Noah Kahan soundtracked an especially emotional “in memoriam” segment at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday night (Sept. 14), which was introduced by the movie and TV children of late actress Catherine O’Hara.
Home Alone star Macauley Culkin tearfully remembered how O’Hara showed up for him in life just like a real parent would after first portraying his mother in the 1990 Christmas classic. Then Schitt’s Creek stars Annie Murphy and Dan Levy both shared joyful memories of O’Hara on set as their quirky mother in the 2015-20 television comedy as well as sweet recollections of how strangers rallied around them in the wake of her death at age 71 in January.
Following their intro, Kahan took the stage to perform Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” playing acoustic guitar and backed by a mournful string section. The folk duo’s 1970 six-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit has long soundtracked poignant moments, thanks to its sad-but-hopeful lyrics: “When darkness comes and pain is all around/ Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.”
Once Kahan finished his performance, Jamie Lee Curtis took the stage to pay tribute to Rob Reiner, the actor/director who first made a name for himself playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and was tragically murdered alongside his wife, Michelle, in December. Curtis sobbed throughout her remembrance to the Hollywood legend. “He was generous and kind and funny as hell and a friend to all.”
Earlier in the Emmys broadcast, there was a stand-alone tribute to Dolly Parton, who died last month of cancer at age 80. Sally Field, who co-starred with Parton in Steel Magnolias, introduced the tribute and Reba McEntire performed “Appalachian Memories.”
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