Seth Rogen Shares Emotional Story About Catherine O’Hara’s Emails Before Filming ‘The Studio’

Seth Rogen gave an emotional speech at the 2026 Actor Awards as he accepted a major honor for his late co-star Catherine O’Hara.

The beloved actress won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Patty Leigh in The Studio. Since O’Hara passed away earlier this year, Rogen stepped on stage to accept the award on her behalf.

The event took place at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. During his speech, Rogen shared warm memories of working with O’Hara on the Apple TV+ series.

“I was asked to assume the honor of accepting this award on O’Hara’s behalf,” Rogen told the audience. He said she would have felt proud to receive the award from fellow performers she respected deeply.

O’Hara died on January 30 at age 71 at her home in Los Angeles. Reports confirmed she passed away due to a pulmonary embolism and had also been battling rectal cancer.

While speaking at the ceremony, Rogen reflected on what made O’Hara special. He said she was kind and generous but also fully aware of her great talent.

Then he shared a story that made the audience smile.

Rogen revealed that almost every night before a filming day on The Studio, O’Hara would send him and co-creator Evan Goldberg an email. The message usually began with, “Hello, I hope you’ll consider the following,” followed by a completely rewritten version of the next day’s scene.

Rogen joked that he never told the other actors about this because he did not want to give them ideas.

He said that every single time, her suggestions made not only her character better but also improved the entire scene and show. According to Rogen, she proved that someone can be a genius and still be kind.

During the speech, cameras showed Jenna Ortega, who worked with O’Hara in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, wiping away tears in the audience.

Rogen also reminded fans of O’Hara’s unforgettable roles in films like Beetlejuice and Best in Show. He encouraged people to show younger generations her iconic scenes so they can understand her brilliance.

After her passing, the cast and crew of The Studio shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter, saying they were heartbroken and honored to have worked with her.

Later that evening, The Studio also won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Cast members who received the award included Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen, Chase Sui Wonders, and O’Hara.

Season two of The Studio is currently in production. The 32nd annual Actor Awards were hosted by Kristen Bell, making it a night filled with both celebration and heartfelt remembrance.