Catherine O’Hara, who died in January at age 71, was remembered at the 78th Emmy Awards by Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy. The three actors, who all shared the screen with O’Hara, spoke about her warmth, humor, and generosity.
Macaulay Culkin opened the tribute, recalling O’Hara as his “Home Alone” mother. He described her as “encouraging,” “warm,” and “funny,” stating, “She wasn’t just a wife and mother to Bo and Matthew and Luke. She was my mom. She was our mama. And by extension, she’s all of our mama.” He urged viewers to “call your mother tonight” and emphasized O’Hara’s reliability, saying, “she always showed up when I asked her to. Because that was Catherine. That’s what she did. She showed up.”
Annie Murphy, who played Alexis in “Schitt’s Creek,” described O’Hara’s laugh as a “perpetual ‘yes’” that inspired joy in others. She recounted receiving expressions of grief from strangers after O’Hara’s death, including a note on an Air Canada flight and a hug from a gas station attendant. Murphy also shared a story of a woman performing a Catherine O’Hara mashup, referencing lines from “Schitt’s Creek” and a hobble from “Best in Show.”
Dan Levy, who played David on “Schitt’s Creek,” stated that the “greatest lesson” he learned from O’Hara was “to always say yes” to opportunities, both professionally and personally. He specifically encouraged embracing O’Hara’s creative process, saying, “Say yes to her naming that wig…Say yes to giving her space to experiment and create.” He also highlighted her personal qualities, urging people to “say yes to her dinner invites and her stories and her wisdom and her generosity.”
O’Hara died in Los Angeles following a brief illness. Her career spanned five decades, beginning with the Canadian sketch comedy series “Second City Television,” which she co-created with Eugene Levy and for which she won an Emmy in 1982. She also starred in films such as “After Hours,” “Beetlejuice,” the first two “Home Alone” movies, and several Christopher Guest mockumentaries including “Best in Show,” “For Your Consideration,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind.”
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