Catherine O’Hara, the two-time Emmy-winning actor known for her roles in Home Alone, Best in Show and her acclaimed late-career renaissance in Schitt’s Creek, has died, her manager has confirmed to Variety. She was 71.
According to her agency CAA, O’Hara died on Friday at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.
O’Hara’s career spanned five decades, beginning with the Canadian sketch comedy series ‘Second City Television’, which she co-created with Eugene Levy. The show earned her her first Emmy Award and four nominations.
She later appeared in films including ‘After Hours’, ‘Beetlejuice’ and the first two ‘Home Alone’ films, in which she played the mother of Macaulay Culkin’s character, Kevin. O’Hara maintained a close friendship with Culkin and honoured him at his Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.
She was a frequent collaborator of director Christopher Guest, appearing in his mockumentaries ‘Best in Show’, ‘For Your Consideration’, ‘Waiting for Guffman’ and ‘A Mighty Wind’. She also lent her voice to animated films including ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘Chicken Little’.
Her more recent film roles included the legacy sequel ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’, in which she reprised her role as Delia Deetz, and the Apple action film ‘Argylle’.
O’Hara experienced a major career resurgence in her 60s with her portrayal of Moira Rose, a once-wealthy socialite turned small-town resident, in the CBC sitcom ‘Schitt’s Creek’. Starring alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy, the role earned her a second Emmy Award and led to further high-profile television work, including appearances in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ and Apple TV’s ‘The Studio’.
In The Studio, O’Hara played a veteran Hollywood executive sidelined by her company. The second series of the Seth Rogen showbiz satire recently began filming.
In an interview last year, O’Hara reflected on how the industry had changed over the course of her career. “It must be a much more nervous business now than in the past,” she said.
“The internet and streaming must have opened up a world of both good and horrific possibilities.” Despite the show’s critical portrayal of Hollywood culture, she added, “Most people are trying to do and want to do good work. And most people want to be entertained.”
Born in Toronto, O’Hara later became a beloved figure in Los Angeles and was named honorary mayor of Brentwood in 2021.
She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, their sons Matthew and Luke, and her siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O’Hara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallice.
