Did Steve Martin Just Hard Launch Martin Short and Meryl Streep’s Relationship? See His Post!

Has Steve Martin confirmed Martin Short and Meryl Streep’s relationship?

On Friday, Oct. 18, Martin, 79, posted a photo taken in 2023 on Instagram that showed him alongside his Only Murders in the Building costars Short, 74, and Streep, 75, under a screenshot of a Glamour Magazine article. However, there was with a giant red X covering Martin’s face.

The suggestive snap had fans speculating that it was actor’s way of signaling a possible romance between his two costars, which there have been rumors of since Streep joined the show in season 3. 

While Martin left no room for theorizing, as he turned the comment section off underneath the edited photo, a Martin fan page reposted the image on Instagram shortly after, and followers were quick to speculate about the meaning behind the image he had shared.

“Are u confirming this relationship?!,” one fan wrote, while another added, “did he just hard launch the relationship.”

“I’m taking this as confirmation. I’ve never been so invested in celebrity couple rumors,” a further follower wrote in the comment section, while yet another fan added, “Is this the couple reveal we’ve been waiting for?”

Martin’s post comes as speculation over the nature of Short and Streep’s relationship has continued after recent outings and public appearances the duo has had together. This week, the pair were spotted out to dinner at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, Calif. on Wednesday, Oct. 16, photographs from Page Six show.

The pair smiled in the snaps, which saw Short in a gray suit and Streep sporting a blue patterned silk shirt and dark blue pants, and were also seen leaving together in the same car.

They were previously photographed hand-in-hand at the season 4 premiere and afterparty of Only Murders in the Building in Los Angeles on Aug. 22. The costars — who play love interests on the show — also stayed close when they sat by each other’s side at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 15.

Both Short and his rep previously shut down speculation over a romance between the pair in January after fans believed he and Streep appeared close at the 2024 Golden Globes.

A rep for Short told PEOPLE at the time that the pair are “just very good friends, nothing more.” The actor insisted later the same month on Bill Maher’s podcast that he and Streep are “not a couple, we are just very close friends.”

PEOPLE confirmed Streep’s separation from her husband of 45 years, Don Gummer, in October 2023, a couple of months after the Oscar winner made her debut in the third season of Only Murders in the Building. While news of their separation came in 2023, the pair had, in fact, quietly ended their romantic relationship six years before.

Short addressed the interest in his relationship with Streep again while speaking to PEOPLE in May.

“It’s always interesting. Show business relationships and spec,” he said. When asked if he feels weird being asked about the relationship, he replied, “No. She’s fabulous. There’s no one who doesn’t adore her.”

While the pair are great friends, Short also admitted that he got nervous over working with Streep on Only Murders in the Building for the first time.

“I remember driving to work and thought, ‘Gee, this is odd. I’m a little bit [nervous],” Short told PEOPLE. “Oh, of course! I’m going to do a two-person scene with Meryl.’ ”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Only Murders in the Building season 4 is currently streaming on Hulu.