Nathan Lane’s spontaneous use of an F-bomb in the penultimate episode of Only Murders in the Building Season 5 might have been an unexpected highlight, according to actor Michael Cyril Creighton. Although Hulu might be hesitant to acknowledge it, the unscripted moment added a unique flair to the episode.

In an interview with DECIDER, ahead of the much-anticipated finale scheduled for October 28, Creighton—who plays Howard—expressed his delight at Lane’s return. Having appeared in the first two seasons as a fellow resident of The Arconia, Lane’s character, Teddy Dimas, brought his improvisational skills to a new level alongside the show’s leads: Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short).

During a particularly memorable scene, Teddy Dimas questions Howard’s peculiar relationship with LESTR, the robot doorman voiced by Paul Rudd throughout the season. Lane’s character bluntly asks, “Howard, are you fucking that thing?” Creighton revealed that this line was almost cut from the final version.

“Nathan improvised it in numerous ways, and it was hilariously funny each time,” Creighton shared with DECIDER. “Initially, it was considered for removal due to the language, but it was simply too amusing and the perfect way to wrap up that scene.”

Creighton further explained, “The improvisation could have continued indefinitely, especially with Jackie Hoffman present, who would keep adding to the moment. It was an endless source of humor.”

The episode, “LESTR,” which ends on a cliffhanger, also features a special moment for Creighton’s character and Martin’s as they finally seem to reveal the reason Howard has always latched onto things that cannot love him back, i.e. pets, hobbies, robots. It led to a revelation not only for the character, but for Creighton, who let the waterworks flow as he sat opposite Martin for a touching heart-to-heart scene.

“I don’t think it was scripted that I cry that much, but it was one of the greatest things I’ve been able to do on the show is sit down like a human and communicate clearly and emotionally with Steve Martin,” he said. “It was like definitely a highlight of this whole ride for me.”

As for what’s ahead in the finale, keep reading for DECIDER’s full interview with Creighton for Season 5.

Congrats on an incredible fifth season. So far, I’ve seen nine episodes, so unless you guys really screw it up in the last one, congratulations.

MICHAEL CYRIL CREIGHTON: Thank you, I feel very proud.

Well, you also got the opportunity to explore Howard’s backstory a little bit more in the earlier episodes? How did that feel?

It’s been great. I love that every season I’ve learned more and more about him. Like starting with the flashbacks in Episode 2 this season. I was under the assumption Howard and his mother had a horrible relationship just because of something I said in Season 3, I said that I stopped acting because my mother said my voice was matronly and shrill, which is such a harsh thing to say to a little gay kid, but I was so pleased to see that their relationship, while it was complicated and maybe she was a little overbearing, it was a loving relationship that was ultimately a story of acceptance as opposed to a story of disappointment.

Speaking of arcs, we have to talk about Howard’s arc with LESTR, the robot version. It gives me my favorite line of the season, which is, “Howard, are you fucking that thing?” delivered by the incomparable Nathan Lane.

That was improv and he said it so many different ways and so many times, and it was so funny. I think at one point it wasn’t going to be in the cut because, you know, cursing and whatnot, blah, blah, blah, but it’s just too funny, it’s the only way to end that scene. And that improv just went on and on because Jackie Hoffman was there, she would add something on top of that. It could go on for hours.

How was it welcoming back all of these characters we haven’t seen in a while? We’ve got Theo (James Caverly) and Teddy Dimas, Richard Kind’s character is on a Peloton, how much fun was that?

It was such a big episode and those are my favorite episodes to film when everybody’s there or as many people as possible. You know, I had never really spent a lot of time with Nathan Lane until we had like one tiny scene in an elevator in Season 2. Other than that, we hadn’t spent much time together, so to get to sit next to him on a couch all day and eat snacks and pretend I’m drunk and lost over my robot, I just felt like the most wonderful day. He is, to me, a complete inspiration, total icon of mine. And so I had the best time of day. And anytime Jackie is around, it’s hilarious. Her and Richard, it’s almost too much.

And, of course, LESTR. I read John Hoffman said that they were planning to go a different route originally but then, Paul Rudd. How did they bring that to you?

The voice of the robot was all like decided after the fact. Originally, it was really coming out of the robot, it was an automated voice that you’d have to program. It was really slow and very monotone and that was what I was acting with. And then at one point I was going to change the robot’s voice to sound like the real Lester, the human Lester. But because of the sort of sexual overtones I was having with the robot and the fact that I was calling it daddy and having sort of — I don’t really know what I was having with this robot — but it was definitely something. It would be too weird. It would be wrong and weird to have it be voiced by Teddy Coluca so I don’t know how the decision came about. But it definitely was the right one.

He has a very emotional moment in Episode 9, too, talking with Charles about feeling lost. Talk to me about crafting that scene and getting there as an actor.

It wasn’t hard, I will say, because I think the writing was so good, and the situation that Howard found himself in was so human to me. The fact that he’s really just breaking down, the facade is gone and he’s admitting that he’s lonely is such a human and hard thing to do. It felt very easy to bring up the emotion. Loneliness is a hard thing. I think everybody struggles with it one way or another at some point in their lives. And Steve is just an incredible scene partner. I had never had a scene with just Steve and him sitting there being kind to me or Charles being kind to Howard was enough to really fill me up. And then he hugged me and I lost it. I don’t think it was scripted that I cry that much, but it was one of the greatest things I’ve been able to do on the show is sit down like a human and communicate clearly and emotionally with Steve Martin. It was like definitely a highlight of this whole ride for me.

And it had LESTR of it all, where he had this relationship that turned sour with the robot.

And it makes everything make sense that up to this point, from Season 1 to now, it makes sense that Howard is obsessed with his animals. It makes sense that Howard had a pig. It makes sense that Howard is constantly trying to figure out what he’s good at and trying all different hobbies and failing at them. Everything about the character made sense in that little scene to me so that’s why I love it so much. I thought it was so fun to do.

The episode ends with the trio and everyone at the dry cleaners. Can you tease what comes next for The Arconia gang in the finale?

I can’t tease much. I can say Howard figures out a very important detail to the case that leads them to a sort of maze of discovery as far as how and what happened. I will say, when I read Episode 10, I was like, “Wow, these writers are brilliant.” Like they really stuck the landing. The amount that happens in the final episode is so much that I think people are going to be really satisfied and really surprised. There’s so much going on and it all sort of comes together in an incredible way. So many people are back, it’s a big, great episode.

Final question for you: As a resident at The Arconia, do you, Michael, or do you think Howard ever worries that you might be the next person to bite it?

I don’t worry about it. I do feel conflicted about it. I think on one hand, dying on our show is sort of fantastic, because then you get a whole other season where we learn even more about you. But then dying means you can’t come back as much and I love coming back, I love being part of the show. I don’t worry about it. I do think about it. I guess Michael would be worried about it because he wants to keep his job. But Howard thinks he’s invincible.

It is kind of an honor in a way. I was just saying that I wonder if Teddy Coluca ever thought when he signed on in the early season that come Season 5, he would be playing opposite Dianne Wiest.

None of us ever expected any of this. Teddy was hired for one day. I think in Season 1, I was only supposed to be in two episodes. I think Jackie in the pilot doesn’t even have any lines, just gives the finger. So the fact that we’re all still around and all still alive, except for Teddy is sort of a miracle. Shows don’t go on this long. Shows that you love working on don’t usually go on this long. So it’s such a dream job and a dream experience to be doing it. And I just hope it goes on forever. I know it can’t go on forever, but you know, as long as possible.

The first nine episodes of Only Murders in the Building Season 5 are now streaming. The finale airs at 12 a.m. ET on Tuesday, October 28.

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