Hollywood was awash in tears with deep longing for the late Catherine O'Hara.
On the 2nd (local time), according to British outlet Daily Mail, Catherine O'Hara won the award for lead actress in a comedy series at the 2026 Actor Awards held that day. In place of the late actress, who suddenly passed away at the age of 71 last January from a pulmonary embolism caused by uterine cancer, fellow actor Seth Rogen, who co-starred in her posthumous work The Studio, took the stage as the proxy recipient of the award.
When Seth Rogen lifted the trophy calling it a "very sad honor," the many actors gathered at the ceremony rose to their feet and gave the late actress a standing ovation.
Seth Rogen, his voice choking, began the tribute, saying, "Because O'Hara respected her fellow actors so much, she would have been very humble to receive this award." As his speech continued, the camera captured the mournful sight of colleagues Catherine Han, Jenna Ortega, Sarah Paulson and Rose Byrne with reddened eyes wiping away tears.
That day Seth Rogen recalled the late actress's passion for acting and warm personality, delivering a poignant emotion. He said of the late actress, "O'Hara was generous, kind and elegant, yet she had an amazing ability to never understate her talent and contributions. She always wanted things to be perfect on set."
He went on to reveal an anecdote: "She kept it secret so other actors wouldn't get ideas, but O'Hara would always send me and the crew a polite email the night before filming saying 'please consider the following,' along with a completely rewritten script for the scenes in which she appeared." Seth Rogen said, "Her revisions 100% made the character and the scene, and indeed the whole work, better. She proved that someone can be a genius and also be kind, and that those two things are never mutually exclusive," expressing deep respect.
Finally, he urged viewers, "If there are people around who don't know O'Hara or young children, please show them the scene of her dancing to Harry Belafonte's song (Beetlejuice) or the incredible scene where she limps with an injured knee (Best in Show). When the audience bursts out laughing, tell them how lucky we were to live in a world with someone like Catherine O'Hara who so generously shared her talent," making the venue solemn.
With this award, the late Catherine O'Hara set a monumental record as the first female actor in the history of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to posthumously receive an individual award such as lead actress. Her final outstanding performance in The Studio swept the top prizes that day, taking the comedy series ensemble award and Seth Rogen's lead actor award as well, earning three crowns.
Catherine O'Hara, a native of Toronto, debuted as a member of the legendary comedy show SCTV and, along with John Candy and Eugene Levy, led the golden age of Canadian comedy. She solidified public recognition by playing Kevin's mother in the Home Alone series and left a strong presence in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice. Later she revived her career peak as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek and won the Emmy for lead actress in a comedy in 2020. In 2017 she was awarded one of Canada's highest honors, the Order of Canada, and until recently she appeared in dramas such as The Studio and The Last of Us.
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