Bold headline-worthy loss and legacy: Catherine O’Hara’s posthumous win spotlights a fearless, collaborative genius who changed the game for her cast—and for the audience.
Actress Catherine O’Hara, who passed away from a pulmonary embolism in January at age 71, was honored with the Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy award posthumously on Sunday. Her Studio colleague, Seth Rogen, moved many to tears while accepting the award on her behalf.
During Sunday’s Actor Awards, Rogen revealed a heartfelt, previously unshared ritual he shared with O’Hara that sheds light on her remarkable approach to acting.
“I haven’t mentioned this to the other actors because I didn’t want them to get ideas,” Rogen began, “but nearly every night before a shooting day on our show, she would email me and Evan [Goldberg] with a message that followed a familiar pattern. It started, ‘Hello, I hope you’ll consider the following.’ And then there would be a completely rewritten version of the scene she was in.”
Rogen continued, “Literally, 100% of the time, these rewrites didn’t just improve her character; they elevated the entire scene and the show as a whole. She demonstrated that you can be a genius and be kind at the same time, and one does not have to come at the expense of the other.”
O’Hara was a central figure in Apple TV+’s Season 1 of the series, portraying veteran executive Patty Leigh, a character inspired by former Sony Pictures head Amy Pascal. She was slated to return in Season 2, prior to her January passing.
The show also swept major comedy categories, earning Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and Best Actor in a Comedy Series, making it the night’s most awarded program.
O’Hara leaves behind her husband of 34 years, production designer Bo Welch, and two sons, Matthew (32) and Luke (29).
The Canadian-born star was celebrated not only for Schitt’s Creek, but also for her roles in Best in Show, the Home Alone franchise, and her reprise of Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice 2024’s sequel.
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