Schitt’s Creek’s Eugene Levy, Dan pay tribute to Catherine O’Hara following her death

Eugene Levy and Dan Levy have shared emotional tributes following the death of their longtime collaborator and Schitt’s Creek costar Catherine O’Hara, who died at the age of 71 on Friday.

While Catherine was widely known for her roles in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Best in Show, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, but her portrayal of flamboyant matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek introduced her to a new generation of fans and earned her an Emmy Award in 2020.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Eugene Levy reflected on his decades-long friendship with Catherine, saying the loss was difficult to put into words.

“Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today,” the actor – who played her husband, Johnny Rose in the show – said. “I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship. And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”

Dan Levy also honoured O’Hara in a tribute posted on Instagram, describing her as extended family long before she portrayed his on-screen mother.

Additional tributes came from members of the Schitt’s Creek cast, including Sarah Levy as well as show’s fans. Schitt’s Creek aired from 2015 to 2020.