Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S5 E4: Dirty Birds

Host: Michael Cyril Creighton
Guests: John Hoffman (showrunner/co-creator), Christoph Waltz (Bash Steed), Dana Covarrubias (costume designer)
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives behind the scenes of “Dirty Birds” (S5E4), unpacking the season’s billionaire “anti-trio” and new characters, with insights from the showrunner and standout cast. Host Michael Cyril Creighton explores casting stories, character development, and on-set dynamics with John Hoffman, wry perspectives on comedy from Christoph Waltz, and all things costuming with Dana Covarrubias. The tone is witty, fast-paced, and filled with the meta charm fans expect from Only Murders in the Building (OMITB).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Episode Recap and Main Plot Developments

• [01:14] New robotic doorman, Lester, is being trained by Howard after the original Lester’s demise.
• Oliver builds a murder board and enlists Vince Fish to decode bird names in Lester’s ledger.
• The trio releases a podcast teaser hoping to provoke a response from Jay—who does show up, along with Camilla and Bash.
  • The billionaire suspects all claim Nikki was high on cocaine and cut off Jay’s finger.
  • Major twist: The severed finger points the wrong way in Mabel’s photos—Jay lied.
  • The group gets a deal from Wundafy, only to learn the billionaire trio now owns Wanda5, thwarting their investigation.

Casting, Character Origins, and Show Evolution

Michael Cyril Creighton & John Hoffman

• Howard Morris (Michael) was named as an homage to an executive producer but “became very fun to write.”

• [03:41] Origin stories of casting mix-ups:

  • “I had auditioned for a smaller part, and then Jamie [Babbitt] recommended me for Howard.” (Michael Cyril Creighton)
  • [05:12] On Michael’s audition: “You did a perfect read, and then I gave you a 180 turn suggestion—make him menacing, put a little menace in there... It was dazzling.” (John Hoffman)

• Audition fun facts: Actors often came in for one role, but were cast in another (ex: Adina auditioned for Cinda Canning; Teddy Kaluca for Teddy Demas).

Billionaire Trio Casting

• [06:09] They assembled a dream list—"Renee Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz"—hoping stars would want to come play for a season.
• The show’s on-set reputation (“Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Meryl Streep…”) draws in big names looking to work with legends and have “a great hang.”

Introducing Thea and Character Archetypes

• [07:10] Beanie Feldstein’s Thea: a meta casting as Selena Gomez’s pop star childhood friend.
• [09:19] “Sunny and Cloudy” energy between Thea and Mabel; Thea is played as “joyfully condescending” (Michael), “pure joy with cutting words” (John).
  • “I really care about you because you live in such a dumpster.” (John Hoffman on writing Thea)
• The show’s formula: Characters often appear as archetypes, but gain complexity and reveal hidden vulnerabilities as the season progresses.

Robots, Technology, and Thematic Choices

• [11:04] Lester the Robotic Doorman symbolizes the infiltration of tech into classic NY jobs.
  • “The opportunity was to sort of say, what does that [doorman] look like technologically? And, of course, it looks like a robot.” (John Hoffman)
  • [13:24] There’s a “mystery” about who voices Lester (“Do your work, Internet.”)
• [13:41] Season 5’s opera theme ties into New York culture and was foreshadowed last season by an operatic song when Lester was found dead.

Mysteries, Money, and Power

• [15:04] “What are these billionaires really doing? Is a question that should hang over everything... And how does it tie into the murder investigation?” (John Hoffman)
• Conflicting interests: The wealthy trio now holds the keys to the podcasters' future and much more.

Christoph Waltz (Bash Steed) on Comedy, Bash, and Joining the Show

On Joining the Cast

• [17:31] “Frankly, I have no clue. Somehow it came up, and I was, as per usual, extremely skeptical and suspicious... Why do they want me?” (Christoph Waltz)
• Watched three episodes before joining. Appreciates the show’s unusual, drop-in-friendly format.
• “You can come in, play with us for a season, and then be gone.” (Michael)
• [18:39] On adjusting to comedy: “This kind of comedy is something for comedians, I thought... I'm more at home with clearly structured drama.”

On Set Atmosphere

• [20:02] “It is an unusually relaxed, open, friendly, mutually supportive atmosphere. It is unusually so.” (Christoph Waltz)
• Departing from strict drama, he called it a “horizontal widening experience”—the format let him “cling to what I usually operate with,” but in a new, enriching way.

On the “Anti-Trio”

• [21:24] The billionaire trio aren’t united: “We're actually each doing our thing... They don’t have a common cause. They’re more of a trio because they’re working against each other… a classic clown setup.” (Christoph Waltz)
  • [22:12] Memorable moment: Bash chopping parsley with Steve Martin—it’s “one of the funniest visual moments of the season.” (Michael)
  • Waltz: “Not at all [a cook]... I dislike cooking. But Steve as a person—for me, that was the highlight.”

On Steve Martin and Set Magic

• [22:54] “To get to know [Steve]… befriend him and share... my fascination with music... He brought the banjo to set and played—I was completely overwhelmed, truly touching music.”
• [24:40] Steve Martin’s Hollywood Bowl banjo act: “A classic musical clown number... Music as comedy. Whenever someone says, ‘you just worked with Steve Martin,’ I start raving about this act.” (Christoph Waltz)
• [26:07] “They’re not little moments to me. Big moments.” (Christoph Waltz, on set camaraderie and creative sparks)

On Bash as a Character

• [27:14] “If you played it well... you don’t control finer threads of a character—they evolved. So, I stay away from talking about the characters I played. All I can say is I hope more than I am aware of right now.” (Christoph Waltz)

On Bash’s Age

• [28:13] “He’s probably 127.” (Christoph Waltz, deadpan)
• “He lost his virginity to Dorothy Parker!” (Michael)

Costume Design: “Personality Through Style” with Dana Covarrubias

Season 5 Inspirations & Casino/Mob Motifs

• Themes include a secret casino under the Arconia and a “mob element.” Costumes blend “mobster vibes” with “casino and gambling” looks.

Dressing the Billionaires

• Bash (Christoph Waltz):

  • Inspired by Bryan Johnson, a dash of Mao, and “a little bit of Dr. Evil.”
  • Futuristic, uniform-like—no pockets, at Waltz’s suggestion: “He was like, ‘I just don’t think my character would need pockets...’” (Dana)
  • “The most efficient way of dressing that would take no time... so that would be to have a uniform.” (Dana)

• Camilla (Renee Zellweger):

  • Inspired by Martha Stewart, Peggy Lee, Ann Margret, with a vintage-retro twist.
  • Gloves: Flesh-toned and “creepy”—“They kind of look like hands, but they’re not.” (Dana)
  • Creams, pastels, and signature neck scarves. Writers later worked the glove detail into the plot.

• Jay (Logan Lerman):

  • Modeled on early Zuckerberg: cargo shorts, hoodies, “super casual... he’s so rich and so confident he doesn’t have to try.”
  • Refined for attractiveness as his romantic subplot with Mabel emerged—needed to be “not too slubby bro.”

Thea’s Pop Star Aesthetic

• [36:37] Outfits inspired by Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, bits of Britney and Madonna.
• “We wanted her to have a signature color... so she’s just like pink, pink, pink, pink. She’s very girly, bows and sparkly and strawberries... a very insane costume, very insane character.” (Dana)
• Thea is overstyled because she’s “desperately grabbing at all these different inspirations to create her own look,” reflecting her search for identity.

Mabel’s Style Evolution

• [38:04] “Now she has a bit of money and... has really embraced this role of being a podcast producer—she wants to dress the part.”
  • Blazers, pinstripes, and strong silhouettes give Mabel an updated, empowered vibe.

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• “Make him menacing, put a little menace in there, make him suspicious... That was dazzling.”
  —John Hoffman on casting Howard (05:12)
• “The fact that they are a trio just results from the fact that there are three of them. But not because they're together... They're more trio because they're working against each other.”
  —Christoph Waltz, on the billionaire trio dynamic (21:24)
• “Steve as a person, for me was the highlight... He brought the banjo to set... and played something truly lyrical... I was completely overwhelmed.”
  —Christoph Waltz on Steve Martin (22:54–24:32)
• “If you played it well... you don’t really control finer threads of a character… I stay away from talking about the characters I played.”
  —Christoph Waltz on acting process (27:14)
• “He’s probably 127.”
  —Christoph Waltz (deadpan, on Bash’s age) (28:13)
• “For Bash, we were inspired a little bit by Bryan Johnson, but also some Mao... a little bit of Dr. Evil, maybe also in there.”
  —Dana on dressing Bash (30:22)
• “I had no idea.”
  —Michael, on Bash’s no-pocket policy (32:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:14: Cold open, episode summary, introduction.
• 02:53–16:04: Deep-dive with John Hoffman—casting, themes, new characters, Howard’s arc, season foreshadowing.
• 16:51–28:38: Christoph Waltz—on Bash, comedic acting, set stories, trio dynamics, Steve Martin.
• 28:57–39:01: Dana Covarrubias—costume inspirations, process with actors, differentiating billionaire styles, behind-the-scenes fitting stories, Thea and Mabel’s signature looks.
• 39:02–41:36: Playful “costume game” riffing on fashion choices for show characters.
• 41:43–end: Wrap-up, preview for next episode.

For New and Returning Fans

This episode is a delight for fans of both the show’s mystery and its ensemble magic. The podcast abounds in behind-the-scenes stories, playful banter, and in-depth craft discussions—delivered with the irreverent, fast-talking charm that defines OMITB. Insights into how casting and character work unfolds, direct input from actors and creators, and deeply geeky costume details make this a must-listen for anyone wanting to savor episodes long after the credits roll.