In a sudden change of plans, Jesse Williams revealed he will not reprise his role as documentarian Tobert in the fourth season of the hit Hulu comedy “Only Murders in the Building.” The former “Grey’s Anatomy” star made the unexpected announcement during a recent People magazine interview for his new Discovery+ docuseries “Distilled.”
“No, I’m not on that show anymore,” Williams stated when asked directly about returning. His departure comes as a surprise given the open-ended conclusion of his Season 3 storyline, which saw Tobert relocate to Los Angeles to work on an independent film project.
Williams joined the critically acclaimed mystery series in its third season as the love interest of Selena Gomez’s character Mabel. His character brought a fresh energy to the dynamic between Mabel, Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short) as they continued solving murders around their Upper West Side building.
Fan reactions have been mixed, with some disappointed by the loss of Williams’ intriguing character. However, others speculate it could allow the show to explore new romantic possibilities for Mabel or further develop the existing ensemble cast. “Only Murders” has seen continued success on Hulu, consistently ranking among the streaming service’s most popular comedy viewing.
With its core stars all returning, Season 4 is forging ahead by adapting the trio’s murder mystery podcast into a big screen blockbuster. A slew of big names like Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy and Zach Galifianakis are joining the cast as either actors in the film-within-the-show or other new mysterious roles.
While Williams’ departure presents an unexpected wrinkle, longtime fans of “Only Murders in the Building” will be eager to see where its blend of laughs, suspense and star power takes the story next when the new season premieres on August 27, 2024.
