Tributes from the film industry have been paid to Canadian actress Catherine O’Hara, who died aged 71.
O’Hara’s key film roles included Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Best In Show, and TV shows Schitt’s Creek, The Studio and The Last Of Us.
She died at her home on Friday (January 30) following a brief illness, according to her agent.
Macaulay Culkin, who played her son Kevin in Home Alone, said: “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.”
O’Hara’s Beetlejuice co-star Michael Keaton said: “She’s been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her.”
Her Schitt’s Creek co-star Dan Levy wrote on Instagram: “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. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
Christopher Guest, another frequent collaborator with O’Hara on films such as Best In Show and For Your Consideration, said: “I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age. I send my love to her family.”
Seth Rogen, co-creator of The Studio, said: “Really don’t know what to say… 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.”
Pedro Pascal, who appeared alongside O’Hara in The Last Of Us, said: “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 Catherine O’Hara.”
Ben Stiller said it was “hard to explain the impact she had on comedy,” adding: “For me, no one better. She was generational. Since SCTV she has been brilliant. Brilliant, brilliant. Funniest ever. Man. We lost a great. A true great. Sending love to Bo Welch and her family. So sad we lost her incredible presence among us. Will always look up to her. Man.”
Bryan Cranston, who starred alongside O’Hara in several projects including The Studio, said: “Working with Catherine was like playing tennis with Venus Williams. She never let you feel it - but you just tried to volley the ball back to her, hoping that you can come close to her level of talent. She was brilliant, and joyful.”
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said: “I join Canadians and fans across the world in mourning the loss of Catherine O’Hara. Over 5 decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy.”
O’Hara was an Emmy and Golden Globe winner. She was nominated for the latter again this year for The Studio and could still win for the same show at the upcoming Actor Awards (formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards), which take place in March.
O’Hara is survived by her husband Bo Welch and sons Matthew and Luke.
No comments yet