Martin Short and Steve Martin are left in tears as Emmys viewers praise emotional tribute to Catherine O'Hara by her screen children Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy
Martin Short and Steve Martin were left in tears after an emotional Emmys tribute to Catherine O'Hara by her screen children Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy on Monday night.
Catherine, known for her roles in Home Alone, Beetlejuice and the Emmy-winning sitcom Schitt's Creek, died at the age of 71 on January 30, 2026 after a private cancer battle.
Macaulay was a child when he acted with Catherine in the Home Alone films, in which she played mother to his iconic character Kevin McCallister, back in the 1990s.
Macaulay, now 46, joined forces with Catherine's other onscreen children - Schitt's Creek stars Dan and Annie to honor her life and legacy at Monday night's ceremony.
And amid his kind words the camera cut to Martin, 76, and Steve, 81, as they got emotional due to the tribute and had tears in their eyes.
Steve and Catherine were long-time friends and starred together in the 1994 film A Simple Twist of Fate.
Martin and Catherine also had a close relationship, with him paying tribute to 'the greatest, most brilliant, kindest, sweetest angel' after her death.
Martin Short (seen) and Steve Martin were left in tears after an emotional Emmys tribute to Catherine O'Hara by her screen children Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy on Monday night
Amid the tributes the camera cut to Martin, 76, and and Steve, 81, (seen) as they got emotional due to the tribute and had tears in their eyes
Macaulay, now 46, joined forces with Catherine's other onscreen children - Schitt's Creek stars Dan and Annie to honor her life and legacy at Monday night's ceremony
Emmy Awards 2026 winners: AT A GLANCE
Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow's Bay
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys - Widow's Bay
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys - The Beast in Me
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay (Katie Dippold for 'Welcome to Widow’s Bay')
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay (Hiro Murai for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”)
Matthew Rhys made history as he became the first actor to win two leading actor awards in one night
Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle - The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn - Pluribus
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart - Hacks
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Allison Janney - The Diplomat
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey - Task
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field - Remarkably Bright Creatures
Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
Outstanding Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
'Catherine O'Hara. We remember her as a forgetful mother, right? But we will never forget about her,' Macaulay began, alluding to her Home Alone role at the start of his tribute.
'There are all kinds of words I could use to describe Catherine. She was encouraging. She was warm. She was funny. But the word that I think of is 'Mama.''
He was visibly emotional and seen wiping his eyes before continuing on with his tribute.
He then described Catherine as being a 'mom' to everyone, including her fans.
'You know, she wasn't just a wife and mother to [her husband Bo Welch and their sons] Matthew and Luke. She was my mom. She was our mama. And by extension, she's all of our mama.'
He encouraged the audience to 'call your mother tonight' before getting them to cheer for all the 'moms' in their life.
'But like a good mama, she always showed up when I asked her to,' he continued. 'Because that was Catherine. That's what she did. She showed up.
'And this is the best that we can do for her tonight. We're showing up for her. So, she may have forgotten me twice, but we will always remember her. Thank you.'
Fans were quick to comment on his kind tribute, writing on X: 'this tribute to Catherine O'Hara at the Emmys was soooo sweet wow. and the camera cuts to Martin Short and Steve Martin crying...I'm not okay.',
'Love it, mcauley is a great person too'.,
'Mac always calling her momma, will always get me.',
'Macaulay immediately made me tear up'.,
'Macaulay's face as the segment went on longer... I just wanna give him a hug.',
'It was a deeply moving and heartfelt tribute to Catherine O'Hara. The reflections from her colleagues and on-screen children provided a touching testament to her warmth, humor, talent, and profound impact on those who knew and worked with her.'.
It was then Murphy's turn to speak as she reflected on the effect O'Hara's laugh had on those around her.
'It challenged anyone who heard it to join in and be as delighted as she was. And she spread that delight everywhere.'
Fans were quick to comment on his kind tribute, writing on X: 'this tribute to Catherine O'Hara at the Emmys was soooo sweet wow. and the camera cuts to Martin Short and Steve Martin crying... I'm not okay'
Steve and Catherine were long-time friends and starred together in the 1994 film A Simple Twist of Fate
Martin and Catherine also had a close relationship, with him paying tribute to 'the greatest, most brilliant, kindest, sweetest angel' after her death (seen in 2017)
Macaulay was a child when he acted with Catherine in the Home Alone films, in which she played mother to his iconic character Kevin McCallister, back in the 1990s
Catherine and Macaulay seen in 2023 together
The 39-year-old then recalled a few of the most memorable 'interactions' she has had with fans in the wake of O'Hara's passing, proving just how impactful her career was.
'After we lost Catherine, I was passed a note on an Air Canada flight that said, 'She was so special. I hope you're doing okay.' On a drive up north, I was hugged by an extremely gruff looking gas station attendant who was also grieving her loss,' she told the audience, adding that a woman had also approached her to perform a 'very lively Catherine mashup' of some of the star's most iconic lines.
'These are only a very few of the interactions I've been lucky enough to have that remind me how profoundly Catherine has impacted the world. And it's because she brought us joy.'
Levy, who is the son of O'Hara's longtime friend and Second City Television co-star Eugene Levy, closed out O'Hara's tribute by revealing the 'greatest lesson' he learned from her while working together on six seasons of Schitt's Creek.
'The greatest lesson I learned from Catherine both professionally and personally was to always say yes. Say yes to her instincts, all of them, as radical as they may sometimes seem, she is miles ahead of you and you will learn to catch up,' he shared.
'Say yes to helping her build a TV character over the age of 60 that wears leather miniskirts and eight-inch heels and speaks in a strange, sometimes unintelligible transatlantic accent, and know that she will not scare an audience away.
'Say yes to that rewrite she emails you, sometimes the night before. 'Dear Dan, some thoughts'. It will always improve the story. Say yes to the concept of a wig wall. Say yes to her asking to wear a wig as a hat. Say yes to her naming that wig,' Levy continued.
'Say yes to giving her space to experiment and create. It will amaze you on a daily basis, and it will change your life. Say yes to her dinner invites and her stories and her wisdom and her generosity.
'Those are the things you will hold onto the tightest. Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness,' Levy concluded.
Singer Noah Kahan delivered an emotional cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water during the In Memoriam section, which also honoured the likes of Dolly Parton, Rob Reiner, Tim Curry, Sam Neill, Bob Mackie and James Burrows.
Emmy Awards 2026 winners
Outstanding Drama Series
The Diplomat
The Gilded Age
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Paradise
The Pitt - WINNER
Pluribus
Slow Horses
Your Friends and Neighbors
Noah Wyle led The Pitt to an Outstanding Drama Series honor
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Beef
DTF St. Louis - WINNER
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus - WINNER
Zendaya, Euphoria
Rhea Seehorrn was recognized for her work in Pluribus
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo, Task
Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat
Noah Wyle, The Pitt - WINNER
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Taylor Dearden, The Pitt
Fiona Dourif, The Pitt
Allison Janney, The Diplomat - WINNER
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
Karolina Wydra, Pluribus
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Patrick Ball, The Pitt
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt
Gerran Howell, The Pitt
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Tom Pelphrey, Task - WINNER
Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Jean Smart, Hacks - WINNER
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man
Steve Carell, Rooster
Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay
Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win two leading actor awards in one night
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Megan Stalter, Hacks
Jessica Williams, Shrinking
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Nick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures - WINNER
Carey Mulligan, Beef
Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
Sally Field was a surprise winner for Remarkably Bright Creatures
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Riz Ahmed, Bait
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac, Beef
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me - WINNER
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
Dancing With the Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
The Traitors - WINNER
Outstanding Variety Series
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert - WINNER
Saturday Night Live
Stephen Colbert earned an Emmy for his now cancelled talk show
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
The Diplomat (Peter Akerman and Debora Cahn for “Amagansett”)
The Pitt (Kirsten Pierre-Geyfman & R. Scott Gemmill for “1:00 PM”)
The Pitt (Valerie Chu for “12:00 PM”)
Mickey Down and Konrad Kay for “Dear Henry,” Industry
Pluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”) - WINNER
Slow Horses (Will Smith for “Scars”)
Task (Brad Ingelsby for “A Still Small Voice”)
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (Quinta Brunson for “Team Building”)
The Chair Company (Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)
The Comeback (Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow for “Valerie Does It All”)
Hacks (Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for “Hacks”)
Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat (Anthony King for “Mergers and Acquisitions”)
Widow’s Bay (Katie Dippold for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER
Katie Dippold had a massive night as she also earned an outstanding writing win
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
The Gilded Age (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “My Mind Is Made Up”)
Paradise (Hanelle M. Culpepper for “Exodus”)
The Pitt (Noah Wyle for “12:00 PM”)
Pluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”)
Slow Horses (Saul Metzstein for “Scars”) - WINNER
Task (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river”)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (Randall Einhorn for “Ballgame”)
The Bear (Christopher Storer for “Bears”)
The Chair Company (Andrew DeYoung for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)
Hacks (Lucia Aniello for “Hacks”)
The Ms. Pat Show (Mary Lou Belli for “Give It Arrest”)
Widow’s Bay (Hiro Murai for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER
Widow's Bay's Hiro Murai earned Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
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