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Catherine O'Hara: Hollywood Pays Tribute to SCTV, Schitt's Creek Star

Tributes from across the entertainment industry and around the world have poured in, honoring the late actress and comedian Catherine O'Hara.

The entertainment world is reeling today after losing Catherine O'Hara, who passed away at the age of 71 on January 30th. The Canadian-American actress developed an accomplished career spanning over 50 years, starting on the famed Second City Television comedy series alongside other greats like John Candy, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Eugene Levy. Since the series ended in 1984, O'Hara would spend her career frequently collaborating with her fellow SCTV alums in their various projects, which include the megahit Home Alone (1990) with Candy, The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley with Short, and Schitt's Creek with Levy.

With over 120 roles in O'Hara's filmography, the actress was a favorite guest-star and also featured in recurring roles with various TV shows, with memorable roles across live-action and voiceover in Committed, Six Feet Under, Glenn Martin DDS, What Lives Inside, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Skylander Academy, and The Last Kids on Earth. Other memorable films include the Christopher Guest classics Best in Show (2000) and A Mighty Wind (2003), and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie (2012), Beetlejuice (1988). In her final years, O'Hara would reprise her role as Delia Deetz in the 2024 sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, reuniting with Burton and co-stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder; appear in AppleTV's critically acclaimed satire The Studio, and flex her dramatic chops in HBO's The Last of Us.

Catherine O'Hara: Friends, Co-Stars from "Home Alone," "The Last of Us" and More Pay Tribute to Comedy Legend

A Mighty Wind and Best in Show co-star Michael McKean wrote, "Only one Catherine O'Hara, and now none. Heartbreaking." Macaulay Culkin, star of Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, wrote on Instagram, sharing a still from the original Chris Columbus film and an updated picture of them side-by-side at Culkin's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, "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."

Columbus wrote to The Hollywood Reporter, "Today we lost Catherine O'Hara. I'm stunned and heartbroken, along with the rest of the world. I was an obsessive fan of Catherine's brilliant comedic work on SCTV and was thrilled when she agreed to play Kevin's mom in Home Alone. What most people don't realize is that Catherine carries the weight of 50 percent of that film. The movie simply would not work without her extraordinary performance. Catherine grounds the picture with a profound emotional depth. I will miss her greatly. Yet there is a small sense of comfort, realizing that two of the finest human beings I've ever known, Catherine and John Candy, are together again, brilliantly improvising, making each other laugh."

SCTV slum Mike Myers told THR, "It is a very sad day for comedy and for Canada. She was one of the greatest comedy artists in history, an inspiration for millions and above all a very elegant lady. Sending much love and condolences to her family." The Studio cast and crew also penned a tribute via Deadline, "We are at a loss for words at the passing of our friend Catherine O'Hara. She was a hero to all of us, and we pinched ourselves every day that we got to work with her on The Studio. She was somehow classy, warm, and hilarious all at the same time. We're unbelievably saddened she is gone and send our deepest sympathy to Bo and all her family."

"Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today," Eugene Levy wrote (via Variety). "I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O'Hara for over fifty 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."

The Last of Us showrunner and EP Craig Mazin wrote to Deadline, "Catherine O'Hara was not only a legend, she was one of the most decent people I've ever known, much less worked with. We're all just devastated by this news. Our thoughts are with her family." In the series, O'Hara played Jackson psychologist Dr. Gail Lynden who acted as a therapist to lead Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), who reluctantly treats him even after finding out she killed her husband (Joe Pantoliano). "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 #CatherineOHara," Pascal wrote on Instagram, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo of the two. You can check out more tributes below.

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