Da'Vine Joy Randolph dropped everything to be in Only Murders In The Building with Meryl Streep

“See, y’all trying to get me in trouble. Do you understand this is like Marvel? Like, we can’t say anything,” Da’Vine Joy Randolph said when The A.V. Club asked her about the next season of Only Murders In The Building. “But you can try! What would you like to know?” First of all: Is she going to be in it? “I think there is very strong conversations about figuring out how to get me involved,” she teased.

The Holdovers star recalled her early meetings with Martin Short, Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and showrunner John Hoffman, where they came away thinking, “‘This works. We like this. Let’s figure out ways in which we can keep this dynamic around, and in particular, the four actors, let’s figure out ways we can continue to incorporate this in,’” and that was “before people saw it,” as Randolph points out. “And then people saw it, and people were digging it, and really enjoyed it.”

The most recent installment, however, “was such a crazy season packed with so many amazing actors, and so many elements” that “Hoffman had called me and he was like, ‘Da’Vine, I don’t know if we can get you in this year, like, we’re really trying, but it’s just so much stuff that I have to figure out of everybody’s storylines, like we’re really taking it to the next level,’” Randolph shared. “And I just politely said, ‘You need to figure it out, because Meryl Streep is in this, and I just need to be in the room with her.’ And he was like, ‘I’ll try, I don’t know, I don’t know’—for a while! And then he called me, and he was like, ‘We figured it out. Can you fly to New York in two weeks?’ And I was like, ‘Will Meryl be in the room?’ They were like, ‘Very much so. You get to, you know, handcuff her—’” With a “say no more” gesture, Randolph said, “‘I’m packing my bags now, I’ll see you in two weeks.’”

The Broadway-centric third season took Randolph back to her stage roots, particularly the United Palace Theater where the fictional Death Rattle musical was staged. “It’s amazing and very very beautiful. Very special, very old school, I love it. It was surreal to be back in that space, and all the memories come flooding in,” the Tony nominee said fondly. “I love how casting has employed so many amazing Broadway actors and actresses in this TV show. I think it’s so yummy and wonderful to help these Broadway actors cross over into television. But yes, I was feeling all the feels.”

Randolph admitted she’s “never worked harder in my life” than doing a Broadway show, and it requires “true devotion” unlike any other project she’s ever worked on. But being around the faux show on Only Murders “definitely brought back that feeling that I’m like, ‘Mmm. Okay. We could do this again,’” she admitted. “But definitely the right show. Because it is, it’s a big commitment and sacrifice to do. But it’s worth it. It’s definitely worth it.”

Meanwhile, Only Murders is “one of my favorite, favorite jobs ever, the set and the atmosphere is so kind and warm, and you have these amazing veteran actors who are like little kids. They have more energy than we do,” she continued. “And it’s just so inspiring and lovely. But yes, there is a season four, and we are literally working it out as we speak of how I’ll be involved. And I will do it until they cancel this thing. I will do it.”