An outpouring of love has followed the sudden death of Catherine O’Hara, with tributes from friends, collaborators, and fans who were shaped by her rare brilliance. Among the most moving was a deeply personal message from Annie Murphy, who played Alexis Rose opposite O’Hara’s unforgettable Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek.
Taking to Instagram, Murphy remembered not just O’Hara’s legendary talent, but the joy she radiated in every room. “Ha-ha-haaa?!?! Her laugh was a perpetual ‘Yes, And…’” Murphy wrote, describing a sound that invited everyone around her to participate in the delight. “It challenged anyone who heard it to join in, and be as delighted as she was. Gosh, were we ever lucky to have her.” The words captured what many who worked with O’Hara have long said: her generosity as a performer was as profound as her comedic genius.
Murphy also shared what amounted to a masterclass in creativity and kindness, lessons she absorbed while working alongside O’Hara. Though O’Hara would never have called herself a teacher, Murphy described herself as “ever a student,” listing the principles she learned on set. Among them: “Giggles always. Jokes first. As long as they feel right in your bones.” She emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people who make you laugh, treating every set as a true community, and having the courage to make suggestions—even when they don’t land. It was a tribute not only to O’Hara’s skill, but to her humility and collaborative spirit.
Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy also honored O’Hara, reflecting on their years together both on and off screen. He called it “a gift” to have worked in the “warm glow” of her brilliance, noting that she felt like family long before she played one on television. Levy extended his condolences to O’Hara’s husband Bo Welch and her sons, Matthew and Luke, underscoring the deep personal loss behind the public mourning.
His father, Eugene Levy, who portrayed Johnny Rose and shared a creative partnership with O’Hara spanning more than five decades, echoed that sentiment. From their early days at Second City, through SCTV, Christopher Guest films, and finally Schitt’s Creek, Levy said he cherished not only their work, but their friendship above all.
Together, these tributes paint a portrait of Catherine O’Hara as more than an icon. She was a mentor, a collaborator, and a source of laughter that lifted everyone around her—an influence that will endure long after the final curtain call.
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