Hollywood Mourns the Loss of Comedy Icon Catherine O'Hara
The entertainment world is in mourning following the death of beloved actress Catherine O'Hara at the age of 71. The Canadian-American star, renowned for her roles in Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, and the Beetlejuice films, passed away on Friday at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness, according to her agency CAA.
Eugene Levy's Heartfelt Tribute to a Cherished Friend
Eugene Levy, O'Hara's long-time friend and Schitt's Creek co-star, has paid an emotional tribute to the actress. The 79-year-old actor, who played Johnny Rose opposite O'Hara's Moira Rose in the acclaimed sitcom, described struggling to find words adequate to express his grief.
In a moving statement, Levy said: "Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today. I had the honour of knowing and working with the great Catherine O'Hara for over 50 years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt's Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship. And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O'Hara family."
Dan Levy Remembers 'Extended Family' Member
Dan Levy, Eugene's son and Schitt's Creek co-creator, who played the fictional couple's son David, shared his own poignant tribute on Instagram. He described O'Hara as "family before she ever played my family" and expressed how he would "cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her."
"What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O'Hara's brilliance for all those years," Dan Levy wrote. "Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family. It's hard to imagine a world without her in it."
Hollywood's Outpouring of Grief and Admiration
The news of O'Hara's passing has prompted an extraordinary wave of tributes from across the entertainment industry, highlighting her profound impact on comedy and film.
Meryl Streep, who acted alongside O'Hara in the 1986 comedy Heartburn, praised her "whipsmart compassion for the collection of eccentrics she portrayed" and called her death "such a loss for her family and friends, and the audience she graced as friends."
Macaulay Culkin, who played O'Hara's son in the Home Alone films, shared an emotional Instagram post: "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."
Michael Keaton, her co-star in both Beetlejuice films, said: "We go back before the first Beetlejuice. She's been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her."
Alec Baldwin, another Beetlejuice co-star, described O'Hara as "one of the greatest comic talents in the movie business" who possessed "a quality that was all her own."
Colleagues Reflect on a Unique Talent
Seth Rogen, who worked with O'Hara on Apple TV+'s The Studio, called the news "devastating" and revealed: "Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies. Getting to work with her was a true honour. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous... she made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it."
Jennifer Robertson, who played Jocelyn Schitt in Schitt's Creek, posted a picture of the pair holding hands on Instagram, writing: "Being in Catherine O'Hara's orbit was a beautiful and magical gift. She was an absolute star who never understood why people made such a fuss over her. Catherine was truly one of a kind."
Christopher Guest, who directed O'Hara in four films including Best In Show, stated: "I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age."
A National Icon Remembered
The loss has resonated particularly strongly in Canada, where O'Hara was celebrated as a national treasure. Mike Myers described her death as "a very sad day for comedy and for Canada," calling her "one of the greatest comedy artists in history."
Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau called her a "beloved Canadian icon," while current premier Mark Carney stated: "Canada has lost a legend. Over five decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy."
Catherine O'Hara, who won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role in Schitt's Creek, is survived by her husband Bo Welch and sons Matthew and Luke. Her family has announced they will hold a private celebration of her life.
