Meryl Streep has addressed the ongoing speculation about her relationship with longtime friend Martin Short.
Celebrity romances always capture the public’s imagination and even the slightest hint of one can cause a frenzy among fans.
For quite some time, there has been curiosity about whether Streep and her Only Murders in the Building co-star, Short, could be more than just friends.
The pair sparked further interest over the weekend when they were seen holding hands at a Hulu series event on Saturday, August 24.
According to Page Six, a source familiar with the duo suggested their connection “has to be more than a ‘showmance’.”
“There is definitely something there,” the source commented.
Over recent months, fans have taken to social media to speculate about a possible romance.
One fan tweeted, “My first tweet of the year is dedicated to the rumor that Meryl Streep and Martin Short may be an item.”
They further added, “If the rumor is true, I am not prepared for it. It’s as if the comedy and drama masks themselves were merging. I adore them both and wish them well in any predicament.”
Another fan suggested, “Martin Short and Meryl Streep – be the power couple of 2024 we all need, if you aren’t already.”
A third fan wrote, “If Martin Short and Meryl Streep are dating that’s the biggest power couple going.”
However, Streep’s representative has since clarified to Page Six: “They are just friends.”
Short has previously spoken highly of his friendship with Streep.
He told Extra, “I think it’s been a friendship that always grows if you work with someone and love that person.”
Last year, it was revealed that Streep had quietly separated from her husband, Don Gummer, six years earlier.
Short, on the other hand, has been single since his wife, Nancy Dolman, passed away from ovarian cancer in 2010.
While Streep’s representatives are currently denying the rumors, it was Short’s team who debunked the speculation back in January.
At the beginning of the year, fans noticed the duo looking quite close at a star-studded event.
However, a representative for Short told E! News that the pair are “just good friends.”
The rep added, “They are just very good friends, nothing more.”
So, despite fans’ hopes, Streep and Short remain just good friends.