A number of prominent actors have paid heartfelt and emotional tributes to legendary actress Catherine O’Hara, who passed away at the age of 71 following a brief illness on Friday.
Among the first to react was The Last of Us co-star Pedro Pascal. In a moving post, he wrote:
“Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world. This lucky world that had you will keep you, always. Always. The one and ONLY Catherine O’Hara.”
O’Hara joined the hit post-apocalyptic series in its second season, portraying a character written especially for her.
Seth Rogen, star and creator of the Apple TV series The Studio, also shared a tribute, remembering an actor known as much for her dramatic depth as for her mastery of physical and improvisational comedy.
“I really don’t know what to say,” Rogen wrote on Instagram. “I told O’Hara when I first met her that I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen.”
He revealed that her role as Macaulay Culkin’s mother in the 1990 holiday blockbuster Home Alone inspired him to pursue filmmaking.
“Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies,” he said. “Getting to work with her was a true honour. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive and generous. She made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence. This is just devastating. We were all lucky to live in a world with her in it.”
In The Studio, O’Hara portrayed former studio chief Patty Leigh, a hardened Hollywood veteran who mentors Rogen’s character, Matt Remick. The role earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series last year. She was due to begin filming the show’s new season soon.
One of the most emotional tributes cam
e from Macaulay Culkin, who starred opposite O’Hara in the Home Alone films. Her portrayal of Kevin McCallister’s mother — particularly her panicked cry of “Kevin!” — became one of the most iconic moments in comedy film history.
On Friday, Culkin, now 45, wrote:
“Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you, but I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
For many viewers in recent years, O’Hara’s wildly dramatic and endlessly funny performance as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek remains unforgettable. Dan Levy, the show’s creator and co-star, was visibly emotional in his tribute.
“What a gift to have danced in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years,” Levy wrote. “I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
Levy also reflected on O’Hara’s deep connection to his family, noting her long-standing collaboration with his father, Eugene Levy.
“Having spent over 50 years working with my dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family,” he shared. “It’s hard to imagine a world without her.”
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved, multi-award-winning actor, writer and comedian, died at her home in Los Angeles.
She launched her extraordinary career as part of the groundbreaking ensemble cast of SCTV before earning acclaim in films such as Beetlejuice, Home Alone, A Mighty Wind, and, in a full-circle return to television, Schitt’s Creek, which earned her an Emmy Award.
Most recently, O’Hara appeared as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in season two of The Last of Us, and in The Studio.
Her extensive filmography includes Beetlejuice, Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, After Hours, Heartburn, Penelope, Away We Go, Where the Wild Things Are, A.C.O.D., The Right Kind of Wrong, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and many more.
O’Hara frequently collaborated with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy on the critically acclaimed mockumentaries Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. Her performance in the latter earned her the 2007 National Board of Review Award for Supporting Actress.
She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, their sons Matthew and Luke, and her siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O’Hara, Tom O’Hara, and Patricia Wallice.
A private celebration of life w
ill be held by the family.