"We are a little anchorless": 'The Studio' creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg address emotional shift after Catherine O'Hara's passing

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, creators of The Studio, are adjusting the second season of the satirical comedy show in the wake of Catherine O'Hara's death, acknowledging the impact her character Patty Leigh had on the show.

In their recent interview with The Times, the duo elaborated on how tough it was to keep the production going without Catherine O'Hara, who died on Jan. 30 at age 71.

For Evan Goldberg, Catherine's part was "the anchor" of the show, with most of season 2 being written keeping her in mind. They also had to adapt the narrative around her presence in the show.

"Obviously emotionally, dealing with the loss, but also when it comes to the show itself. We wrote it for her to be there. We had it all set and the shock waves permeate throughout the entire new season. It's been difficult. You worded it better than we could — she was the anchor and now the anchor is gone."

Echoing the views of Goldberg, Seth Rogen admitted that although it is rare for the show to have any deep themes, the upcoming episodes will definitely address the loss experienced by the cast and crew due to O'Hara's passing away but not in a mournful way only.

"If anything, we're acknowledging the idea that we are a little anchorless. But, honestly, that is a part of life and what we all experience. And so while we try to not dwell too much on heavy themes in this show, they will be there in this second season. We are not ignoring it."

In the wake of her death, Apple TV and Lionsgate Television released a joint statement expressing heartbreak over Catherine O'Hara's death. The actress was also honored by her colleagues as she was remembered as both an actress as well as a guiding spirit on set.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg honored Catherine O'Hara during awards season

Following her passing, Catherine O'Hara won the honor of best actress in a comedy series at the 2026 Actor Awards, tied to her role in The Studio. At the time, Seth Rogen took the stage to accept the award on her behalf.

"I was asked to assume the honor of accepting this award on O'Hara's behalf. I know she would have been honored to receive this award from her fellow performers who I know she respected so much. She was such a big fan of all of yours."

The actor also honored Catherine O'Hara, alongside Goldberg, during their DGA Award acceptance speech, after winning the outstanding directorial achievement for a comedy series.

"Honestly, there's no one we wish we could thank in person at this moment more than we would love to thank Catherine O'Hara."

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Goldberg added that the late actress had been their idol since they were children. Rogen continued:

"Every day we worked very hard to make the show good enough to warrant her time and her presence. So, ultimately, we would like to thank the DGA for this, but we would mostly like to thank Catherine O'Hara for being such a wonderful person."

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