Jenny Ortega has shared a heartfelt message for her Beetlejuice co-star Catherine O’Hara after the iconic comedy actress passed away last Friday.
Ortega, 23, took to Instagram on Sunday to share several photos of O’Hara, including a black-and-white shot with co-star Winona Ryder.
“Katherine is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with and getting to know,” the “Scream VI” star wrote. “I will forever cherish the time we spent together and everything she taught me.
“He’s a giant and an inspiration in so many ways,” she continued. “He is one of the great people. Thank you very much.”
Ortega has starred in the 2024 sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice.
O’Hara, Ryder, and Michael Keaton reprise their roles from the original film, and new cast members include Ortega, Justin Theroux, and Willem Dafoe.
Several “Beetlejuice” stars, including Keaton, publicly shared their condolences to O’Hara.
“Back before the first Beetlejuice,” the 74-year-old actor shared on Instagram, along with a recent photo of the two.
“She was my pretend wife, my pretend enemy, and my true friend in real life. This hurts. I’m going to miss her,” he continued.
Keaton also said of O’Hara’s husband of 33 years, Beau Welch, “I’m thinking about[Bo]too.”
Burton, 67, shared on Instagram: “Katherine, I love you. … You were a special part of my life and the rest of my life.”
Alec Baldwin, who played the recently deceased ghost Adam Maitland in the original Beetlejuice, called O’Hara “one of the film industry’s greatest comedic talents” in a statement to Page Six.
“She had her own qualities. My heart goes out to Beau and his family,” the “Lust” actor, 67, added.
O’Hara suffered a “brief illness” before her untimely death on Friday, Page Six confirmed.
The Los Angeles Fire Department exclusively reported that the 10-time Emmy nominee was rushed to a local hospital in “serious” condition.
O’Hara’s cause of death remains unknown at this time. She was 71 years old.
