Hulu’s hit series ‘Only Murders in the Building’ returned to familiar stomping grounds this week, transforming The Mansion diner on the Upper East Side into the fictional Pickle Diner to shoot the show’s upcoming third season and drawing a crowd eager to catch a glimpse of the stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
Unfortunately for fans of Short and Gomez, only Steve Martin was seen on set, in character as Charles-Haden Savage, seated at a booth with a window looking out on East 86th Street.
Unlike the shoots last spring where there was a clear view into the restaurant so we could see all the cast members as they shot their scene, large pickle jars had been arranged on a shelf in front of the window, obscuring all but the top of Steve Martin’s silver hair.
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Martin, came out of the The Mansion diner, located at the corner of York Avenue, twice Tuesday morning, apparently to speak with someone about a script seen in the actor and comedian’s hand. Upper East Site has learned he is the only main cast member filming on Tuesday.
Jackie Hoffman, who portrays Uma Heller in ‘Only Murders’, another resident of the Arconia building on the Upper West Side the main characters, Savage, Oliver Putnam (Short) and Mabel Mora (Gomez), all call home, was also spotted on set.
It’s not clear whether she is the person dining with Martin’s character in the scene where a waiter brings food to two people, however, Hoffman was seen standing outside the booth opposite of him between takes.
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Excited neighbors crowded the sidewalk opposite the shoot, eager to get a peek of the production underway at the popular UES eatery, but were pushed farther away by staff who claimed they were appearing in the background of the shot.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ last shot at the The Mansion on the Upper East Side more than a year ago — one of three times between January and March 2022, when scenes for the second season were filmed for the popular series. Both Selena Gomez and Martin short were spotted on set multiple times back then.
Filming continues through mid-day Wednesday and The Mansion expects to be seating customers by 3:00 pm.
