Nathan Lane On Setting Emmy Guest Actor Record With First ‘Only Murders’ Nom, “Big Surprise” Coming On Hulu Series, ‘Disappointment Blvd.’ Title Change & More

Matt Grobar
·4 min read
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Only Murders in the Building guest star Nathan Lane set an Emmy record this morning as he landed his seventh nomination, becoming the most-nominated guest actor, across comedy and drama categories, in the history of television. The three-time Tony winner’s nom, in the category of Comedy Guest Actor, follows three for Modern Family, and one apiece for roles on Mad About You and Frasier, along with a sole Drama Guest Actor nom for The Good Wife. When Deadline caught up with the actor this morning to discuss the recognition, he teased where his Only Murders character Teddy Dimas is headed, at the same time revealing new details about a pair of anticipated A24 films in which he stars: Ari Aster’s horror Disappointment Blvd. and Larry Charles’ comedy F***ing Identical Twins.

Lane said that his Only Murders character will be reintroduced in an episode airing on Hulu today, in which Teddy is under house arrest and engages in “an emotionally devastating scene” with his deaf son, Theo (James Caverly). “The season is a lot about certainly Steve [Martin]’s relationship with Lucy, and fathers and sons,” the actor reflects, “and then there is a big surprise that’s coming that involves Teddy Dimas, in terms of his relationship with [Martin Short’s] Oliver.”

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Lane said he believes Disappointment Blvd. — from Hereditary and Midsommar director Aster — likely won’t be released until next year. “I think maybe they’re aiming for Cannes next year, and I’m told that it may not be called Disappointment Blvd. anymore, that it’s going to have a different title,” he said. “I saw Ari Aster just this last week and what I saw looked pretty interesting funny and scary. It’s a unique project. It’s like he’s invented a whole new genre, and it’s all anchored by Joaquin Phoenix, who’s just extraordinary.”

The actor has heard that F***ing Identical Twins, also starring Megan Mullally, Bowen Yang, Megan Thee Stallion, Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson, may be released at Christmas time. “It’s the perfect family film, F***ing Identical Twins,” he jokes. “It’s just a twisted version of The Parent Trap, but I hear Larry [Charles] is very happy with how it’s coming along.”

Lane adds that Identical Twins is a “really outrageous” and “very, very funny” piece. “[It has] a really tuneful score [that will] really surprise people by this composer, Karl Saint Lucy. Very, very talented,” he added. “And I’m sure some people will be offended because it’s totally insane, but really, really funny.”

With his recognition from the TV Academy today for Only Murders—the acclaimed Hulu series about strangers obsessed with true crime who suddenly become caught up in one—Lane passes the late Fred Willard as the actor with the most noms in guest categories. The actor said he finds the record to be “a lovely, lovely thing” and “a tribute” to the “smart, classy show” of which he’s happy to be “even a small part.”

The only “disappointing” thing about today’s noms, he added, was that his co-star Caverly wasn’t among them—particularly given his standout performance in the mostly-silent episode “The Boy from 6B,” examining the experience of deafness. “He’s such an extraordinary young actor and he gave such a beautiful performance, and much of what I did in that episode and in the series was built around my relationship with him,” said Lane. “So, I like to think of this as a nomination for the both of us.”

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While Lane has previously won two Daytime Emmys, he’s yet to break through in prime time. His competitors in this year’s Comedy Guest Actor category will include Jerrod Carmichael (Saturday Night Live), Bill Hader (Curb Your Enthusiasm), James Lance (Ted Lasso), Christopher McDonald (Hacks) and Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso). At the Emmys on September 12, Only Murders in the Building will contend in a total of 17 categories, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

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