Washington DC [US]: Keegan-Michael Key, co-creator and actor of the sketch comedy series Key & Peele, has been cast in the upcoming fifth season of Only Murders in the Building, as reported by Deadline. Key’s addition marks the first major casting announcement for the new season, where he is set to play a recurring role. However, details about his character and storyline remain under wraps.
According to Deadline, production for the new season began earlier this week in New York and will revolve around the investigation of Lester’s (Teddy Coluca) murder. The series continues to follow its lead trio — Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez — who portray amateur sleuths uncovering mysteries within their apartment building. As in previous seasons, the main cast will be joined by a rotating ensemble of big-name actors, starting with Key.
Keegan-Michael Key, known for his versatility in comedy, also voiced Bumblebee in Transformers One and Toad in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. His other notable credits include starring in the Farrelly brothers’ Christmas comedy Dear Santa alongside Jack Black. On television, Key has appeared in Hulu’s Reboot, had an arc on ABC’s Abbott Elementary, and guest-starred on CBS’s Elsbeth. He will next be seen in Amazon MGM Studios’ crime thriller Play Dirty with Mark Wahlberg.
The previous season of Only Murders in the Building boasted a star-studded lineup, featuring veteran actors such as Meryl Streep, Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, Eva Longoria, Jane Lynch, Richard Kind, Melissa McCarthy, Kumail Nanjiani, and Molly Shannon.
The series also won its first Screen Actors Guild Award this year for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, with the award being shared by Martin, Short, Gomez, Creighton, Levy, Galifianakis, Longoria, Kind, Nanjiani, and Molly Shannon. Additionally, Martin Short received his first SAG Award for Male Actor in a Comedy category for his portrayal of Oliver Putnam in the Hulu series.