Catherine O’Hara gets heartfelt Emmy tribute from Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy

Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy (Pic/X)

Catherine O'Hara, who died in January at 71, was honored Monday night at the 78th Emmy Awards by her three former on-screen children, Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy. They gave heartfelt speeches honoring their on-screen mother, with Macaulay Culkin getting visibly emotional during his segment. To note, the actress passed away in January 2026, leaving behind an impressive legacy.

Catherine O'Hara gets heartfelt tribute

Levy and Murphy played O'Hara's children on all six seasons of "Schitt's Creek," while Culkin played her son in the "Home Alone" movies.

Murphy went on to recall all the affection she received from strangers after O'Hara died. "After we lost Catherine, I was passed a note on an Air Canada flight that said, ‘She was so special. I hope you're doing okay,'" Murphy said.

She added: "On a drive up north, I was hugged by an extremely gruff-looking gas station attendant who was also grieving her loss. While buying wine at the LCBO, I was treated to a very lively Catherine mashup, which was a woman saying, ‘Ew, David, where's the baby?' while doing what I can only assume was Catherine's exquisite hobble from ‘Best in Show.'"

Culkin labelled his onscreen mother as "encouraging," "warm," and "funny." He said during the speech: "She wasn't just a wife and mother to Bo and Matthew and Luke. She was my mom. She was our mama."

Levy said that O'Hara taught him to always say yes to everything, both professionally and personally. He added, "Say yes to her dinner invites and her stories and her wisdom and her generosity. Those are the things you will hold onto the tightest. Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness."

More about Catherine O'Hara

Catherine O'Hara died on January 30, 2026, at the age of 71 from a pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot in her lungs. She was best known for her work in "Schitt's Creek," "Home Alone," and "Best in Show." The veteran actress is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke.

She won an Emmy in 2020 and previously earned an Emmy in 1982 for her work on SCTV Network. Over the course of her career, O'Hara received eight additional nominations for acting and writing. In 2025, she was a double nominee, earning recognition for Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series for HBO's "The Last of Us," as well as for her comedic performance in "The Studio."