Seth Rogen on Catherine O'Hara's Legacy in The Studio S2

Seth Rogen Confirms 'The Studio' Season 2 Will Address Catherine O’Hara’s Passing

The Apple TV+ comedy is retooling its scripts to honor the late actress and her central character, Patty Leigh, following her death in January 2026.

Sofia Chen

Apr 5, 2026, 3:04 AM PT · 2 min read

Seth Rogen — Photo: Stradlinn / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

THE RUNDOWN

Catherine O'Hara passed away on January 30, 2026, before filming Season 2.
Seth Rogen confirmed Season 2 will address the death of character Patty Leigh.
The creative team is rewriting scripts to reflect the real-world loss.
Rogen described the production shift as an "unbelievable challenge" for the show.
The narrative will explore the feeling of being "anchorless" without O'Hara.

Seth Rogen is speaking out about the "unbelievable challenge" of moving forward with The Studio following the death of comedy legend Catherine O'Hara. The actress, who played the formidable Patty Leigh in the Apple TV+ series, passed away on January 30, 2026. Rogen confirmed that the upcoming second season will now directly incorporate O'Hara's passing into the storyline, reflecting the real-life loss felt by the cast and crew.

The production hit a major hurdle because Season 2 had been fully written with O’Hara’s character as a primary focus. According to Rogen, the Schitt’s Creek alumna had not yet filmed any scenes for the new episodes before her death. This required the creative team to pivot quickly to honor her legacy while maintaining the show’s narrative flow. "It’s been a massive undertaking to rewrite this while grieving," Rogen noted regarding the shift in production.

Instead of recasting or writing the character off-screen quietly, the show aims to explore the emotional vacuum left behind. Rogen explained that the new episodes will lean into the feeling of being "anchorless," mirroring the cast’s experience of losing their co-star. Fans of The Studio can expect a season that serves as a tribute to O’Hara’s wit and presence on the set of the Hollywood-based comedy.