Catherine O’Hara Dead at 71

Hollywood has lost a true original. Legendary actress and comedy icon Catherine O’Hara has died at the age of 71, her manager confirmed on Friday, January 30. No cause of death has been shared at this time.

The Canadian-born star leaves behind a legacy that spans nearly five decades, from sketch comedy stages to blockbuster films and award-winning television.

Born in Toronto in 1954, O’Hara got her start at the legendary Second City Theater, where she worked alongside future icons like Eugene Levy, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy and Gilda Radner. She joined the troupe in 1974 and quickly became a standout performer. Her work on Second City Television (SCTV) earned her five Emmy nominations, including one win.

Though she briefly accepted an offer to join Saturday Night Live in 1981, she ultimately returned to SCTV before appearing in a single episode — a decision she later reflected on as fate working itself out.

O’Hara’s transition to film cemented her place in pop culture history. She starred as the eccentric Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), a role she reprised in 2024’s sequel. In 1990, she became a household name as Kate McCallister, the frantic but loving mother in Home Alone, delivering the unforgettable scream of “Kevin!” that defined a generation of holiday movie lovers.

Her résumé only grew stronger throughout the ’90s and 2000s. She voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas, appeared in Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind, and earned a reputation as one of comedy’s most nuanced performers — blending satire with emotional depth.

In 2015, O’Hara reintroduced herself to a new generation as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy. The show became a streaming sensation and cultural phenomenon. Her portrayal of the dramatic, wig-loving former soap star earned her an Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award.

“I will forever be grateful… for the opportunity to play a woman of a certain age… who gets to fully be herself,” she said during her Emmy acceptance speech in 2020.

Beyond her career, O’Hara was known for her grounded personality and long-lasting marriage to production designer Bo Welch, whom she wed in 1992. The couple shared two sons, Matthew and Luke.

From sketch comedy to sitcom royalty, Catherine O’Hara built a career on fearlessness, wit and heart. Her characters were bold, eccentric and unforgettable — just like the woman who brought them to life.

She is survived by her husband and children.