Catherine O’Hara passed away on January 30, 2026, at age 71. She died at her home in Los Angeles after a brief illness. Her agency, CAA, confirmed the news. The Canadian-American actress left behind a career that spanned over 50 years. Her films grossed more than $4.3 billion worldwide. She won two Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe, and was an Officer of the Order of Canada.
O’Hara became famous for roles like Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, Kate McCallister in the Home Alone movies, and Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. She started in sketch comedy and later shone in films and voice work. Her sudden death has brought tributes from co-stars and fans.
Catherine Anne O’Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto. She grew up in a large Irish-Canadian Catholic family as the sixth of seven children. Her sister is singer-actress Mary Margaret O’Hara. From early on, she showed talent in performance.
Early Life and Entry into Comedy
In 1974, she joined Second City Toronto as Gilda Radner’s understudy. That led to improv and sketch work. She had a rare condition called dextrocardia with situs inversus—her organs are mirrored but it never affected her health.
Her big break came with SCTV (Second City Television) from 1976 to 1984. She co-wrote and performed spot-on impressions of stars like Katharine Hepburn and Lucille Ball. In 1981, she won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing. It was here she built lasting ties with Eugene Levy and others.
The 1980s and 1990s brought film success. She played Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988) and reprised the role in the 2024 sequel. Then came Kate McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2 (1992). Those two films alone earned over $800 million combined.
She also voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Other roles included After Hours (1985) and Heartburn (1986).
Breakthrough with SCTV (1976–1984)
In the 2000s, O’Hara teamed up often with Christopher Guest. She appeared in Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). These mockumentaries highlighted her sharp comic timing.
Voice work continued. She lent her voice to Chicken Little (2005), Over the Hedge (2006), and Frankenweenie (2012).
The 2010s gave her a major comeback with Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020). As Moira Rose, she stole every scene with wild wigs and dramatic flair. In the final season, she swept awards: a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, two SAG Awards, and six Canadian Screen Awards.
Later roles included Justice Strauss in A Series of Unfortunate Events and appearances in The Last of Us (2025) and The Studio (2025). Posthumous nominations are expected for her work in The Studio.
Death Details
O’Hara earned a Genie Award for The Life Before This (1999). She became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017. In 2021, she was named honorary mayor of Brentwood, Los Angeles.
She married production designer Bo Welch in 1992 after meeting on the Beetlejuice set. They had two sons, Matthew (born 1994) and Luke (born 1997). She held dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship. Friends knew her as humble and grounded in her Catholic roots. Macaulay Culkin still called her “Mom.”
Details remain private. She passed at home, survived by her husband, sons, and six siblings.
Tributes came quickly. Dan Levy wrote, “Cherish every funny memory… she was family before she played my family.” Eugene Levy said words feel inadequate and he’ll miss her deeply.
Tim Burton shared a photo with “Catherine, I love you.” Macaulay Culkin posted, “Mama… I love you. I’ll see you later.” Pedro Pascal shared gratitude, saying there’s less light in his world now. Meryl Streep called her “whipsmart” with compassion. Others like Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, and Seth Rogen added their thoughts.
Legacy and Influence
O’Hara helped open doors for women in improv through SCTV. She inspired actors with her truthful, eccentric characters. Starting in Canadian comedy, she reached global fame and proved late-career triumphs are possible—in her 60s with Schitt’s Creek.
She once said success comes from “being truthful” in performance. That approach defined her work.
For a full biography and film list, check her Wikipedia page.
Her loss leaves a gap in comedy and film. Fans will keep rewatching her classics.
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