‘Schitt’s Creek’ Cast Reacts to Catherine O’Hara’s Death: ‘It’s Hard to Imagine a World Without Her in It’

The cast of “Schitt’s Creek” are mourning the loss of Catherine O’Hara, who died Jan. 30 following a brief illness. She was 71.

O’Hara portrayed exuberant matriach Moira Rose on the Canadian sitcom from 2015 to 2020, starring alongside Eugene Levy as Johnny Rose, Dan Levy as David Rose and Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose. The Emmy-winning series was created by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy.

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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. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke and every member of her big, beautiful family.”

Later on Friday, Eugene Levy issued a statement. “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today,” Levy wrote. “I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship. And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke and the entire O’Hara family.”

In “Schitt’s Creek,” the once-affluent 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 told USA Today, “I am deeply saddened to hear we have lost Catherine. Being in Catherine O’Hara’s orbit was a beautiful, magical gift. She was absolute star who never understood why people made such a fuss about her. Her passing is a loss for 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 – made all the more special because Catherine was such a warm hearted, generous and humble human being. I will always remember the laughs we shared on screen and off, and I’ll never forget our fun shopping spree at Joe Fresh.”

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Catherine O’Hara, a beloved Canadian icon whose brilliance lit up screens and stages around the world. From SCTV and Home Alone to her unforgettable portrayal of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, Catherine brought unmatched talent and a rare and radiant spirit to everything she touched,” CBC Television, which produced “Schitt’s Creek,” said in a statement. “With her passing, a light has gone out. We send our heartfelt condolences to Catherine’s family and friends. She will be forever missed.”

During the show’s six-season run, O’Hara received a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG-AFTRA’s Actor Award, TCA Award and Critics Choice Award for her performance as Moira. “A proudly out-of-touch lady of leisure forced to rub elbows with the hoi polloi, Moira’s impractical outfits and fish-out-of-water frenzy helped crystallize the comedic contrast that was the series’ creative engine,” Variety TV critic Alison Herman wrote in her tribute piece.

Prior to “Schitt’s Creek,” O’Hara and Eugene Levy collaborated on multiple mockumentary films with Christopher Guest, including “For Your Consideration,” “Best in Show, “Waiting for Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind.”

“I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age,” Guest said of O’Hara in a statement. “I send my love to her family.”

O’Hara’s other notable roles include Kate McCallister in the first two “Home Alone” movies, Sally and Shock in the 1993 animated classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” films.

See more tributes to O’Hara here.