The 2026 Emmy Awards paid tribute to Catherine O’Hara on Monday, and three of her most famous onscreen children were there to honor her memory. Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy gathered on stage to remember the actress, whose death earlier this year left a mark on Canadian comedy and American cinema alike.
Culkin played O’Hara’s son Kevin McCallister in the first two “Home Alone” movies. Levy and Murphy starred as David and Alexis Rose on “Schitt’s Creek,” where O’Hara played Moira Rose. Together, they remembered a performer who appeared to them as a mother, a friend, and a guiding force.
The Opening Tribute
Culkin began the tribute with a joke that landed hard. “You remember her as the forget mother, right? But I will never forget about her,” he said. He listed words to describe her: encouraging, warm, funny. Then he reached for the word that mattered most.
“She was wasn’t just a wife and and mother to Bo, Matthew, and Luke, she was my mom. She was our mama — and by extension, she’s all of our mama. But like a good mama, she always showed up when I asked her to, because that was Catherine. That’s what she did. She showed up, and this is the best that we can do for her tonight. We’re showing up for her,” he said.
He then referenced the films that made her famous. “She may have forgotten me twice,” Culkin deadpanned, referring to the “Home Alone” films, “but we will always remember her. Thank you.”
Murphy’s Note From a Flight
Murphy followed with a tribute that drew on the small moments that defined O’Hara’s presence. “Catherine’s laugh was a perpetual ‘Yes, and….’ It challenged anyone who heard it to join in and be as delighted as she was. And she spread that delight everywhere. 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.'”
“Catherine’s laugh was a perpetual ‘Yes, and….'”
She described a gruff gas station attendant who hugged her while grieving her loss. She recalled a woman at the LCBO who did a Catherine impression, mimicking her hobble from “Best in Show.” These were only a few of the interactions that reminded her how profoundly O’Hara had touched the world.
Levy’s Lesson From O’Hara
Levy closed the tribute with a lesson he learned directly from O’Hara. “Always say yes,” he began. “Say yes to her instincts, all of them. As radical as they may sometimes seem, she is miles ahead of you, and you will learn to catch up.”
He detailed the specific moments that proved her wisdom. “Say yes to helping her build a TV character over the age of 60 that wears leather miniskirts and eight-inch heels, and speaks in a strange, sometimes unintelligible transatlantic accent, and know that she will not scare an audience away,” he said. “Say yes to the concept of a wig wall. Say yes to her asking to wear a wig as a hat. Say yes to her naming that wig.”
The lesson extended beyond the set. “Say yes to giving her space to experiment and create. It will amaze you on a daily basis, and it will change your life. Say yes to her dinner invites… and her stories… and her wisdom… and her generosity. Those are the things you will hold on to the tightest. Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness.”
The In Memoriam Performance
After the tributes, the ceremony moved to the In Memoriam segment, honoring all of the industry greatness lost this year. Noah Khan performed during the sequence, adding a musical element to the tribute.
O’Hara’s Life and Career
O’Hara died January 30 at the age of 71. She was a two-time Emmy winner, with her first win coming in 1982 for writing on “SCTV Network,” the follow-up to the original Canadian sketch-comedy series “SCTV,” which ran for two seasons between 1976 and 1979.
Her television career was long and varied. She guest-starred on shows like “Dream On,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Six Feet Under,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “30 Rock,” and “Modern Family.” But her most acclaimed role came in 2015, when she was cast as Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.”
That role earned her her second Emmy, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, in 2020. More recently, she earned two Emmy nominations in 2025: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Studio,” and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for “The Last of Us.”
| Role | Series | Emmy Result |
|---|---|---|
| Moira Rose | “Schitt’s Creek” | Won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, 2020 |
| Writing | “SCTV Network” | Won Emmy for writing, 1982 |
| Supporting | “The Studio” | Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 2025 |
| Guest | “The Last of Us” | Nominated Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, 2025 |
Film Credits and Collaborations
On the big screen, O’Hara was perhaps best known for playing Kate McCallister in “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” She also worked with director Christopher Guest on films like “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration.”
Her other film credits included “Beetlejuice,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Dick Tracy,” “Away We Go,” “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” and “The Paper.”
The Common Thread
The three tributes shared a common thread: O’Hara’s willingness to embrace the absurd. Levy’s lesson of saying yes was central to how she approached her craft. Culkin’s joke about being forgotten twice was a reminder of the films that made her famous.
Murphy’s anecdotes were about everyday encounters, not grand performances. A note on a flight, a hug from a stranger, a woman doing an impression at the LCBO — these were the moments that proved her influence was not confined to the screen.
The Legacy of Catherine O’Hara
O’Hara’s career spanned decades of television and film, from sketch comedy to leading roles in sitcoms. Her work touched audiences across genres.
The tribute at the Emmys honored that legacy. Three performers who called her “mama” gathered to remember her, each with a personal story that spoke of her laughter, her warmth, and her insistence on saying yes.
“She was our mama — and by extension, she’s all of our mama,” Culkin said.
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