Yesterday, the entertainment industry honored the late Catherine O’Hara with a win. Her comedic performances in The Studio were iconic, per usual. So, the committees presented Catherine’s estate with an Actor Award, formerly known as a SAG Award, for her work on this series. Without hesitation, Seth Rogen, The Sudio’s co-creator and Catherine’s fellow costar, took the stage, accepting this award on Catherine’s behalf. And as Seth spoke, the audience was emotional, even Catherine’s fellow nominees.
Catherine’s characters were zany and well-honed, and her behaviors, both on set and off, were genuine and kind. She was a rarity in this industry, so her passing hit like a ton of bricks. Proving this point, when Catherine’s estate won, the entire crowd rose, celebrating her legacy with a standing ovation following Seth’s tribute.
Catherine O’Hara won at the Actor Awards, formerly SAG Awards, for her role in The Studio
In 2025, Catherine opened up to Vanity Fair about her new role in The Studio. As she explained, she “was nervous about not being able to come up with another character” following her showings as Moria Rose on Schitt’s Creek. “I was afraid I was not going to be able to [shake that character], that I would naturally go into that voice,” she said. Catherine’s fears never came true.
In The Studio, Catherine presented as Patty Leigh, a character inspired by Amy Pascal, the former Chairwoman of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Amy lost her post in 2015. As Catherine explained, it was hard to relate to this character. After all, Catherine’s never gotten “ripped out of a job like that and then had to think fast.”
Nevertheless, in Episode 1, Catherine’s character Patty loses her gig with the “meatgrinder,” Continental Pictures. Right after, Patty saves her career with a quick pivot, inking a three-year producer deal with Seth’s character, otherwise known as her replacement, Matt Remnick. Catherine aced this assignment. So, yesterday, her estate took home the win for Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Actor Awards ceremony, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Seth Rogen gave a tribute to Catherine as he accepted the award on her behalf
At the 2026 Actor Awards ceremony, Seth had the “very sad honor” of accepting Catherine’s award on her behalf. “I know she would have been honored to receive this award from her fellow performers, who I know she respected so much. She was such a big fan of all of yours,” Seth began.
“I, obviously, have been reflecting on the time I was fortunate enough to spend with her and working with her, and something that I’ve just been marveling at over the last few weeks was really her ability to be generous and kind and gracious, while never, ever minimizing her own talents and her own ability to contribute to the work that we were doing,” Seth stressed. As for Catherine, “She knew she could destroy, and she wanted to destroy every day on set.” Here, the camera panned, showing Catherine’s co-stars and fellow nominees alike wiping tears.
In concluding his touching tribute, Seth encouraged everyone to show the “people in your lives that don’t know her work, if they’re kids in your lives, or just people who are out of touch, or stupid, or something, just show them O’Hara dancing to Harry Belafonte in Beetlejuice, show them O’Hara hurting her knee in Best in Show and doing that amazing thing where she hobbles around, and tell the people, as they are laughing, that that’s Catherine O’Hara, and we were lucky that we got to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us.”
Catherine O’Hara died in January 2026 from a blood clot in the lungs
On January 30, 2026, the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed via a press release that Catherine had been transported to the hospital in “serious condition.” She passed away later that same day. As for her cause of death, Catherine experienced a pulmonary embolism, meaning a blood clot in her lungs. She also had an underlying cause at play, rectal cancer.
Catherine leaves behind her husband of more than 33 years, Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew Welch and Luke Welch. Catherine and Bo met on the set of Beetlejuice, where Bo worked as a production designer. They tied the knot in 1992.
Following Catherine’s passing, Dan Levy, her long-time friend and son on Schitt’s Creek, posted a sweet tribute on Instagram. “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years, he began. “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.”
Likewise, Macaulay Culkin, Catherine’s son in Home Alone, also penned a touching tribute. “Mama,” he began, “I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you,” he said, admitting, “I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
TELL US – DID YOU GET EMOTIONAL WHEN CATHERINE WON A POSTHUMOUS ACTOR AWARD? IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE STUDIO, DO YOU PLAN ON DOING SO NOW?
