Celebrities worldwide are paying tribute to Catherine O’Hara, remembering her humor, warmth and unforgettable characters.
The beloved Canadian actor, best known for “Schitt’s Creek,” “Home Alone,” and her groundbreaking work on “SCTV,” died at age 71 on Friday.
O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, CAA, the Associated Press reported. More details were not immediately available.
As condolences poured in, many highlighted her remarkable career, including her iconic roles in Tim Burton’s films and her lasting influence on generations of performers.
Here are some of the heartfelt tributes:
Macaulay Culkin
“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.”
Dan Levy
“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,” Levy wrote on Instagram. “I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
Meryl Streep
“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, who co-starred with O’Hara in “Heartburn,” in a statement.
Pedro Pascal
“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.”
Michael Keaton
“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
“Catherine O’Hara was one of the greatest comic talents in the movie business. She had a quality that was all her own and my sympathy goes out to Bo and their family,” said her “Beetlejuice” co-star in a statement.
Justin Theroux
“🕊️Oh Catherine. You will be so so missed.”
Michael Buble
“Catherine O’Hara was one of a kind. A rare light in this world and her passing hits with a weight I can’t fully put into words. She wasn’t just a legendary artist, actor and comedian. She was an ambassador for Canada in the truest sense: brilliant, fearless, deeply original, and so full of humanity. She made the world laugh, but she also made people feel seen. As an artist, she inspired me more than she’ll ever know. She set the bar for what it means to represent your country with excellence and grace and all without ever losing warmth or humility. My heart is broken for her family, her loved ones, and everyone who adored her, both here in Canada and around the world. If you’re grieving this loss, you’re not alone. We’re all holding a piece of this sadness together. Rest easy, Catherine. Thank you for everything. 🇨🇦❤️”
Mike Myers
“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,” Myers said in a statement.
Seth Rogen
“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,” Rogen wrote on Instagram.
Rita Wilson
“Catherine O’Hara — a woman who was authentic and truthful in all she did. You saw it in her work, if you knew her you saw it in her life, and you saw it in her family. Bo, Luke and Matthew, our deepest sympathies. May Catherine rest in peace. May her memory be eternal.”
Andrea Martin
“Catherine. She is and will always be the greatest. It is an honor to have called her my friend.” said the actor and fellow original “SCTV” cast member in a statement.
Mark Carney
“Over 5 decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy — from SCTV to Schitt’s Creek. Canada has lost a legend. My thoughts are with her family, friends, and all,” said the Canadian prime minister on social media.
Andy Cohen
“Fell in love at first sight on SCTV and it only got stronger. Rest In Peace, Angel Catherine O’Hara”
Melanie Lynskey
Ike Barinholtz
Lea Thompson
Kevin Nealon
“Catherine O’Hara changed how so many of us understand comedy and humanity. From the chaos and heart of Home Alone to the unforgettable precision of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she created characters we’ll rewatch again and again,” the comedian and actor said on social media.
Craig Mazin
“I think she would prefer that we keep laughing somehow, or at the very least not cry. Not possible at the moment. As brutal as this feels for anyone who knew or worked with her, I know it is far more painful for her husband and sons and close family. I’m thinking about them right now too. It all hurts terribly. Goodbye, you legend… you wonderful, brilliant, kind, beautiful human being. We were lucky to have had you at all,” the “The Last of Us” showrunner said on Instagram.
Christopher Guest
“I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age. I send my love to her family,” said the actor and director who collaborated with O’Hara on four films, in a statement.
Sarah Polley
“She was the kindest and the classiest. How could she also have been the funniest person in the world? And she was at the very top of her game. There won’t be another like her,” Polley said on Instagram.
Ron Howard
“This is shattering news. What a wonderful person, artist and collaborator. I was lucky enough to direct, produce and act in projects with her and she was simply growing more brilliant with each year. My heart goes out to Bo & family.” — the actor and director, on X.
Ike Barinholtz
“I never in a million years thought I would get to work with Catherine O’Hara let alone become friends with her,” Barinholtz said on Instagram. “So profoundly sad she’s somewhere else now, So incredibly grateful I got to spend the time I did with her. Thank you Catherine I love you.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nbclosangeles.com ’
