Catherine O’Hara Honoured With Posthumous Award for The Studio

The applause said everything.

One month after her unexpected passing, Catherine O'Hara was honoured with a posthumous award at the 32nd Screen Actors Guild Awards, now known as the Actor Awards.

O’Hara won Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role in The Studio. She passed away on January 30 at the age of 71 due to a pulmonary embolism.

RELATED: Catherine O’Hara’s Most Iconic Roles: A Heartfelt Tribute to a Comedy Legend

When her name was announced at the Shine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the crowd rose to its feet. The standing ovation felt less like a formality and more like a collective thank you.

A Genius Who Was Also Kind

Her co-star and the show’s co-creator, Seth Rogen, accepted the award on her behalf.

Rogen shared that O’Hara was a deeply thoughtful collaborator, known for sending polite late-night emails suggesting scene tweaks. Not diva behaviour. Just someone who cared about making the work better.

He described her as proof “you could be a genius, and you could be kind.”

Then he reminded everyone of what made her unforgettable. The chaotic dance to Harry Belafonte in Beetlejuice. The perfectly committed knee injury in Best in Show. The way she could make you cry laughing without ever trying too hard.

And honestly, that’s the magic. She never looked like she was performing. She looked like she was having the time of her life and letting us in on the joke.

A Big Night for The Studio

It was also a major evening for The Studio. The series took home Best Comedy Series, and Rogen won Best Male Actor in a Comedy Series.

On the show, O’Hara played Patty Leigh, a sharp, commanding movie executive who could likely destroy your career with a single raised eyebrow. Naturally, she made it hilarious.

Canada has produced its fair share of comedy legends, but Catherine O’Hara always felt in a category of her own. Bold without being loud. Fearless without being flashy.

Her award may have been posthumous, but the standing ovation proved something bigger.

We were lucky she shared her brilliance with us.