Annie Murphy, Macaulay Culkin, and Dan Levy paid an emotional tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara at the 78th Emmy Awards, honouring the beloved actress who passed away at the age of 71 in January 2025. The three stars — each of whom shared memorable screen moments with O'Hara — reflected on her warmth, generosity, and the profound mark she left on audiences worldwide.

Annie Murphy: Strangers Carried Her Grief Too

Murphy, who portrayed Alexis Rose — O'Hara's on-screen daughter in the hit sitcom 'Schitt's Creek' — described a series of unexpected encounters with strangers who were equally devastated by O'Hara's passing. '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 recalled.

She also described being hugged by a 'gruff-looking gas station attendant' and witnessing an impromptu O'Hara impression at a wine store, with a woman calling out, '‘Ew, David, where’s the baby?’ while doing what I can only assume was Catherine’s exquisite hobble from ‘Best in Show.’' Murphy added: 'These are only a very few of the interactions I’ve been lucky enough to have that remind me how profoundly Catherine has impacted the world.'

Macaulay Culkin: 'She Was Our Mama'

Culkin, who played O'Hara's son in the 1990s classic 'Home Alone', described her as 'encouraging,' 'warm,' and 'funny.' Speaking with visible emotion, he said: 'She wasn’t just a wife and mother to Bo and Matthew and Luke. She was my mom. She was our mama. And by extension, she’s all of our mama.'

Culkin used the moment to appeal to audiences directly, urging them to call their own mothers. He closed with a tribute to O'Hara's reliability: '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.'

Dan Levy: 'Always Say Yes'

Levy, who played David Rose — O'Hara's on-screen son in 'Schitt's Creek' — offered perhaps the most personal reflection, saying O'Hara taught him to 'always say yes' both professionally and personally. He urged those in the room to embrace her philosophy: '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.'

Who Was Catherine O'Hara

O'Hara was a celebrated Canadian-American actress and comedian, known for a career spanning decades across film, television, and sketch comedy. Her roles in 'Home Alone', 'Best in Show', and 'Schitt's Creek' — for which she won an Emmy — cemented her status as a generational talent. Her passing in January 2025 drew widespread mourning from the entertainment world and fans alike. The tribute at the 78th Emmy Awards stands as one of the ceremony's most heartfelt moments, reflecting the depth of affection she inspired both on and off screen.