Actor Eugene Levy expressed profound grief over the passing of his longtime friend and Schitt’s Creek co-star Catherine O’Hara, who died at age 71. Levy, aged 79 and known for portraying Johnny Rose opposite O’Hara’s Moira Rose in the popular U.S. sitcom, shared his sentiments following her death on Friday at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness.
Eugene Levy’s Heartfelt Statement
In a personal statement, Levy reflected on their decades-long collaboration. “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,” he said. “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 O’Hara as Family
Levy’s son, Dan Levy, who co-created Schitt’s Creek and played the role of David Rose, their on-screen son, also paid tribute via Instagram. He described O’Hara as “family before she ever played my family.” Dan Levy added, “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years. 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.” He vowed to “cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
O’Hara’s Illustrious Career
The Canadian-American actress earned an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her standout performance in Schitt’s Creek. She gained widespread recognition for roles in films like Home Alone, the Beetlejuice series, and the 1986 comedy Heartburn. In 2024, O’Hara reprised her role as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, continuing to captivate audiences with her unique comedic talent.
Tributes from Fellow Stars
Meryl Streep, who shared the screen with O’Hara in Heartburn, issued a statement praising her impact. “Catherine O’Hara brought love and light to our world, through whipsmart compassion for the collection of eccentrics she portrayed… such a loss for her family and friends, and the audience she graced as friends,” Streep said.
Macaulay Culkin, O’Hara’s on-screen son in Home Alone (1990) and its 1992 sequel, 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,” he wrote.
Michael Keaton, her co-star in the Beetlejuice films, remembered their deep bond. “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,” Keaton stated.
Alec Baldwin, another original Beetlejuice cast member, highlighted her exceptional skills. He described O’Hara as “one of the greatest comic talents in the movie business” who possessed “a quality that was all her own.”
Seth Rogen, who collaborated with O’Hara in the Apple TV+ series The Studio—earning her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations—called her passing “devastating.” In an Instagram post, he said, “I told O’Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. 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. This is just devastating. We’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.”
Jennifer Robertson, O’Hara’s Schitt’s Creek co-star who played Jocelyn Schitt, posted a touching Instagram photo of them holding hands. “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. Her passing is a loss for everyone who knew and loved her, and a loss for Canada. You will be deeply missed Catherine,” Robertson wrote.
Pedro Pascal, set to appear with O’Hara in the second season of The Last of Us, shared his admiration. “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,” he said.
Further Reflections from the Industry
Christopher Guest, director and co-star in films like Best in Show, expressed devastation in a statement. “I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age,” he said.
Ben Stiller commented on X about her influence, stating it was “hard to explain the impact she had on comedy.” Mike Myers called her death “a very sad day for comedy and for Canada,” adding that O’Hara was “one of the greatest comedy artists in history.”
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referred to her as a “beloved Canadian icon.” Current Premier Mark Carney noted, “Canada has lost a legend.” In his statement, Carney added, “Over five decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy,” and said he joined all Canadians in mourning.
O’Hara is survived by her husband Bo Welch and sons Matthew and Luke. Her family plans a private celebration of her life.
