Selena Gomez Calls Martin Short “Nothing Short of a Legend” at Marty, Life Is Short Premiere

Selena Gomez used the Los Angeles premiere of Marty, Life Is Short on May 6 to make something plain: her affection for Martin Short is as public as it is effusive. Posting from the carpet and the set, Gomez praised the 76-year-old comic and the documentary about his life, calling him “nothing short of a legend.”

Selena Gomez and Martin Short speak onstage at the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards held at Barker Hangar on February 27th, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.
Michael Buckner/PMC

The warmth between Gomez and Short is hardly a surprise to anyone who has watched them on Only Murders in the Building. Across five seasons of the show they have built a cross-generational comic shorthand — with Steve Martin often occupying the third, indispensable leg of that oddball comedy stool — that translates easily into the real-world camaraderie displayed at the premiere.

Gomez, 33, shared a string of photos on Instagram to mark the first Los Angeles screening of Lawrence Kasdans documentary, which arrives on Netflix on May 12. The post, which begins with a snapshot of her ticket to the event and several red-carpet moments, leans into admiration and gratitude.

“This man who doesnt have social media is truly outstandingly witty, smart and has given the most wonderful attributes to our world of comedy,” Gomez wrote. “Some may not know much that follow me. But Martin Short is nothing short of a legend. His outlook on life is simply joyful. I cried, laughed and empathized his entire story Check it out on @netflix now please. Worth every minute. 🎬📽️🥲 -thank you Marty for your inspiring and tremendous heart that makes me forever happy.”

The Instagram reel stitches together backstage familiarity and premiere glam: moments on set, a Tonight Show snapshot, handholding on the carpet, and a group hug that includes Steve Martin. Gomezs husband, music producer Benny Blanco, joined a guest list that Deadline reports also featured Kate Hudson, Eugene Levy, Billy Crystal, director Lawrence Kasdan, Paul Shaffer, Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, and Andrea Martin. Deadline

Kasdans film traces Shorts career and personal life and includes appearances from Levy, the late Catherine OHara, John Mulaney, Tom Hanks and, as the film notes, Martins longtime friend and stand-up touring partner, Martin.

Wednesdays screening also had an intimate, somber dimension: according to People, Shorts sons Oliver, 40, and Henry, 36, were present, marking the familys first public appearance together since the death by suicide of Shorts daughter Katherine in February. People

For Gomez, the premiere was less about press duties and more a public show of alliance. Her social feed has become a small chronicle of the way their offbeat partnership has seeped into the culture around the show, where the old-school vaudeville sensibilities of Short and Steve Martin bump up against Gomezs pop-star instincts to create something unexpectedly tender.

Only Murders in the Building itself was renewed in October for a sixth season, which is expected sometime this year, extending the window for whatever on- and off-screen collaborations the trio might continue to develop.