassoon just to have a shot at playing Jan! And while it isn’t so far out of left field to imagine Amy Schumer casting herself in something just to kiss Steve Martin, the idea was still concerning and hilarious enough to land her on my list.

6. Sting

If I remember correctly, Sting was the first major celeb to play themselves on this show. And if I’m wrong, you can doxx me or whatever. That said, while later celebs would play more hilariously heightened versions of themselves, Sting still set a high bar for future celeb cameos by playing a self-involved, more anxious version of himself. This low-key elitist remained constantly bemused by the star-struck mortals around him. Sting, the elitist! Sting, the same one who cares about rainforests and stuff!