Dan Levy finds ‘great comfort’ in the wake of Catherine O’Hara’s death

Dan Levy has found “great comfort” in seeing “how loved” the late Catherine O’Hara was following her death earlier this year.

Dan Levy has found “great comfort” in seeing “how loved” the late Catherine O’Hara was.

The 42-year-old actor’s friend and Schitt’s Creek co-star passed away in January at the age of 71 following a brief illness, and while Dan knows Catherine is “irreplaceable”, he’s been happy to witness the “outpouring” of feeling following her death.

Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon after the host offered his condolences, Dan said: “Listen, it’s like a collective loss, I think. She was the greatest. She’s irreplaceable.

“The great comfort for me has just been to see how loved she was, you know what I mean? The outpouring. Everyone felt like they kind of knew her.”

Dan and Jimmy heaped praise on the Home Alone star’s comedic skills.

Jimmy said: “[She was] one of the funniest comedians I’ve ever seen. Can do characters … Gorgeous.”

Dan added: “Unbelievably talented at improvising. One of the great, great, great, great queens.”

When Catherine’s death was announced earlier this year, Dan paid tribute to his on-screen mom on Instagram.

He wrote on Instagram: “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years.

“Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.

He concluded, “My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke and every member of her big, beautiful family.”

His father and Schitt’s Creek co-star, Eugene Levy, also shared a touching tribute to Catherine.

He said in a statement at the time: “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today.

“I had the honour of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over 50 years.

“From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship.

“And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”