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Keegan-Michael Key says that he “had the time of his life” working on the set of Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building.
The Emmy-winning series—having earned 49 nominations to date, according to Deadline—premieres on Hulu on Sept. 9. The Key & Peele alum shared details about his exciting experience on set exclusively with PEOPLE while discussing his partnership with Choice Hotels.
“It’s a lovely thing in our business when you can walk onto a set where everything is run really smoothly, and everybody is warm and welcoming,” Key says. “It was a wonderful project to work on.”
Season 5 kicks off with the investigation into the death of Lester (Teddy Coluca) and will explore “themes of past and present New York,” series co-creator John Hoffman previously told Deadline in October 2024.
“Season 5 will hit on some very current things going on within New York—specifically, very relevant things that are happening in the city right now, in ways that honestly we couldn’t have even predicted,” Hoffman later shared with The Wrap. He added that the show has “always been classic meets modern,” and the upcoming season will continue that tradition.
“I think the season is very apropos in regard to things that are happening in our society right now,” Key teases.
Returning for the new season are series regulars Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, along with Michael Cyril Creighton, Jackie Hoffman, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Meryl Streep.
“Working with Steve Martin and Martin Short is an absolute delight,” says Key. “Not just from being overwhelmed by nostalgia or how big of a fan I am of both of them—they’re also just lovely men. They’re both very unique in their own way.”
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“You’re really just watching their real friendship displayed on camera,” he continues. “It’s fascinating to see. And because this group has been together for such a long time now, it’s like a well-oiled machine.”
Season 5 will also introduce several exciting new cast members including Téa Leoni, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Jermaine Fowler, Christoph Waltz, and Beanie Feldstein, all of whom are new to the cast, alongside Key.
“John Hoffman is a lovely man,” he says. “Very creative, very funny. It has a very collaborative spirit.”
The upcoming season will feature 10 episodes, with the first three premiering on Sept. 9, followed by new episodes released weekly.
