Meryl Streep Gives the Middle Finger While Sitting With Martin Short at SNL 50th Anniversary Concert

Meryl Streep just went viral for a NSFW reason. That’s all.

During Peacock’s livestream of the SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall Feb. 14, the Oscar winner was shown sitting beside Martin Short and giving the camera the middle finger.

Streep, who has stirred romance rumors with her Only Murders in the Building costar for more than a year, made the gesture as part of a gag. Ana Gasteyer and fellow SNL alum Will Ferrell had just reprised their roles of fictional Altadena Middle School music teachers Marty and Bobbi Mohan-Culp, with the actor offering a life update about their ’90s characters.

“We have pretty significant floaters right now,” he said, “but it doesn’t stop us from seeing so many middle fingers peppered in both the upper mezzanine and orchestra section. It’s just unbelievably rude.”

Gasteyer added, “We’re talking about you, Meryl. We see you,” after which the 75-year-old flipped the bird, prompting Short, 74, and scores of fellow audience members to burst into laughter.

During the sketch, the SNL alumni, both 57, performed a satirical medley of several songs, including Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Britney Spears’ “Work B—h,” Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” and Doechii’s “Denial Is River.”

Gasteyer, Ferrell, Streep and Short are among a long list of celebs who took part in the event, one of several celebrating SNL’s 50th anniversary.

Other performers included Miley Cyrus, Bad Bunny, Eddie Vedder, DEVO and the Backstreet Boys, as well as Jelly Roll, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear, who were joined by Post Malone for a performance of their former band Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.

In addition, Lady Gaga, who and SNL alum Andy Samberg performed medley of popular digital SNL shorts, including “D–k in a Box.”

In addition to Streep and Short, celebs spotted in the audience included SNL alumni such as Chevy Chase, Pete Davidson, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Nealon, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, plus Chris Pine, Alix Earle, Emma Stone, Amy Schumer, Brendan Fraser, Jason Momoa, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Hamm, Kevin Costner, Paul Rudd, Pedro Pascal and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Streep and Short’s joint appearance comes more than a year after they first sparked romance rumors.

The actor debunked the dating speculation in January 2024. “We’re not a couple,” he said on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast at the time. “We are just very close friends.”

Then in August, Short addressed the rumors again. “It’s been a friendship that always grows,” he told Extra, “if you work with someone and love that person.”

Last October, after the two were spotted grabbing dinner at a Los Angeles restaurant, their Only Murders in the Building costar Steve Martin cryptically shared a screenshot of a photo of all three of them together, with a giant red circle with a cross through it placed over his face.

Keep reading for more on the Only Murders in the Building cast’s romance history…

(E! News and Peacock are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

Selena Gomez

When it comes to her romance with record producer and fiancé Benny Blanco, Selena is the first to admit she has trouble keeping her hands to herself. After all, the duo have had a penchant for showing off their relationship since confirming it over social media last year.

As she wrote to a fan of Benny in a December 2023 Instagram comment, “He is my everything in my heart.”

At the time, Selena revealed the duo had been dating for six months, and Benny later opened up on how their friendship blossomed into something more.

“I was the last one to know,” he told the Wall Street Journal of developing feelings for Selena in April 2024. “It’s crazy how your partner could just be sitting there the whole time, right in front of your eyes, and you don’t even notice, and then you have that Clueless moment where you’re like, Wait, I’m in love.”

And while many of the Wizards of Waverly Place alum’s fans reminisce on her previous relationships with Justin Bieber, whom she dated on-and-off until 2018, and The Weeknd, whom she dated in 2017, Selena assures that Benny is not her same old love.

“I’d have to say overall it’s the safest that I feel,” she told Zane Lowe in February 2024. “It’s been really lovely and I’ve only grown through it, so it’s awesome.”

Indeed, it has been awesome. After all, Benny proposed to Selena in December 2024 after one year of dating. With a series of photos of her marquise-cut diamond ring, she wrote on Instagram, “Forever begins now…”

Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA/Shutterstock

Steve Martin

Steve’s character Charles may not have the best luck when it comes to romance, but the comedian is doing just fine. After all, the Cheaper by the Dozen alum has been happily married to his wife Anne Stringfield since 2007.

The pair’s meet cute actually happened over the phone while Anne was working as a fact checker for The New Yorker during the aughts. At the time, Steve was writing comedy blurbs for the publication, and told AARP in 2017 that he and his wife “talked on the phone for a year” before they ever met.

And while Steve described Anne as “shy” on their first introduction, the pair’s romance quickly heated up. In fact, they ended up tying the knot in a ceremony that was a surprise even to their guests—which included Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks and Diane Keaton.

Steve was married to ex wife Victoria Tennant from 1986 to 1994, but he welcomed his first child, Mary, with Anna in 2012.

He later told AARP that becoming a dad at nearly 70 was “fantastic.”

“I think if I’d had a child earlier, I would have been a lousy father because I would have misplaced my attention on my career,” he told the publication. “She’s giving me way more than I’m giving her.”

Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Martin Short

Long before he was on Only Murders, Martin met his only one—late wife Nancy Dolman—on the set of Godspell in 1972. The couple—who share kids Katherine, Oliver and Henry—was married from 1980 until Nancy died after a battle with cancer in 2010.

And while Martin has more recently sparked romance rumors with costar and longtime friend Meryl Streep, he has spoken before about communicating with Nancy “all the time.”

“Our marriage was a triumph,” he gushed to AARP in 2019. “It’s ‘Hey Nan,’ you know? How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids.”

Still, Martin noted that after his wife’s untimely death he has been able to ascertain what he holds most dear in life.

As he put it to AARP, “To me, life is a practical experience each day, with a coating of ‘Be as happy as you can be’ on top.”

At the moment, Meryl appears to be making Martin quite happy—as the duo arrived to their Only Murders season 4 premiere together, holding hands. Still, they may have been playing into their characters, as sources close to the Santa Clause alum assured to E! News in Jan. 2024 that the pair are just “very good friends.”

“It’s been a friendship that always grows,” Martin told Extra of Meryl in Aug. 2024. “If you work with someone and love that person.”

Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Meryl Streep

Prior to stirring romance rumors with her on-screen Only Murders love interest, Meryl was married to ex husband Don Gummer for nearly 40 years. The couple—who share adult children Henry, Mamie, Grace and Louisa—separated in 2017, but kept their break up private until 2023.

“Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than six years,” a spokesperson for the Mamma Mia! actress told E! News in 2023. “And while they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart.”

The couple’s last public appearance together was at the 2018 Academy Awards. And at an early Oscars ceremony in 2012, the three-time award winner didn’t hold back from gushing over her then-husband.

“First, I am going to thank Don,” she said during her Best Actress acceptance speech for her role in The Iron Lady. “Because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you’ve given me.”

Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Paul Rudd

Paul may no longer be a resident of the Arconia, but his role as Ben Glenroy will forever be infamous of Only Murders lore, and the Ant-Man star’s love life is just as notable.

After all, Paul met his wife Julie Yaeger, a screenwriter and producer, in the late ‘90s. And, the actor described, Julie was the first person Paul ever met in New York—literally. He met her in a publicist’s office on the heels of his Clueless breakout role. As if it could get any cuter!

“We started talking and there was a maturity with her—she had experienced some tragedy in her life, I had too,” he explained of Julie to Marie Claire UK in 2018. “The impression I got was, ‘Wow, this is a woman. This isn’t a girl.’”

Shortly after their office meet-cute, Paul took Julie to lunch—a short few years later, they tied the knot in 2003. Afterward, the couple welcomed son Jack in 2006, who was followed by younger sister Darby in 2010. And while Paul has made quite the name for himself as a comedian and actor, it’s the life he’s created with his family that he cherishes the most.

“When I think about myself, I think of myself as a husband and a father, like I’m that,” he told People in 2021. “I just hang out with my family when I’m not working. That’s what I kind of like the most.”

Todd Williamson/Shutterstock

Eva Longoria

It’s important to be familiar with Eva Longoria’s love life—as the Desperate Housewives star plays herself in the newest season of Only Murders. Indeed, along with Eugene Levy and Zach Galifiankis, the trio makes up the movie versions of Mabel, Charles and Oliver.

While Eva was previously married to the late Tyler Christopher from 2002 to 2004, and Tony Parker from 2007 to 2011, she found her forever in José “Pepe” Bastón, whom she married in 2016. And the Young and Restless star—who now shares son Santiago with the producer—has said the wait was worth it.

“I learned to be content on my own,” she told People in 2016. “I think I needed that to be ready for what I have with Pepe.”

Of course, Eva’s other true love is her son.

“Laying in bed, falling asleep—those are my favorite moments,” she gushed of Santiago to E! News in 2024. “My heart melts. That’s my favorite—when he just wants to be with me.”

Richard Young/Shutterstock

Eugene Levy

The Schitt’s Creek star’s love story is simple. He met his wife Deborah Divine—with whom he shares kids Sarah Levy and Dan Levy—in the 1970s, before the couple tied the knot in 1977.

Unlike the rest of her family, Deborah prefers to stay behind the camera and has worked as a producer and screenwriter on various productions over the years.

But the American Pie star assures that without her, his family—nor he—would be where they are today.

“You can’t have your name put on a star on Hollywood Boulevard without someone having your back, and Deb’s had mine for 47 years,” the actor explained during his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in March 2024. “There would be no star today without you.”

Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock

Zach Galifianakis

Zach rounds out season four’s Hollywood faces in Only Murders by playing Oliver’s celebrity counterpart. The Hangover star has been married to Canadian businesswoman Quinn Lundberg since 2012.

Together, the couple share son Rufus Emmanuel Lundberg, whom they welcomed in 2016, E! News exclusively confirmed at the time. They also share another son, born in 2013.

“I think fatherhood is just the greatest thing,” Zach told Jimmy Fallon on a 2014 appearance of The Tonight Show. “It really, really is.”

NINA PROMMER/Shutterstock

Ashley Park

As fellow aspiring actress Kimber, Ashley got to witness Oliver (Martin) and Loretta (Meryl) on-screen romance blossom up-close, but her own love story occurred on the set of another show.

Indeed, Ashley is currently dating her Emily in Paris costar Paul Forman. In fact, she hard-launched their relationship after months of speculation in a heartfelt Jan. 2024 Instagram post amid a health scare.

“You calmed my fears and held me through ambulances, three foreign hospitals, a week in the ICU, scary ERs, countless scans and tests and injections, excruciating pain, and so much confusion all while we were alone on the other side of the world far from those we know,” Ashley wrote. “I love you Paul. More than I can ever say.”

To which Paul—who also plays Ashley’s love interest in the Netflix series—wrote back with a red heart emoji, “My love.”

Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch’s Sazz is at the forefront of season 4 as Charles, Mabel and Oliver attempt to find out who killed her.

Behind the scenes though, Jane’s life is a lot sweeter with wife Jennifer Cheyne, whom she married in 2021. And despite their happily ever after, it wasn’t exactly a fairytale proposal.

“Jennifer and I have been together forever and we were shopping for insurance for her and I said, ‘Let’s just get married.’” Jane recalled to Today in 2022. “So that’s how romantic it went.”

In fact, the wedding itself, only included Jane, Jennifer and a minister in the courtyard of a courthouse.

As Jane recalled, “It was lovely.”

Previously, Jane married Lara Embry in 2010, before separating three years later.

Virisa Yong/Shutterstock

Jesse Williams

Jesse may have confirmed his time on Only Murders is done, but his relationship with girlfriend Ciarra Pardo—whom he started dating in 2022—is still going strong.

The couple tend to keep things lowkey, but they have shared updates here and there, including Ciarra—who works in the fashion industry and is the founder of N4XT Experiences—sharing a selfie of the duo in her birthday celebration photo dump in April 2024.

She captioned the post, which included a snap of her cuddling into Jesse’s shoulder, “Italian BDay Archives.”

Before igniting a romance with Ciarra, Jesse married ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee in 2012. The couple welcomed kids Sadie in 2013 and Maceo in 2015, before Jesse filed for divorce in 2017. (The couple finalized their divorce in 2020).

After their split, he was also linked to actresses Minka Kelly and Taylour Paige.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App