Dan Levy reveals Catherine O’Hara’s 'unbelievable' rewrites behind 'Schitt’s Creek'

Catherine O’Hara’s creative brilliance behind Schitt’s Creek has been further celebrated following her death, with co-creator Dan Levy revealing the actress often delivered “unbelievable” rewrites that elevated entire scenes.

Speaking on the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Levy reflected on O’Hara’s immense contribution to the beloved series, where she famously portrayed the eccentric Moira Rose.

The actress died on January 30 at the age of 71 after a brief illness.

Levy credited much of the character’s magic directly to O’Hara herself, emphasizing that her creative instincts shaped Moira in ways no script alone could achieve.

“She made it happen,” Levy said, noting that his role was simply to ensure the framework allowed her talent to shine. “Like so much of Moira Rose was Catherine.”

The conversation also revealed a behind-the-scenes habit that became legendary among the show’s team.

Levy recalled that actor Seth Rogen once pointed out O’Hara’s tendency to send detailed notes before filming messages that would begin politely but end up transforming entire scenes.

“‘Gentlemen, some thoughts,’” Levy said, describing how her emails would often arrive the night before a shoot, only to contain what he called a “full top-to-tail rewrite.”

He added that her perspective as a performer and storyteller brought something uniquely layered to the show.

“The way that she thinks is so on another level that as a writer, you can’t get into her head,” Levy explained. “All you can really do is set the table, wait for the email… and then read it and say, ‘F*** yeah.’”

Schitt’s Creek, which also starred Eugene Levy and Annie Murphy, ran for six seasons between 2015 and 2020, earning widespread acclaim and a devoted fan base.

In the wake of O’Hara’s passing, Levy said he continues to revisit clips of her performances not out of nostalgia for the show, but because of her undeniable screen presence.

“I stop, and I watch… because she is impossible not to watch,” he said, underscoring the lasting impact of her work.

Her legacy, both on-screen and behind the scenes, remains a defining force in the enduring success of the series.