Catherine O’Hara was remembered in an emotional tribute at the 78th Emmy Awards, with Macaulay Culkin joined by her former Schitt’s Creek co-stars Dan Levy and Annie Murphy to honour the late actress.
The tribute opened the Emmys’ In Memoriam segment on Monday (Sept 14) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Culkin, who played O’Hara’s son Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone films, remembered her as much more than his on-screen mother.
To him, she was simply “mama”.
He recalled how O’Hara continued to support him decades after they appeared together in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, describing her as warm, encouraging and funny.
Culkin also urged viewers to appreciate their own mothers, reflecting on the lasting impact O’Hara had on his life.
Levy and Murphy, who played her children David and Alexis Rose in Schitt’s Creek, shared their own memories of working with O’Hara.
Murphy remembered O’Hara’s distinctive laugh and the way her presence could light up a room, while Levy spoke about her creativity and generosity as an actor.
O’Hara died on Jan 30 at the age of 71. Her death followed a brief illness. Her career spanned more than five decades, including work on SCTV, Home Alone, Best in Show, Beetlejuice and Schitt’s Creek.
She won an Emmy for her performance as the eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, a role that introduced her work to a new generation of viewers.
Culkin, Levy and Murphy’s tribute was followed by the wider In Memoriam segment, which honoured entertainment figures who died during the past year.
Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as photographs of the late stars and industry figures appeared on screen, bringing the ceremony’s remembrance segment to a close.
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