Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg Honor Late Comedian Catherine O'Hara at DGA Awards

The duo thanked the "utter genius" O'Hara while accepting their Best Comedy Series Director award.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg thanked the late Catherine O'Hara while accepting their Best Comedy Series Director award at the 2026 Directors Guild Awards. They praised O'Hara, who had worked on their show, as an "utter genius" and "the nicest person in the entire world." Rogen and Goldberg grew up watching O'Hara on SCTV and said it was an honor to direct her. Meanwhile, Paul Thomas Anderson also paid tribute to his late first AD Adam Somner, who died of thyroid cancer in 2024, during his acceptance speech for One Battle After Another.

Why it matters

The heartfelt tributes to O'Hara and Somner at the DGA Awards highlight the close-knit nature of the entertainment industry and the deep respect filmmakers and showrunners have for their collaborators, even those who have passed away. O'Hara's legacy as a beloved comedic icon and the importance of dedicated crew members like Somner are being celebrated.

The details

During their acceptance speech, Rogen said, "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. And the best part of her is she showed that you can be an utter genius and also the nicest person in the entire world." Goldberg added that O'Hara was "quite literally our idol since we were children," as the two Canadian boys grew up watching her on SCTV. In his own acceptance speech, Paul Thomas Anderson thanked his first AD Adam Somner, who died of thyroid cancer in 2024, saying Somner "took this work so seriously, and did not take himself seriously at all. And that was a great gift... He made us feel safe."

  • The 2026 Directors Guild Awards ceremony took place on February 8, 2026.

The players

Seth Rogen

An American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director who, along with Evan Goldberg, accepted the Best Comedy Series Director award at the 2026 DGA Awards.

Evan Goldberg

An Canadian screenwriter, director, producer, and actor who, along with Seth Rogen, accepted the Best Comedy Series Director award at the 2026 DGA Awards.

Catherine O'Hara

A Canadian actress, comedian, writer, and producer who was praised by Rogen and Goldberg as an "utter genius" and "the nicest person in the entire world" during their acceptance speech.

Paul Thomas Anderson

An American filmmaker who accepted the award for Best Theatrical Feature Film for his work on One Battle After Another and paid tribute to his late first AD Adam Somner.

Adam Somner

Paul Thomas Anderson's first AD who died of thyroid cancer in 2024 and was remembered by Anderson as someone who "took this work so seriously, and did not take himself seriously at all."

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What they’re saying

“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. And the best part of her is she showed that you can be an utter genius and also the nicest person in the entire world.”

— Seth Rogen (Vulture)

“Catherine O'Hara was quite literally our idol since we were children.”

— Evan Goldberg (Vulture)

“A lot of people in this room know our hero, our man, Adam Somner. He took this work so seriously, and did not take himself seriously at all. And that was a great gift... He made us feel safe. Think about this work that we do, how dangerous it can be, really dangerous. And to be to get through a film and no one get hurt, be safe, have an amazing experience is because of a great AD, and he was the best.”

— Paul Thomas Anderson (Deadline)

The takeaway

The tributes to Catherine O'Hara and Adam Somner at the 2026 DGA Awards demonstrate the deep respect and appreciation filmmakers and showrunners have for their collaborators, both in front of and behind the camera. Their heartfelt words highlight the importance of fostering a supportive and nurturing creative environment, even in the face of loss.