Michael Cyril Creighton told UPI viewers will get more of his character Howard's backstory through flashback scenes in "Only Murders in the Building" Season 5.

Michael Cyril Creighton is back as Howard in "Only Murders in the Building" Season 5, premiering Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Hulu UPI Michael Cyril Creighton says viewers will learn a lot more about his character Howard in Season 5 of Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building," premiering Tuesday. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI UPI Left to right, Michael Cyril Creighton, Richard Kind, Molly Shannon, Selena Gomez and Kumail Nanjiani, winners of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for "Only Murders in the Building," appear backstage during the 31st annual SAG Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in February. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI UPI Left to right, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin arrive on the red carpet at the 2025 Disney Upfront at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City in May. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI UPI

NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Dexter: New Blood alum Michael Cyril Creighton says viewers will get more of his Only Murders in the Building character Howard's backstory through flashback scenes in Season 5.

Premiering Tuesday on Hulu, the latest edition of the mystery dramedy focuses on the investigation into the murder of Lester (Teddy Coluca), the long-time doorman of the Arconia, the posh Manhattan building where Howard lives alongside true-crime podcasters Oliver (Martin Short), Charles (Steve Martin) and Mabel (Selena Gomez).

"I loved that we got all this insight into who Howard is in these tiny little snippets. There were very short scenes, but we really see where Howard came from and who he is and why he is the way he is and it all has to do with his relationship with his mother," Creighton told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.

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"It's sort of a beautiful coming out story," he said. "We've always known Howard is gay, but we don't know how late in life he came out. We didn't know what that struggle was like for him or with his mother."

Creighton said he always assumed Howard and his mother had a strained relationship based on jokes made at her expense in previous seasons.

"But I was really happy to see that they had, not a horrible relationship, but a complicated relationship and he comes out later in life and it's so moving and satisfying to see him wheeling his mother into the Arconia and for her to have that gay pride flag and be so proud of her son," he said.

"We hear so many tortured stories about people coming out and their families not supporting them and I think it's lovely that that's not Howard's story."

Creighton also enjoyed playing those memorable mother-son scenes with Siobhan Fallon from the movies Men in Black and Only You.

"I've been a fan of hers for years since Saturday Night Live. Siobhan Fallon is one of the best. I couldn't have asked for a better mother," he said.

"She was so funny, so game to play around. I really enjoyed having her around. I hope we get another flashback with her at some point. That would be nice."

Flashing back to prior decades meant all of the characters were made up to look their appropriate ages.

"I loved getting a chance to wear a wig. I've never worn a wig on stage or screen," Creighton laughed.

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"Our hair department head took a picture of me from when I was in high school where I had this part in the middle and he got me a wig that looked just like it. I thought that was really fun. I enjoyed having my face taped back, so I looked younger. Maybe I'll start doing that day to day."

Season 5 picks up with Howard still trying to figure out how he can help Oliver, Charles and Mabel track down a killer and bring them to justice.

"He is pretty down at the beginning of this season," Creighton said of Howard.

"His boyfriend is now out of town on tour with Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has two animals that love each other more than they love him," he added. "He is not getting the attention he thinks he deserves from the trio, so like most lonely men do, he's eventually going to turn to technology and find a new friend."

Howard is also saddened by the death of Lester.

"Lester was a big beating heart of the building. Lester was the backbone of the Arconia. I don't think we knew what we had until we lost It," Creighton said.

"Lester was very good to Howard and he definitely misses him, but Howard is also excited by new possibilities in the building, so it's a change in the building. It's all exciting to him, but, at his core, I think he's, mourning the loss of Lester."

Although each season of the show features the grisly murder of a neighbor or visitor to the building, Creighton said Howard would never entertain the thought of leaving his forever home.

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"It's an easy thing to explain, if you live in New York City, like I do," the actor said.

"If you had an apartment that big, even if people were getting killed in your building, you would keep it," he quipped. "Even just walking around our sets, they are so big and gorgeous, and I'm like, 'If I had a kitchen like this, do you know the kind of parties I would have?' It's just too good of a building to move out of. No way. I don't care how many people die in it."