Only Murders in the Building guest star Kumail Nanjiani was extremely pleased by the environment Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez have created on set of the hit Hulu series.
“It is truly a no hazing set. It is absolutely and completely supportive, generous and kind,” Nanjiani, 46, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, November 21, while promoting his partnership with Quest Bake Shop. “It’s just a very, very joyful set.”
Nanjiani credited the executive producers — and stars — of the show for the positivity, adding, “What we get to do should be joyful. It’s hard work but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be joy with it. And [they] really understand that. [Steve and Martin] have been doing it so long, I’m sure they’ve been on all kinds of sets and they’ve decided if they are on a set, everyone is going to feel safe and joyful. And that’s what they do.”
The Hulu series, which debuted in 2021, follows three unlikely friends — played by Gomez, 32, Martin, 79, and Short, 74 — who form a friendship over their love of true crime. The group ends up solving various murder mysteries connected to their apartment building, the Arconia, which leads to many star-studded cameos throughout the seasons.
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Season 4 introduced the residents of the other side of the Arconia a.k.a The Westies, which includes Richard Kind playing a man with chronic pink eye and Nanjiani bringing to life a trainer who is obsessed with Christmas — or so the audience thinks.
“[It was] very easy [to get into character] because I love Christmas. I’m a huge Christmas fan. Right after Thanksgiving is when we put our Christmas tree up,” Nanjiani, who is married to Emily V. Gordon, told Us. “I love Christmas songs. Every year we have rituals where we watch Christmas movies and cartoons. I’m the guy who drives around listening to Christmas music the entire year. So for me, it was very, very easy.”
He continued: “There’s a reveal with the character that [he lies about loving Christmas] which is actually out of character for me. I love the aesthetic of Christmas. I loved wearing those sweaters. I thought those sweaters looked actually really awesome.”
Getting into character was easy for Nanjiani, but he did admit to feeling “very intimidated” about sharing the screen with “true comedy icons” Martin and Short.
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“You go in being like, ‘OK just pretend like they’re normal people.’ What helps is they are so wonderful, kind and absolutely generous human beings,” he gushed. That’s one of the best sets I’ve ever been on. That comes from those three — and John Hoffman who is the creator of the show. They put you at ease. They understand that they can be intimidating to people just by virtue of who they are. So they go out of the way to make you feel comfortable.”
Nanjiani even got all his questions about Martin and Short’s prolific careers answered. , “I was thrilled that Only Murders in the Building is one of my favorite shows on TV,” he told Us. “To be able to work with people like Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin, who I’ve been watching my entire life. I’ve been a fan of them my entire life. So to be doing scenes with them, it’s just a completely unbelievable turn of events.”
In addition to Nanjiani’s character Rudy being (fake) obsessed with Christmas, he is also known for being extremely physically fit thanks to his job as a Peloton instructor. Nanjiani could relate to that detail as someone who prioritizes working out — and eating right. That is why the actor partnered up with the Quest Nutrition Bake Shop to have treats that help him reach his fitness goals.
As fans sat down to watch episodes of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building — which premiered in August 2021 — many were surprised to see several famous faces pop up for a blink-and-you-missed-it cameo. The show, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, has seen several big names come by for a […]
“I’ve been a fan of Quest for a long time. So for me — when they came to me — it was such a no brainer. I’ve always been pretty thoughtful about brand partnerships. I don’t want to do something that I don’t actually enjoy,” he explained. “And the bake shop line has muffins and brownies, which are all really good.”
Nanjiani said it made “perfect sense” to work with a company he already supports. “I really have a sweet tooth and I hate the sugar crash. It happens every time and it is especially tough if I’m on set or working where its long days and your energy needs to be up. You cannot afford to crash at all,” he continued. “So for me, just being able to get a Quest protein bar or muffin in me and not have to worry about how’s it going to make me feel two hours from now, it’s really unbeatable.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
