Michael Keaton delivered a heartfelt tribute to Catherine O’Hara during a speech at Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2026 Man of the Year event.
Catherine O’Hara, known for her roles in iconic films and television series such as Home Alone, Schitt’s Creek, Beetlejuice, and The Last of Us, passed away on January 30 at the age of 71.
The news of her death prompted numerous tributes from Hollywood celebrities, including Eugene Levy, who expressed his deep affection and respect for his working relationship and friendship with the Home Alone star.
Michael Keaton, who collaborated with O’Hara on the film Beetlejuice and shared a long-standing friendship with her, joined in honoring her memory.
A week following O’Hara’s passing, on February 6, Keaton paid tribute to her at a Harvard University event in Massachusetts.
Keaton reminisced, “I was a big SCTV fan,” referring to the Canadian TV show that was pivotal in O’Hara’s career.
He recounted their first meeting, stating, “I think I was doing a movie in Toronto,” according to People.
“[…] I remember we must have met or known each other a little bit, because, like myself, she has a big family. She’s one of seven, and I’m one of seven. And so somehow we got to be friends,” Keaton added.
The pair first collaborated on the 1988 film Beetlejuice and later worked together on The Paper and Game 6, as well as the Beetlejuice sequel.
Discussing O’Hara’s casting in Game 6, Keaton recalled, “I was doing this tiny little movie called Game 6, which is actually a really good little movie.”
“It takes place in Boston, and Griffin [Dunne] and I were talking, and they hadn’t cast it. I said, ‘Hey, how [about] Catherine O’Hara as my ex-wife? Yeah, you think she’d do it?’ So I called her, and she came down,” Keaton explained.
In addition to his speech, Keaton recently wrote a tribute to O’Hara in Time.
He expressed his admiration for the Golden Globe-winning actress: “To work comedically with Catherine, as I was lucky to get to do not just at the awards show but on two Beetlejuice movies and projects like The Paper and Game 6 across nearly 40 years, was like breathing rarefied air.”
“And between takes, it was the greatest hang on set. The only thing better was the hang off set—in real life, as I call it,” Keaton shared.
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