For five seasons now, Michael Cyril Creighton has been the not-so-secret weapon of Only Murders In The Building, bringing so much heart and humor to the madcap mystery and stealing scenes even among an ensemble full of A-list stars.
In that sense, the series has been a long-overdue spotlight for the beloved actor, who’s been working steadily on stage & screen for the past two decades, making the most of roles big and small in everything from beloved comedies like 30 Rock and the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, to Oscar-nominated dramas like Spotlight and Can You Ever Forgive Me.
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But Creighton truly shines in OMITB as Howard, the gossipy yet lovable linchpin of the Arconia community, who over time has proven himself not just indispensable to the central sleuthing trio (playing by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez), but to the show itself.
And this season, while the loss of the Arconia’s doorman Lester gets the gang tied up in another whodunit involving the mob and more of NYC’s biggest power players, we also get to learn more about Howard’s background, as flashbacks reveal his complicated yet loving relationship with his late mother, played by the greta Siobhan Fallon Hogan, which he sees as a “beautiful coming out story.”
With the latest mystery in full swing, we thought it’d be the perfect time to check in with Creighton and invite him to be the latest guest in our long-running Q&A series, Dishin’ It. In our conversation, the actor shares why he’s been so moved by Howard’s flashbacks this season, the TV role he’s most proud of, and whether or not he’s actually learned any practical, real-life crime-solving skills while working on OMITB.
Our ice-breaker: Is there a piece of media—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, theater, video game, etc…—that has played an important role in your understanding of queerness and the queer community, or your own identity? Why does it stand out to you?
I remember being young and seeing Glenn Shadix as Otho in Beetlejuice and thinking, Wait a minute—you can do that on camera? You can be unapologetically gay and funny, and not just a joke? It wasn’t until I was older that I realized the struggles he went through when he was younger—that he was put through “ex-gay conversion therapy” and had a very hard life. That made him, and that performance, even more impressive to me.
We wouldn’t dare ask for spoilers, but what can you tease us about what’s ahead for Season 5 of Only Murders In The Building, the latest mystery the gang gets involved in, and what’s in store for Howard this time around? How might it compare to seasons past?
Season 5 is all about the underbelly of New York City—and it poses the question: Who’s really running things around here? Is it the mob? The moguls? Technology? Maybe all three? It’s a whole new world—a little darker, but still rooted in the cozy confines of our beloved Arconia. We’ll see plenty of familiar faces along with some very exciting new ones.
Howard starts the season off very lonely. His boyfriend is on tour, his pets have bonded with each other (leaving him the odd one out), and he’s not getting the attention he craves from the trio. So, he does what many lonely men do—he turns to technology for comfort, which may or may not be a good thing. He’s trying to assert his independence and pretend he’s over the trio, but we all know that’s not true. He loves them!
Part of the beauty of series that run for multiple seasons is that we gradually get to understand these characters on a deeper level while still being surprised by new sides of them. Over the seasons, what’s been your personal favorite development for Howard? Has there been a new detail revealed about him, or new storyline or relationship that you’re most fond of? Why?
What really moved me this season were the flashbacks in Episode 2 with Howard and his mother. Prior to Season 5, I assumed their relationship was really bad because of the offhand comments he had made about her. Then, in just a few short flashbacks, we learn it wasn’t bad at all—it was just complicated. We see Howard go from a closeted young man hiding his sexuality to eventually being supported and loved by his mother, played by Siobhan Fallon Hogan. I’m really pleased that this is his story—a story of acceptance. I’m grateful that Howard was one of the lucky ones.
OMITB has a habit of bringing in some great new faces and killer guest stars each season. With that in mind, who’s a (non-series regular) co-star who surprised you most when you worked with them and why?
Jermaine Fowler—what a great actor and an even better person. He brought such excellent energy to the set, he has a big heart and a genuinely kind demeanor. His work throughout the season is outstanding. I’m so glad I got to work with him as an actor and get to know him as a friend. Big fan.
Has your time on OMITB taught you any practical life skills when it comes to solving crimes? Or perhaps serving on an apartment building’s board of directors?
I’m a bit of a sleuth. In another universe, I would’ve loved to be a sidekick on Catfish—I think I’d be really good at it. I don’t think I’m built for a building’s board of directors…I hate conflict but love power. That’s a deadly combo!
Where’s one of the first spaces you can remember that made you feel a part of a queer community?
I went to Catholic school growing up, but I worked at a coffee shop inside a bookstore in a little village on Long Island. That’s where I met all these amazingly creative and queer people from some of the public schools in the area and built a community with them. We’d see art films, go to queer punk shows, loiter in diners, and drink sooo much coffee. It was a fun time.
You have such an eclectic body of work, and you’re one of those actors we’re always happy to see pop up in anything, but is there a past project or role of yours you were especially proud of that you wish had gotten more attention?
I’m extremely proud of the work I did on High Maintenance—both the web series and later the HBO series. Working on it gave me the opportunity to show a different side of myself as a performer. I played Patrick, an agoraphobic with a Helen Hunt obsession. He was so full of heart and vulnerability; all he wanted was human connection, and that was a real struggle for him. I get it! People already knew about my comedy chops, but it wasn’t until High Maintenance (and later Spotlight) that they saw I had some drama in the tank, too.
And, in closing: Who is an LGBTQ+ artist/performer/creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to?
My friend Nicholas Colia wrote and directed the indie film Griffin in Summer, which is in theaters now and will be on demand very soon. It’s the kind of gay coming-of-age movie I wish had existed when I was young. He perfectly captures what it’s like to grow up strange, gay, and deeply creative. It’s a perfect queer film that feels like one of the great independent movies of the ’90s while also being completely fresh and new. It features a star turn from this kid Everett Blunck and a characteristically lovely performance by the great Melanie Lynskey. It’s my new favorite film. I can’t wait to follow everything Nicholas does.
The first three episodes of Only Murders In The Building Season 5 are now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes dropping every Thursday.
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