Catherine O'Hara Once Shared the Heartbreaking Way She Wanted to Die

"We go back before the first Beetlejuice. She’s been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her. Thinking about Beau as well."

"Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later." 

"Really don’t know what to say… I told O’Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies. Getting to work with her was a true honour. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous… she made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it. This is just devastating. We’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it."

"Catherine, I love you... You were a special part of my life and after life."

"So grateful I got to tell her what she meant to me- how she inspired me, shaped my sense of humour and understanding of the work we do, that she was the pinnacle of greatness to me. I’m sure every actor she met told her similar things. She did not behave as though she’d heard it a million times, she listened and accepted it with grace and wit and tremendous kindness. Thank you to @jasonreitman for inviting me to do the Film Independent LACMA reading where I got to work with my hero and witness her genius first hand. It was incredible to watch her work and be in her presence. I’ll never forget a minute of it. That day, and again on an overlapping shoot day on Away We Go, I saw her be nothing short of wonderful to every single person she encountered, from the director to the PAs. When people say someone 'iit up a room,' this is what they mean. She was radiant; it was kind of otherworldly. Her talent was singular. There’s been nobody like her before and there won’t be again. What a genius. What a beautiful person."

"[Catherine] was the most glorious person. Kind, honest, smart, funny, and beautiful beyond words. She carried the spirit. You could feel her love of humanity in her brilliant work. And she had integrity, clarity and wisdom that made her a unique treasure. I know the greats are with her now trying to pick her wonderful brain as to how she could do it all. Here on earth or hearts are a bit broken. We needed you now more than ever. Rest in peace dear friend."

"Catherine O’Hara - a woman who was authentic and truthful in all she did. You saw it in her work, if you knew her you saw it in her life, and you saw it in her family. Bo, Luke and Matthew, our deepest sympathies. May Catherine rest in peace. May her memory be eternal."

"Catherine O’Hara. The absolute greatest. Only 71. An angel. The funniest. This is shocking."

"Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful.  There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always.  Always. The one and ONLY #CatherineOHara."

"I never in a million years thought I would get to work with Catherine O’Hara let alone become friends with her. So profoundly sad she’s somewhere else now So incredibly grateful I got to spend the time I did with her. Thank you Catherine I love you."

"Oh Catherine. You will be so so missed."

"She was an all-timer. Her memory and work is a blessing. Rest peacefully."

"I don’t understand what I’m seeing. I can’t bring myself to believe she is gone. Why is the world such a heart breaking place right now? I truly cannot process how to say goodbye to someone so full of life who seemed to just be hitting her prime. Goodbye legend. Thank you for making us laugh until we hurt… which is why right now we are all hurting so damned much knowing we will never again get those laughs. RIP. My love and deepest condolences go out to her entire family."

"Catherine O’Hara was a brilliant comedian. Sending love to all who adored her, which might just be everyone."

"This is shattering news.  What a wonderful person, artist and collaborator. I was lucky enough to direct, produce and act in projects with her and she was simply growing more brilliant with each year. My heart goes out to Bo & family."

"Absolutely heartbreaking. She was the kindest person in our business."

"I have no words," Francesca shared, posting a photo of her dad's reaction on FaceTime. "F--king devastated. Literally in shock."

"What a terrible loss she was a class act nuanced humble a total natural she brought buckets of joy to this old planet she will be deeply missed she was an inspiration to anyone who fancies themselves humorous a masterclass every time she stepped in front of a camera."

"BEST OF THE BEST IN SHOW!"

"Legend."

"Ugggg legend. No one funnier."

"Nooo my most profound condolences."

"What an inspiration. She carried a light with her comedy that you took in whenever you saw her. May perpetual light shine upon her beautiful soul."