Steve Martin Isn’t Happy About Selena Gomez’s Emmys Snub Either

Only Murders In the Building had a huge Emmy nominations day on July 12, becoming one of the most nominated shows of the year with 17 nods, including Outstanding Comedy Series — but not all of the starring trio were recognized for their work. While Steve Martin and Martin Short will both compete for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, their co-star Selena Gomez was left out of the Lead Actress category, and the comedic legends are “dismayed” by the snub.

In an interview with Variety after the nominations, Martin explained that “we’re very happy” for the show’s wealth of nominations, but not happy about Gomez’s snub in the acting categories, even attributing his and Short’s own nods to the 29-year-old actor. “We’re a little dismayed that Selena didn’t get nominated because she’s so crucial to the trio, to the show,” he told Variety. “She kind of balances us. In fact, in some ways you can say that we got nominated because of her balance in the show.”

Gomez has not spoken out about the show’s Emmy nominations or her snub, and her co-stars haven’t been able to talk to her yet either, but there’s a very good explanation for why she’s staying silent for now. “I think I keep seeing her tweeting from Europe, and you know, the communication is so slow, I think it takes five days to get a letter there,” Martin joked.

Thankfully, Gomez isn’t going home completely empty-handed. As an executive producer on Only Murders in the Building, Gomez is included in the show’s nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, alongside Martin and Short. “We’re happy that she is nominated as executive producer on the show,” Martin said. “She’s a big asset for us.” But even more significantly, her inclusion made Emmys history. Gomez’s recognition marks only the second time that a Latina has ever been among the producing nominees for a comedy series at the Emmys, joining Salma Hayek, who was nominated as a producer on Ugly Betty in 2007.

However, her nomination in the acting categories would have been even more groundbreaking. Only two Latina women have been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series — Rita Moreno, for 9 to 5 in 1983, and America Ferrera, who won for Ugly Betty in 2007 and received another nomination the following year. Gomez will have another shot at adding to this legacy next year, as Only Murders Season 2 will be eligible for nominations.