The Sweet Way Nathan Lane Responded After Finding Out He And Only Murders Landed Emmy Nominations

Nathan Lane on Only Murders in the Building
(Image credit: Hulu)

2023 Emmy nominations have been announced, and Hulu’s breakout comedy hit, Only Murders in the Building, received 11 in total. The series, which is set to premiere its third season in August as part of the 2023 TV schedule, previously won three Emmys, and it’s very possible that the show will walk away with even more awards come September. But in the meantime, we've learned that Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nominee Nathan Lane had a pretty sweet reaction after finding out he and the series landed noms.

Nathan Lane has been part of the Only Murders cast since the first season, playing the role of Teddy Dimas. The character is an old friend of Oliver’s family, who also has ties to organized crime and agrees to sponsor the podcast Oliver, Charles-Haden and Mabel start. Lane was actually one of the winners at the 2022 Emmy Awards, as he earned the award for Outstanding Guest Actor. Despite that, he was still just as grateful and surprised over this latest nod, it seems. Series co-creator John Hoffman told Deadline how the veteran actor responded to the news and, while Lane's sentiment was short, it was very sweet:

I just got a text from Nathan, and I told him how much it feels like he’s a staple now and indefatigable. He was very sweet, his text said, ‘Thank you for the gift of Teddy Dimas.’ We’ve had such an incredible guest cast like Shirley MacLaine from Season 2 coming in and widening up that part in a way nobody else could. And Nathan doing the same with Teddy. There’s no way to predict the elevation that happens with the incredible cast and the magic of this trio pulling it all together. As sweet as these awards are, there’s nothing quite like the reward that we get every day making the show.

From 2022 to 2023, Only Murders in the Building has received 28 total Emmy nominations, which is impressive and proves how great the cast and the crew are. Nathan Lane’s response is a true testament to just how humble he is as well. He's had his fair share of successes over the years, but the fact that he's still gracious when it comes to the opportunities he receives is nothing short of sweet. And no matter how many nominations or trophies he receives, he will never quite get used to it, as Lane himself said:

I get old, but [being nominated for an Emmy] never gets old. I feel very grateful and lucky just to be alive and that I’ll be invited to the big party.

The Lion King icon has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmys -- with last year’s win being his first one -- and three Daytime Emmys, winning two of those. During his four decades in the entertainment industry, he's shown to be one of Hollywood's most generous performers, and he certainly deserves the love and accolades he's received. Hopefully, he'll be able to add another Emmy to his trophy case because, based on his performance as Teddy, he definitely deserves it.

As Nathan Lane waits to see if he'll earn another Emmy for Only Murders in the Building, fans should know that they won't be seeing the character when the show returns. The actor confirmed that he wouldn't be part of Season 3 due to a Broadway commitment. It’s disappointing that Teddy won’t be appearing in the upcoming season of one of the best series on Hulu. However, it's great that the character is in a position to return and that Lane is getting his flowers for his portrayal.

The 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards are set to air on September 18 on Fox. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for a Hulu subscription so you can watch Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building when it premieres on Tuesday, August 8.

Megan Behnke
Freelance TV News Writer

Passionate writer. Obsessed with anything and everything entertainment, specifically movies and television. Can get easily attached to fictional characters.