In the ever-evolving landscape of Hollywood, few stars shine as brightly or as enduringly as Meryl Streep. Her influence, versatility, and sheer talent have not only shaped her own storied career but have also left an indelible mark on her peers—some of whom are legends in their own right. Among them, Jack Nicholson and Martin Short have both found themselves inspired and energized by Streep’s presence, whether on the silver screen or the television set. Their stories, spanning decades and genres, offer a rare glimpse into the unique chemistry and mutual admiration that Streep inspires wherever she goes.
Jack Nicholson, a titan of the New Hollywood era, is no stranger to working alongside formidable talent. Rising to fame in the late 1960s and 1970s with groundbreaking films like Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Nicholson helped redefine what it meant to be a leading man in American cinema. His early career, rooted in indie productions and frequent collaborations with Roger Corman, showcased a rawness and authenticity that resonated with audiences seeking something new and real.
Yet, for all his acclaim and experience, Nicholson found himself awe-struck by Meryl Streep, who didn’t make her film debut until 1977. Speaking to Vanity Fair on September 11, 2025, Nicholson revealed, “She’s my idol. That rapport was great and almost instant, like my first tough scene. I sort of thought I blew it when I did it; I don’t think I even knew the name of my character yet. It’s the scene around the fountain, kind of later. But Meryl was so good in it.”
It’s not every day that a performer of Nicholson’s caliber admits to being carried by a co-star, but Streep’s presence on set was transformative. “I mean, it’s a very different feeling when you’re acting and someone else is carrying you, and that’s definitely true in that scene. I was all at sea; I was floundering around, but I could see that we would be fine because she was doing great. You do fall in love with…With certain…creative situations,” Nicholson continued. Their chemistry was so palpable that they reunited just a year later for Ironweed, a film that earned both actors Academy Award nominations and solidified their status as one of cinema’s most dynamic duos.
Fast forward to the modern day, and Streep continues to weave her magic, this time on the small screen. Her collaboration with Martin Short on the hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building (OMITB) has captivated audiences and critics alike. Season 3 of the series, which premiered on August 22, 2024, introduced a romantic storyline between Streep’s character, Loretta Durkin, and Short’s Oliver Putnam—an unexpected but ultimately perfect pairing.
John Hoffman, the series’ director, was effusive in his praise for Streep and Short’s on-screen chemistry. In an interview published on September 11, 2025, with the New York Post, Hoffman recalled, “Meryl was always doing things. We’d be sitting in the green room and I wouldn’t realize they were running lines. I thought she was just saying things in the green room that were not even in the script. And I’m like, ‘Oh, wait. Oh, we’re running lines because it’s so real.’”
Hoffman described the first scene they shot together for Season 3—a musical moment at the piano in Oliver’s apartment—as electric. “She, I later found out, was nervous. And I was like, ‘She was nervous?’ And my butterflies were crazy. Marty said he was nervous.” The scene, which involved Loretta singing and Oliver joining in, set the tone for a relationship that would become a highlight of the season. J. Roy Helland, Streep’s longtime hair and makeup artist, told Hoffman the shot was “gorgeous,” and Hoffman himself said, “I think the electricity around their connection just is visceral. You feel it.”
Off-screen, rumors about a romance between Streep and Short began swirling after they appeared cozy at the Golden Globes in January 2024. At the time, Short’s representative denied the speculation. However, by March 2025, sources confirmed to Page Six that the two had been dating for “well over a year.” Both actors have experienced profound personal losses and changes—Short was married to actress Nancy Dolman until her death in 2010, while Streep and her husband Don Gummer had been quietly separated for over six years by 2023. Their new relationship, blossoming amid shared professional triumphs, has become a subject of fascination for fans and media alike.
The professional accolades have followed. Only Murders in the Building won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards, with Short also taking home the trophy for Best Male Actor in a Comedy Series. In a charming twist, Short’s awards were lost in transit but later replaced—and then found—leaving him temporarily with four SAG Awards instead of two. As Hoffman recounted, “Then he got two replacements for the awards, and then they found the original two. And so Marty has four SAG Awards when he only got two!”
The camaraderie and mutual respect between Streep and her co-stars—whether it’s Nicholson marveling at her ability to elevate a scene or Short finding unexpected magic in a television romance—speak to the qualities that have made Streep a true icon. Hoffman summed it up best: “The two of them as a love interest couple was unexpected, but then it made perfect sense in that moment. And then every step along the way.”
For Nicholson, the idea of reuniting with Streep for another film is tantalizing, though it would require coaxing him out of a retirement he seems to relish. For Short and Streep, the story continues to unfold both on and off screen, their partnership a testament to the enduring appeal of surprise, vulnerability, and creative risk-taking in the entertainment world.
In an industry often defined by fleeting trends and fickle allegiances, the genuine admiration and connection between these stars remind us that, sometimes, the real magic of Hollywood happens when talent meets humility—and when legends are willing to learn from one another.
