Tributes paid to star O'Hara

ACTOR Eugene Levy has paid tribute to “cherished” friend and Schitt’s Creek costar Catherine O'Hara following her death aged 71.

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The 79-year-old, who played Johnny Rose, the onscreen husband of O’Hara’s Moira Rose, in the US sitcom said he was struggling for words to describe the loss of the actress, who died on Friday at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness” according to her agency CAA.

In a statement, Levy said: “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.”

It comes after Levy's son and Schitt’s Creek co-creator Dan Levy described O’Hara as “family before she ever played my family”.