Meryl Streep is reportedly worried about her romance with Martin Short as he is torn apart by grief after the suicide of his daughter, Katherine Short.
For those unaware, Katherine passed away at the age of 42 on February 23, 2026, at her Hollywood Hills home.
According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s database, her death occurred due to a gunshot wound to the head.
Short’s daughter, whose legal name was Katherine Hartley, had a long history of mental health struggles and depression.
In 2012, Katherine legally applied for a name change to avoid being called Short’s daughter because of his worldwide fame.
The Only Murders in the Building star adopted his late daughter with his late wife, actress Nancy Dolman, who succumbed to ovarian cancer in 2010 after 30-years of their marriage.
An insider told Radar Online that Short “is beating himself up about what happened and wondering what he could have done to save Katherine, which is totally unfair on himself because everyone knows he was an incredibly loving and supportive dad.”
“But Martin is so cut up and there’s a sense he feels like he’s failed Nancy somehow, since he took on that duty to raise and care for their little girl, and now she’s gone just like her mom,” claimed the source.
“It’s hell on earth for” Streep, who calls herself a “close” friend of the Saturday Night Live alum and all their friends “to see him like this. The poor guy’s spirit has been crushed to pieces.”
“Streep’s been checking in and trying to help in any way possible, but it’s an uphill task,” they noted. “He clearly wants space to grieve, and, of course, that’s something she’ll honor.”
“Her hope is that they can pick things up and spend time together soon enough, but he’s only wanting to be by himself. Meryl’s just waiting for the signal, but romance is understandably the last thing on his mind,” the source concluded.
It is noteworthy to mention that Meryl Streep and Martin Short have been together for a long time; however, they have not made their relationship official and call themselves “very close friends.”
