Cara Delevingne's Only Murders In The Building Character Explained (& Why She Didn't Return For Season 3)

For four glorious seasons, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) have been solving murders and podcasting about them on Hulu’s smash hit Only Murders in the Building. It’s one of the funniest and smartest shows on television, with each season crafting an intricate mystery that keeps audiences guessing while delivering huge laughs and telling a poignant story about friendship and aging.

One of the show's best aspects is that each season essentially resets with a new mystery, allowing for incredible guest stars to join the Only Murders in the Building cast. Everyone from Paul Rudd to Tina Fey and Meryl Streep have had major arcs on the series. Paper Towns' Cara Delevingne played a pivotal character in Only Murders in the Building season 2 who was not only integral to the murder case but also added emotional depth to Selena Gomez’s Mabel.

Cara Delevingne Played Alice In Only Murders In The Building Season 2

Delevingne's Character Was Both A Murder Suspect And Love Interest

Cara Delevingne's Alice Banks is introduced in the season 2 premiere of Only Murders in the Building. She is a rising artist with her own gallery who DMs Mabel on Instagram after admiring the mural Mabel created of the Arconia residents. When Mabel visits the gallery, she and Alice bond over a painting of Frida Kahlo while Mabel opens up about her childhood. Intrigued by Mabel, Alice invites her to join her art collective.

As the season progresses, Alice and Mabel grow closer and eventually develop a romantic relationship. Mabel is in an incredibly vulnerable state, still grappling with the aftermath of Tim Kono's death in season 1 and her arrest for Bunny Folger's murder at the start of season 2. Alice helps pull her out of her funk, providing support and encouragement. However, as time goes on, Mabel catches Alice in several lies, raising suspicions about her true intentions.

It's a tricky role because she has to be both mysterious and a plausible suspect, while the audience is also rooting for her relationship with Mabel.

Alice briefly becomes a potential suspect in Bunny's murder,but in a massive Only Murders twist, it is ultimately revealed that she was merely using Mabel for an art piece, having her recreate the scene of Bunny's murder for a project. While Mabel eventually forgives Alice, their relationship is strained, and the two ultimately go their separate ways. Delevingne is great in the part. It's a tricky role because she has to be both mysterious and a plausible suspect, while the audience is also rooting for her relationship with Mabel.

Why Delevingne Didn't Return For Only Murders Season 3

Season 3 Of Only Murders Had A Large Time Jump

Cara Delevingne's Alice and Selena Gomez's Mabel on Only Murders In The Building

When Only Murders in the Building season 3 premiered, some viewers were disappointed that Cara Delevingne’s Alice was no longer on the show. While Selena Gomez has incredible chemistry with Steve Martin and Martin Short, and their scenes together remain the highlight of the series, it’s always nice to see Mabel interact with people her own age. However, Alice’s absence made sense, as Only Murders season 3 featured a one-year time jump, and the creators have consistently treated each season as a soft reset. Co-creator John Hoffman explained the decision to exclude Alice in an interview withTV Line:

Alice’s storyline resolved itself in a rather sweet way, with the beginning of a reparation in that friendship with Mabel. I like the chumminess that’s there. But I don’t think we’re aiming towards any more of a love relationship.

Ultimately, this was a smart choice by the creators. Season 3 was one of the show’s strongest and was primarily set in the theater as Oliver and Charles prepared for their Broadway production. If Mabel and Alice’s relationship had continued without directly tying into the case, it might have felt unnecessary and overstuffed. Instead, Mabel had great flirtatious moments with new character Tobert (Jesse Williams), with whom she shared undeniable chemistry.

Alice's Likelihood Of Returning To Only Murders In The Building

The Show Often Brings Back Old Guest Stars

Alice played by Cara Delevingne on Only Murders in The Building

While the creators have not confirmed whether Cara Delevingne’s Alice will return in Only Murders in the Buildingseason 5, there’s always a possibility. The show is known for bringing back guest stars — both Amy Ryan’s Jan and Paul Rudd’s Glen Stubbins returned in season 4. Since Mabel and Alice parted on good terms, they could cross paths again. And who knows? Alice could even become the next murder victim, adding to the growing list of cases the trio must solve.