Catherine O'Hara breaks historic record after death at age 71

Catherine O'Hara has broken a historic record following her death at age 71 over a month ago (30 January).

The Home Alone star, who passed away aged 71 from a pulmonary embolism, won a posthumous award at the 32nd Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, on Sunday (1 March) for her performance in the hit comedy series, The Studio.

O'Hara won best female actor in a comedy series with the crowd at the Shine Auditorium in Los Angeles standing in ovation after she was announced as the winner.

Seth Rogen, who is the co-creator of the award-winning TV show, in which O'Hara plays movie executive Patty Leigh, accepted the award on her behalf.

Whilst on stage, Rogen took the opportunity to share a heartfelt tribute for the decorated late actress, saying that O’Hara 'showed that you could be a genius and you could be kind'.

The Studio star Catherine O'Hara sadly passed away earlier this year in January (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"I know she would have been honored to receive this award from her fellow performers," he said during the speech.

"She knew she could destroy and she wanted to destroy every day on set."

The 43-year-old Pineapple Express star continued: "If you have people in your lives who don’t know her work, show them O’Hara dancing to Harry Belafonte in Beetlejuice, show them O’Hara hurting her knee in Best in Show and doing that amazing thing where she hobbles around, and tell the people as they are laughing that that’s Catherine O’Hara and we were lucky that we got to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us."

O'Hara's win made history as it meant she became the first woman to receive an individual posthumous award from the organisation.

The Studio also cinched the victory for best comedy series and best actor in a comedy series for Rogen.

O'Hara won a posthumous award for best female actor in a comedy series at the Actor Awards on Sunday (Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff / Getty Images)

The famed actress, who boasts a blockbuster-filled filmography, died of a pulmonary embolism, her death certificate in the US previously revealed.

In addition to the blood clot in her lungs, the death certificate listed rectal cancer as the long-term cause of death.

It was indicated that the SCTV alum had been receiving treatment for the cancer since March of last year.

Heartfelt messages from fellow famous Hollywood A-listers were quick to flood in for O'Hara when the news broke with her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin leading the tributes.

"Mama. I thought we had time," the 45-year-old wrote on Instagram at the time. "I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you.

"But I had so much more to say."

He went on to add: "I love you. I’ll see you later."