Catherine O’Hara sticks the landing once again, with her near-legendary commitment to Zoom theatre. The Canadian comedic legend won her first Golden Globe — seriously! — for Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy, for her splendiferous work as daytime TV actress and socialite-turned-local smalltown politician, Moira Rose, on “Schitt’s Creek” on Sunday. But it’s her acceptance speech which leaves a real impression.
O’Hara learned of her big win from her couch. And as she was giving her speech, her husband, production designer Bo Welch, began playing generic awards show theme music, stock applause sounds, and even played her off the “stage” as she was deep into her thank yous.
The bit, which was obviously planned in advance, was a riot to watch, especially as the actress thanked show creators Eugene and Dan Levy for creating “an inspiring, funny, beautiful family love story, in which they let me wear 100 wigs and speak like an alien.” It’s all too real. But should we be surprised? After all, Moira’s favourite season is “awards.”
Here’s the transcript of Catherine O’Hara’s speech:
“Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press Association… Thank you, Bo! I was grateful just to share your goodwill for my lovely fellow nominees and this is great, thank you so much!
I am happily and sincerely indebted to Eugene and Daniel Levy from Day One, they treated me like something like this might happen! They created an inspiring, funny, beautiful family love story, in which they let me wear a hundred wigs and speak like an alien… From the first readthrough where no one had to fake a laugh, to the final day on-set where everyone except me had to hold back their tears, it’s an experience I will forever hold dear to my heart, although I’m not really.
But, thank you Deb[orah Divine, Eugene Levy’s wife, and screenwriter], for loaning me your - no! [Startled by husband Bo Welch hitting “play” on his app, and background music intensifies] What? OK! Thank you CBC for making a show in Canada, thank you POP network for [orchestral “your time is up music” starts playing on her husband Bo Welch’s phone] ... Seriously? Thank you Netflix, when we were sheltering in place, Netflix brought this show around the world! To our family in lockdown … I hope it won’t take you six years to realize [in sing-song voice] your greatest asset is who you manage to love!”
The Rose family matriarch was not the only “Schitt’s Creek” winner of the night. While O’Hara was dressed to perfection in a charcoal, ivory and black-printed Vera Wang suit, it was her TV son, Dan Levy, clad in a head-to-toe lemon and sequined turtleneck and blazer Valentino look, who graciously accepted the award for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy from Toronto. Levy also spoke to the show’s symbolic power of inclusion, in reference to recent reports about the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lack of Black members.
But with the show’s farewell tour coming to an end, after a haul of nine Emmy wins, Levy took the time once again to thank the show’s “amazing” made-in-Canada cast and crew.
Here’s the transcript of Dan Levy’s speech:
“Wow, oh my Goodness! Alright, um … Is this, oh, are we on? I would like to congratulate our amazing cast and crew, most of whom are in Canada right now like myself, watching from home. The incredible work you all did over these past six seasons has taken us to places we never thought possible, and we are so grateful to all of you for it.
Thank you to the CBC and POP TV for making the active choice to keep this little show on the air and giving it the time and space it needed to grow like so many TV shows out there. This acknowledgement is a lovely vote of confidence in the messages “Schitt’s Creek” has come to stand for; the idea that inclusion can bring about growth and love to a community. In the spirit of inclusion, I hope that this time next year, this ceremony reflects the true breadth and diversity of the film and television being made today, because there is so much more to be celebrated. Thank you very, very much.”