Martin Scorsese's Raw Reaction to Catherine O'Hara's Death Draws Controversy

Martin Scorsese’s raw reaction to Catherine O’Hara’s death is drawing controversy on some corners of the internet.

Following O’Hara’s death after a “brief illness” on Friday, Jan. 30, Martin’s daughter, Francesa Scorsese, posted a screenshot of her father’s reaction to O’Hara’s passing. O’Hara previously worked with Martin on his 1985 comedy After Hours, playing an unstable cab driver who terrorizes Griffin Dunne’s hapless yuppie who finds himself in over his head during a very long night in New York City. 

Francesa’s post showed a screenshot of her father clasping his hand over his mouth and turning away from the camera. “I have no words,” she wrote over the image, which itself was overlaid over a red carpet photo of O’Hara with the date of her birth and death. Francesca added that her father was “f–ing devastated” and “literally in shock” at the news.

The post has come under fire by some who contend that posting the elder Scorsese’s unfiltered reaction to O’Hara’s death was in bad taste. “Hey, so, this is actually f–ing weird to post,” wrote one Reddit user, cutting straight to the point. “This feels so gross,” concurred another. “Why film this and then post it? It’s so invasive.”

'Nothing Is Sacred Anymore'

“Completely weird and totally unnecessary,” another wrote. “And also quite disrespectful to Catherine. Don’t use someone’s death as a tool for getting likes and clicks involving your famous father.”

“Nothing is sacred anymore, it’s all content,” a commenter opined. “Hopefully the younger generations will wise up and we will look back on this kind of thing as a ‘remember when society went collectively nuts for a bit’ historical anomaly.” “Social media has made everyone feel like every emotion is currency to be bartered,” another responded. 

Scorsese Called O'Hara 'a Gift' In an Official Statement

After Francesca released his impromptu reaction, the elder Scorsese released an official statement honoring O’Hara and calling her “a gift.” “Many people know her from Schitt’s Creek. For many others, it’s the Home Alone pictures or Beetlejuice or the Christopher Guest comedies,” he said. “For me, and for most of my friends, it’s SCTV. All I have to do is think about one of the characters she created, like Lola Heatherton or Dusty Towne, and I’m laughing. Catherine was a true comic genius, a true artist, and a wonderful human being. I was blessed to be able to work with her on After Hours, and I’m going to miss her presence and her artistry. We all are.”

In addition to her work with Scorsese, O'Hara had memorable roles in '80s and '90s hit films like Beetlejuice and the Home Alone series. She would go on to have featured roles in Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman. The actress would see a career revitalization in the 2010s thanks to the Canadian sitcom Schitt's Creek, where she played the off-the-wall matriarch Moira Rose. The role would earn her a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and introduce her to a new generation of fans.