Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Catherine O'Hara at DGA Awards
At the 2026 Directors Guild of America Awards on Saturday evening, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg delivered an emotional tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara while accepting the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series award for their work on The Studio. The 43-year-old entertainers took the stage together to honour O'Hara, who passed away on January 30 at the age of 71 after a brief illness in Los Angeles.
A Touching Speech Filled with Memories
Rogen expressed deep gratitude, stating, 'Honestly, there’s no one we wish we could thank in person at this moment more than we would love to thank Catherine O'Hara.' Goldberg added, 'We grew up in Canada, and she is and was quite literally our idol since we were children.' Rogen shared a poignant on-set memory, recalling how O'Hara's iconic role in Home Alone inspired him. 'Home Alone is like the movie that made me want to make movies in a lot of ways. On set, we would yell "Evan! Evan!" every time she did, echoing her calls for Kevin,' he said.
Rogen continued, praising O'Hara's character: 'And the best part of her is she showed that you can be an utter genius and also the nicest person in the entire world. It was an honor to direct her every day, and we worked very hard to make the show good enough to warrant her time and presence.' He concluded by thanking the DGA but emphasized that their primary gratitude was for O'Hara's wonderful personality and impact.
Instagram Tribute and On-Screen Bond
Following her death, Rogen honoured O'Hara on Instagram with a heartfelt post. He shared a photo of her playfully poking him from behind, captioning it: 'Really don't know what to say… I told O'Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I'd ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies. Getting to work with her was a true honour.' He described her as hysterical, kind, intuitive, and generous, noting that she motivated the team to elevate the show to match her standards.
O'Hara's role as Patty Leigh on The Studio, which debuted in March 2025, was one of her final screen performances. On the show, her character mentored Rogen's Matt Remick, and the pair developed a similar bond off-screen, adding depth to their professional collaboration.
DGA Awards Highlights and Winners
The 2026 DGA Awards celebrated various achievements across film and television. Key winners included:
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: John Wells for The Pitt
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Limited & Anthology Series: Shannon Murphy for Dying For Sex
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for The Studio
Rogen and Goldberg won for co-directing an episode titled The Magic Hour, marking a significant milestone in their careers. Earlier in the evening, Rogen was seen on the red carpet with his wife, Lauren Miller, wearing a dapper black velvet suit, adding a personal touch to the professional accolades.
The tribute underscored O'Hara's lasting legacy in entertainment, with Rogen reflecting, 'We're all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.' Her influence continues to resonate, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike.
