The loss of Catherine O’Hara has reopened memories from the heart of Schitt’s Creek, including a moment from 2018 when Dan Levy spoke with rare joy about working beside the woman who played his on screen mother and shaped one of TV’s most loved roles.
A role written with one actor in mind
Years before her death, Dan Levy spoke openly about how deeply personal the casting of Moira Rose was to him. In a 2018 interview, he said the character was written with one clear hope in mind. That Catherine O’Hara would say yes.
At the time, Schitt’s Creek was in its fourth season and gaining steady praise. Levy explained that the writers shaped Moira around O’Hara’s voice, style, and instincts long before she signed on.
“We wrote the character with the intention of Catherine playing the part,” he said, recalling how the team waited anxiously for her answer.
When she agreed, the moment felt surreal. Levy said they met over breakfast to talk through the role, a quiet start to what would become one of modern comedy’s most iconic performances.
The brilliance behind Moira Rose
Once O’Hara joined the show, Levy said the character truly came alive. He credited her with shaping nearly every detail of Moira Rose, from the sharp delivery to the now famous accent.
She arrived with clear ideas, visual notes, and strong opinions. Rather than resist, the writers leaned in.
“Catherine has really shaped that character herself,” Levy said in 2018. “All we’ve really done is support what she laid out.”
Moira’s voice, her dramatic pauses, and her bold fashion choices became central to the show’s humor. Levy called writing for Moira one of the most rewarding parts of the series, saying the challenge was simply keeping up with what O’Hara created.
One sentence often summed it up for him.
It was a dream come true.
A family bond that began long before the show
The connection between Levy and O’Hara did not start on set. His father, Eugene Levy, had worked closely with O’Hara since their early days in Canadian comedy during the 1970s.
Because of that, O’Hara had been part of Levy’s life in small ways since childhood. He described her presence as steady but informal, someone who was always around through his father’s long career.
Now, that long history took on new meaning.
“Now I get to see her every day and she gets to play my mom,” he said at the time. “That’s sort of a dream come true for most people.”
That personal comfort showed on screen, helping ground the often wild Rose family dynamic with real warmth.
Awards, doubts, and a role that changed everything
O’Hara’s work on Schitt’s Creek earned wide acclaim. In 2021, she won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Moira Rose, a role that defined the later years of her career.
Yet she once admitted she nearly passed on the part. In a 2019 interview, O’Hara said she felt some hesitation before joining the show, unsure of the commitment.
That choice changed the series forever.
Moira became a symbol of fearless comedy, blending ego, vulnerability, and heart in a way few characters ever manage. For Levy, watching that unfold from both sides of the camera was a rare privilege.
An emotional goodbye after her sudden death
Following news of O’Hara’s death on Friday at age 71, Levy shared a heartfelt tribute on social media. His words reflected not just grief, but gratitude.
“What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years,” he wrote.
He spoke of her as extended family, noting that she had spent more than five decades working alongside his father before ever playing his mother on screen. The loss, he said, felt deeply personal.
Levy also shared condolences with O’Hara’s husband of 33 years, Bo Welch, and their sons, Matthew and Luke.
Emergency responders were called to her Los Angeles home early Friday morning after reports of breathing trouble. She was taken to a hospital in serious condition, where she later died. A clear cause of death has not been confirmed.
O’Hara had lived with a rare condition known as dextrocardia with situs inversus, where internal organs are positioned as a mirror image of the typical layout.
Why this moment still matters to fans
For many viewers, Moira Rose remains a source of joy, comfort, and laughter. Levy’s 2018 words now carry extra weight, offering a glimpse into how much care and respect lived behind the scenes.
The story is not just about a role or a hit show. It is about trust, history, and creative partnership.
Catherine O’Hara did not just play a mother on television. She helped define a generation of comedy and left a mark that will not fade.
As fans revisit Schitt’s Creek and reflect on her work, Levy’s simple truth still resonates.
Some dreams really do come true.
