The Studio Season 2: Honoring the Legacy of Catherine O’Hara

The upcoming season of Apple TV+’s The Studio will confront the passing of the late star Catherine O’Hara.

“If anything, we’re recognizing that we feel somewhat anchorless,” cocreator Seth Rogen shared in a Friday, April 3, profile with The Times of London as he teased details about the new season of the acclaimed comedy series. “But, honestly, that’s part of life and something we all go through. While we aim to avoid heavy themes, they will definitely be present in this second season. We’re not brushing it aside.”

O’Hara portrayed Patty Leigh in Rogen’s The Studio, which debuted in 2025, nearly one year prior to her passing at age 71. Her cause of death was attributed to a pulmonary embolism—specifically a blood clot in the lungs—stemming from rectal cancer as the underlying cause.

Rogen’s creative partner, Evan Goldberg, noted to The Times that continuing production without O’Hara poses an “extraordinary challenge.”

“Emotionally, it’s tough dealing with the loss, but it also impacts the show itself. We wrote it with her in mind,” Goldberg explained. “Everything was set, and the shockwaves have reverberated throughout the new season. It’s been challenging. You articulated it well — she was the anchor, and now that anchor is gone.”

O’Hara passed away in January, leaving behind her husband and children. Rogen, among many others, expressed his condolences on social media.

“I really don’t know what to say. I told O’Hara when we first met that I considered her the funniest person I’d ever seen on screen,” Rogen, 43, shared via Instagram at that time. “Home Alone was the movie that inspired me to become a filmmaker. Working with her was a genuine honor. She was hilarious, kind, intuitive, and generous.”

He added, “She motivated me to elevate our show to be deserving of her involvement. This is incredibly devastating. We are fortunate to have lived in a world with her.”

Rogen also referenced O’Hara during his acceptance speech at the DGA Awards the next month.

“Honestly, there’s no one we wish to thank in person right now more than we wish we could thank Catherine O’Hara,” Rogen, who won Best Comedy Series Director, stated in his February speech. “It was a privilege to direct her daily, and we worked tirelessly to ensure the show was worthy of her time and presence. So, while we’d like to thank the DGA for this, our greatest thanks go to Catherine O’Hara for being such a wonderful person and for enriching our lives with her presence.”

O’Hara was later awarded the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Actor Awards, occurring last month. Rogen accepted the award on her behalf.

“I was honored to accept this award for [Catherine] O’Hara,” the comedian remarked at the March ceremony. “I know she would have felt deeply honored to receive this award from her fellow performers, whom she held in such high regard. She was a massive fan of all of you.”

The Studio season 2 does not have a premiere date as of yet.