‘Only Murders in the Building’: Selena Gomez Was ‘Jumping up and Down’ When She Heard What’s in Store for Mabel in Season 3
Season 2 of Only Murders in the Building developed Mabel, played by Selena Gomez, even further. She went from a very reserved, secretive character to one who’s learning how to open up more. While it’s unclear what will happen to her character in season 3, Selena Gomez was “jumping up and down” when she heard what is in store for Mabel, according to series co-creator John Hoffman.
Mabel cleared her name in season 2
Season 2 of Only Murders in the Building begins with Mabel, Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short) under investigation for the murder of Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell). Bunny was killed in Mabel’s apartment, and Mabel was the first to find her. Mabel spends much of the season traumatized by the incident and questions whether she did it.
She has a brief romantic fling with Alice (Cara Delivingne), but it ends after Alice gives her a painful reminder of the incident. Mabel believes she may have a violent side, but that all is resolved once it’s revealed who killed Bunny. Mabel figures out that Poppy (Adina Verson) killed Bunny and tried to frame the Only Murders podcast crew. While everything seems to be back to normal, season 2 ends with a massive cliffhanger for season 3.
Selena Gomez is excited about the direction for Mabel in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 3
In an interview with TV Line, Hoffman talked about Mabel’s future for season 3. Hoffman says that a heaviness has been taken off her shoulders, and she will be more optimistic moving forward. The co-creator also says Selena Gomez was ecstatic when she heard what Mabel’s direction will be in season 3 of Only Murders in the Building.
“I talked to Selena Gomez yesterday on a Zoom and walked her through the Season 3 plan for Mabel, and she was jumping up and down,” Hoffman says. “One of the headlines is, there’s brightness… a different color. She has, over the last two seasons, been able to sort of take that shawl of heaviness off of her a bit…. There are certain new pressures ahead of her, and questions that she is asking herself about her own life, but she’s got a much more optimistic viewpoint.”
Will Mabel and Alice be a couple in season 3?
Mabel and Alice were able to make amends by the end of the season and remain friends. However, many fans noticed Alice was not present in the final scene of season 2. The season 2 finale attended with a 1-year time jump where the group is attending a new show directed by Oliver and starring Steve Martin and an ill-fated Paul Rudd. Other attendees include Lucy (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and Joy (Andrea Martin), but no Alice.
Hoffman says there isn’t much to look into with this because Alice may not be an essential part of Mabel’s story moving forward.
“There are so few people I’d want to say, ‘Oh, they’ve moved on.’ There are characters in all our spheres, even when they do terrible things to each other — like Jan or Teddy Dimas — who will come back around, but it all has to be narratively led,” Hoffman explains. “So it’s all based on where we want Mabel to go that determines which connections hold and who we will see in Season 3. Alice’s storyline [resolved itself] in a rather sweet way, with the beginning of a reparation in that friendship [with Mabel]. I like the chumminess that’s there. But I don’t think we’re aiming toward any more of a love relationship.”
Only Murders in the Building is streaming on Hulu.
