The cast of “Schitt’s Creek” is mourning the death of Catherine O’Hara, who passed away on January 30th after a short illness. She was 71 years old.
O’Hara played feisty matriarch Moira Rose on the Canadian sitcom from 2015 to 2020, co-starring Eugene Levy as Johnny Rose, Dan Levy as David Rose, and Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose.
Written by Dan Levy on instagram“What a gift to have been able to dance in the warm light of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for so many years. Having worked with my father for over 50 years, Catherine was part of my extended family even before she played my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her. I will cherish all the funny memories I was lucky enough to make with her. My heart goes out to Beau, Matthew, Luke and her entire big, beautiful family.”
In “Schitt’s Creek,” the once-wealthy Rose family falls into financial ruin and must move to the eponymous small town. The series also starred Emily Hampshire, Jennifer Robertson, Noah Reid, Sarah Levy, and Chris Elliott.
Robertson said. USA Today“I am so sad to hear of the loss of Catherine. Being in Catherine O’Hara’s orbit was a beautiful and magical gift. She was an absolute star and I could never understand why people made such a fuss about her. Her passing is a loss to everyone who knew and loved her. My deepest condolences to Bo, her sons and the O’Hara family.”
Elliott, who played Roland Schitt, said in a statement to USA Today, “Working with her and Eugene was a dream come true for me, all the more special because Katherine was such a warm-hearted, generous and humble person. I’ll always remember the laughs we shared on and off screen, and I’ll never forget the fun shopping trips at Joe Fresh.”
Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, and Dan Levy in “Schitt’s Creek.”
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CBC Television, which produced Schitt’s Creek, said in a statement: “We are shocked to hear of the passing of Catherine O’Hara, a beloved Canadian icon whose brilliance graced screens and stages around the world. From SCTV and Home Alone to her unforgettable role as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, Catherine brought an unparalleled talent and rare, brilliant spirit to everything she did.” “A light went out with her death. We send our deepest condolences to Catherine’s family and friends. She will be forever missed.”
During the show’s six-season run, O’Hara won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a SAG-AFTRA Actor Award, a TCA Award, and a Critics’ Choice Award for her performance as Moira. “Moira’s surreal costume and fish-out-of-water frenzy, a proud and indifferent idle woman forced to scrape her elbows on the hoi polloi, helped crystallize the comedic contrasts that are the creative force of the series.” variety Television critic Alison Herman writes in her book: tribute work.
Prior to “Schitt’s Creek,” O’Hara and Eugene Levy worked with Christopher Guest on several mockumentary films, including “For Your Consideration,” “Best in Show,” “Waiting for Guffman,” and “A Mighty Wind.”
“I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic book giants of our time,” Guest said of O’Hara in a statement. “I send my love to her family.”
O’Hara’s other notable roles include Kate McAllister in the first two “Home Alone” movies, Sally and Shock in the 1993 animated classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and Delia Dietz in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.”
See more tributes to O’Hara here.