Catherine O’Hara’s posthumous Actor awards win leaves audience in tears

Catherine O’Hara left the Actor awards 2026 audience visibly emotional after receiving a posthumous honour just one month after her death.

The beloved star, who died on January 30 aged 71, won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series on Sunday night for her role as Patty Leigh in The Studio.

Her co-star and the show’s co-creator Seth Rogen accepted the award on her behalf, delivering a heartfelt speech that drew strong reactions across the room.

Seth Rogen gives a tribute to Catherine O'Hara after she wins The Actor Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series:

"She knew she could destroy and she wanted to destroy every day on set." #ActorAwards pic.twitter.com/x1K95m2iuw

— Netflix (@netflix) March 2, 2026

“I was asked to assume the very sad honour of accepting this award on O’Hara’s behalf,” Rogen said, adding she would have been proud to receive the recognition from fellow performers she respected.

Reflecting on their time together, Rogen praised O’Hara’s rare mix of kindness and creative fearlessness.

He revealed that before nearly every filming day, the veteran actress would send him and co-creator Evan Goldberg detailed rewrites of her scenes.

“Literally 100 percent of the time, it made not just her character better, but it made the scene better and the entire show better as a whole,” he said.

Rogen added that O’Hara proved “you can be a genius and be kind” at the same time, a line that resonated strongly with the audience.

He closed by urging viewers to revisit her iconic work, including Beetlejuice and Best in Show, saying the world was lucky to witness her talent.

O’Hara’s representative previously confirmed she died after a brief illness. In February, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health listed pulmonary embolism as the cause of death, with rectal cancer identified as the underlying condition.

She was a five-time nominee at the ceremony, first recognised in 2011 for Temple Grandin, followed by four nominations for Schitt’s Creek between 2020 and 2021. She and her Schitt’s Creek castmates won the ensemble prize in 2021.

Last month, O’Hara’s life was honoured at a Catholic Mass held on Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles.