The 2026 Emmy Awards paused for a tribute that connected two of television and film’s most beloved fictional families. Catherine O’Hara, the comedy legend whose career spans five decades, was honored during the ceremony by three actors who know her best as a screen mother: Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy. Together, they represented two eras of O’Hara’s career—the McCallisters of Home Alone and the Roses of Schitt’s Creek—and delivered a tribute that felt less like an awards-show formality and more like a family reunion.
“She was our mama,” the three actors said, a phrase that captured the unique relationship between O’Hara and the performers who played her children. It was a moment that resonated because O’Hara’s on-screen motherhood, across vastly different characters and decades, had become part of the cultural fabric for multiple generations of viewers.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards took place on Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, airing live on NBC and Peacock. During the ceremony, O’Hara was honored in a tribute segment that brought together Culkin, Levy, and Murphy.
Culkin, who played Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, appeared alongside Levy and Murphy, who played David and Alexis Rose in Schitt’s Creek. The three actors shared memories of working with O’Hara and spoke about the impact she had on their careers and lives.
The segment was not part of the In Memoriam tribute, as O’Hara is alive and actively working. It was a celebration of her career and legacy—a recognition of an actress whose work has spanned sketch comedy, blockbuster films, and acclaimed television.
For viewers, the tribute offered a rare collision of two cultural touchstones. Culkin, forever associated with the Home Alone franchise, stood alongside Levy and Murphy, who became beloved for their roles in Schitt’s Creek. All three shared something in common: they had played Catherine O’Hara’s children on screen.
The phrase “She was our mama” carried weight because it was true in a specific, professional sense. Culkin played O’Hara’s on-screen son, Kevin McCallister, in Home Alone. Levy and Murphy played her on-screen children, David and Alexis Rose, in Schitt’s Creek.
These were fictional relationships, but the actors’ affection for O’Hara was evident in their tribute. In the world of film and television, actors often form deep professional bonds while portraying family members. The tribute made clear that O’Hara’s presence on set—her generosity, her humor, her professionalism—left a lasting impression on the performers who worked with her.
The phrase also spoke to something broader: O’Hara’s ability to embody motherhood in ways that felt authentic and memorable, even when the circumstances were comedic or absurd.
Home Alone, released in 1990, introduced audiences to Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy accidentally left behind when his family flies to Paris for Christmas. Catherine O’Hara played Kate McCallister, Kevin’s mother, who spends much of the film desperately trying to get back to her son.
The film became a phenomenon, and the relationship between Kate and Kevin provided its emotional anchor. Kate’s frantic journey home—her willingness to do anything to reunite with her child—gave the comedy a beating heart. O’Hara’s performance balanced humor with genuine maternal anxiety, creating a character who felt real even in an increasingly cartoonish scenario.
Seeing Culkin honor O’Hara decades later carried a powerful nostalgia factor. For many viewers, Home Alone is a holiday staple, and the pairing of O’Hara and Culkin is inseparable from those memories. The tribute allowed audiences to revisit that connection in a new context—not as characters, but as colleagues reflecting on a shared experience.
Kate McCallister could have been a one-note character—the distracted mother who loses her son. But O’Hara brought depth and warmth to the role, making Kate’s desperation feel genuine. Her comedic timing was impeccable, but it was the emotional core of her performance that made the character memorable.
The film’s most famous moment for Kate comes when she finally reunites with Kevin on Christmas morning. O’Hara’s expression—relief, love, and exhaustion all at once—sells the moment without a word of dialogue. It’s a reminder that O’Hara’s gifts extend beyond comedy into genuine emotional truth.
Home Alone was an important part of O’Hara’s career, but it was far from the only thing she did. It was one chapter in a much larger story.
Two decades after Home Alone, O’Hara took on another iconic mother role: Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. The CBC/Pop TV series, which later found a massive audience on Netflix, followed the Rose family after they lose their fortune and are forced to relocate to a small town they once purchased as a joke.
O’Hara played Moira Rose, a former soap opera actress with a dramatic personality, an ever-changing vocabulary, and a wardrobe that defied description. Dan Levy played her son, David Rose, and Annie Murphy played her daughter, Alexis Rose. Eugene Levy, Dan’s real-life father, played Johnny Rose, Moira’s husband.
The Rose family dynamic was the heart of Schitt’s Creek. The show tracked their evolution from spoiled and self-absorbed to genuinely caring and connected. Moira’s relationship with David and Alexis evolved over six seasons, moving from comedic friction to moments of real emotional depth.
Moira Rose was more than a comedic character. She was a fully realized creation—eccentric, theatrical, and often hilariously out of touch, but also capable of surprising tenderness and vulnerability.
Her vocabulary became a cultural phenomenon, with words like “bebe” and her distinctive pronunciation of “baby” entering the pop-culture lexicon. Her fashion—elaborate wigs, dramatic gowns, and statement accessories—made her a style icon. Her theatrical mannerisms, drawn from O’Hara’s own comedy background, gave Moira a larger-than-life quality that made her unforgettable.
But what made Moira truly special was the emotional journey. Over the course of Schitt’s Creek, Moira learned to connect with her children in new ways. The character’s growth felt earned, and O’Hara’s performance made every step of that journey believable.
The relationship between Moira and David Rose was one of the show’s richest dynamics. David, played by Dan Levy, was neurotic, anxious, and deeply insecure, but also fiercely loyal and capable of great love. Moira, his mother, was often oblivious to his struggles, but she also had moments of profound connection with him.
Their comedic chemistry was undeniable. O’Hara and Levy played off each other beautifully, finding humor in the smallest exchanges. But they also delivered emotional moments that gave the show its heart. The mother-son relationship evolved in ways that felt true to both characters, and audiences connected with the complexity of their bond.
Dan Levy, who co-created Schitt’s Creek with his father, Eugene Levy, has spoken publicly about O’Hara’s impact on the show and on him as a performer. Her presence elevated every scene she was in, and her generosity as an actor helped create an environment where the entire cast could thrive.
Alexis Rose, played by Annie Murphy, was David’s younger sister—a former socialite who slowly discovered her own capabilities over the course of the series. Moira’s relationship with Alexis was different from her relationship with David. Alexis was more independent, more willing to push back, and more capable of surprising her mother.
Their dynamic was often comedic—Alexis’s casual confidence clashing with Moira’s dramatic tendencies—but it also had moments of genuine warmth. O’Hara and Murphy created a mother-daughter relationship that felt real, funny, and ultimately moving.
The evolution of Alexis and Moira’s relationship was one of the show’s most satisfying arcs. As Alexis grew into her own person, Moira learned to see her daughter in a new light. It was a testament to both performers’ abilities that these changes felt organic and earned.
Catherine O’Hara’s career began long before Home Alone or Schitt’s Creek. She was a member of the legendary Second City comedy troupe in Toronto, where she performed alongside figures like John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Martin Short. Her work on SCTV (Second City Television) in the 1970s and 1980s established her as one of the most talented comedic performers of her generation.
SCTV was a sketch comedy series that parodied television and film, and O’Hara’s versatility was on full display. She created dozens of characters, many of them based on real celebrities, and her ability to disappear into a role became her trademark.
Her comedy foundation—built on improvisation, character work, and ensemble collaboration—shaped everything that followed. Whether she was playing a frantic mother in Home Alone or an eccentric former soap star in Schitt’s Creek, O’Hara brought the same commitment to character and the same willingness to find humor in the human condition.
O’Hara’s career includes a remarkable range of roles. In Beetlejuice (1988), she played Delia Deetz, a self-absorbed artist whose home is haunted by the recently deceased. Her performance was a perfect blend of comedy and horror, and the role became one of her most recognizable.
She collaborated frequently with director Christopher Guest, appearing in mockumentaries like Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). These films showcased her improvisational skills and her ability to create fully realized characters from minimal scripts.
She voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), contributed to Home Alone and its sequel, and appeared in countless other films and television shows. Her career has been defined by versatility and a willingness to take on challenging, unusual roles.
O’Hara’s collaborations with Christopher Guest represent one of the most fruitful partnerships of her career. Guest’s mockumentary style—built on improvisation and ensemble work—allowed O’Hara to create characters that felt spontaneous and real.
In Best in Show, she played Cookie Fleck, a dog owner whose husband is constantly being approached by former romantic partners. In A Mighty Wind, she played Mickey Crabbe, one half of a folk duo. In Waiting for Guffman, she played Sheila Albertson, a small-town performer with big dreams.
These films demonstrated O’Hara’s ability to work within an ensemble, to support her fellow performers, and to find moments of truth within absurdity. Her improvisational skills, honed at Second City, made her an invaluable collaborator for Guest and his rotating cast of actors.
O’Hara’s work has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations. She won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek in 2020. She also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series—Musical or Comedy for the same role in 2021.
She received additional Emmy nominations for Schitt’s Creek and for her work on SCTV. Her film work has also been recognized by critics’ groups and industry organizations.
Her Schitt’s Creek recognition was particularly meaningful because it came late in her career. The show’s success introduced her to a new generation of viewers and cemented her status as one of television’s most celebrated performers.
O’Hara’s career spans more than four decades, and different audiences know her from different eras. Some viewers first encountered her on SCTV in the 1970s and 1980s. Others know her as Kate McCallister from Home Alone. Still others discovered her through Schitt’s Creek.
This generational reach is rare. It reflects O’Hara’s ability to remain relevant across changing entertainment landscapes. Her comedy background gave her the tools to adapt, and her commitment to character work made every role memorable, regardless of the era.
The 2026 Emmy tribute reflected this reach. Culkin represented the Home Alone era, while Levy and Murphy represented Schitt’s Creek. Together, they told the story of a performer whose work has touched multiple generations.
Kate McCallister and Moira Rose are very different mothers. Kate is anxious, overwhelmed, and desperately trying to protect her child. Moira is theatrical, self-absorbed, and often oblivious to her children’s needs.
Yet both characters share something essential: they are recognizably human. O’Hara’s performances make their flaws understandable and their moments of love genuine. Whether she’s frantically searching for Kevin in an airport or awkwardly expressing affection to David and Alexis, O’Hara finds the truth in the character.
The range between Kate and Moira demonstrates O’Hara’s versatility. She can play broad comedy and quiet emotion, often in the same scene. She can be the center of attention or part of an ensemble. She can make audiences laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously.
The choice of Culkin, Levy, and Murphy to honor O’Hara created a unique bridge between her film and television legacy. Culkin, as Kevin McCallister, represents one of the most iconic child-parent relationships in film history. Levy and Murphy, as David and Alexis Rose, represent one of the most beloved television families of the 21st century.
Bringing them together allowed the tribute to acknowledge both eras of O’Hara’s career in a single moment. It also created a visual representation of her range—from blockbuster holiday film to acclaimed cable comedy.
Whether the producers selected these three actors specifically for this reason is not confirmed. But as an editorial observation, the combination was inspired. It honored O’Hara’s past and her more recent work, while also celebrating the performers who shared in those experiences.
The Emmy Awards have increasingly used their platform to celebrate television history alongside current achievements. The 2026 ceremony featured tributes to classic series, reunions of beloved casts, and recognition of veteran performers.
O’Hara’s tribute fit within this broader pattern. It acknowledged a career that spans decades and a body of work that has shaped both film and television. It also gave viewers a chance to see performers they love in a new context—not as characters, but as colleagues honoring someone they admire.
Catherine O’Hara’s legacy is not limited to any single role. She is remembered for her work on SCTV, for her collaborations with Christopher Guest, for Home Alone, for Schitt’s Creek, and for countless other performances.
Her characters continue to circulate through streaming platforms, holiday viewing, television reruns, and social media. Moira Rose’s quotes have become memes. Kate McCallister’s frantic journey home remains a holiday tradition. Delia Deetz’s eccentricity still delights audiences.
O’Hara’s work endures because it is built on a foundation of character and truth. No matter how absurd the situation, her performances feel grounded in something real. That is why audiences continue to connect with her work, even decades after they first encountered it.
The 2026 Emmy tribute allowed fans to see something rare: Macaulay Culkin and Catherine O’Hara together again, decades after Home Alone. It also brought Dan Levy and Annie Murphy back into a shared moment with their on-screen mother, years after Schitt’s Creek ended.