Catherine O’Hara, the beloved Canadian actress whose career spanned decades across film, television and comedy, has died at the age of 71.
Her manager confirmed the news, saying O’Hara died after a short illness.
No further details were released. She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke.
O’Hara’s death marks the loss of one of entertainment’s most distinctive and admired performers, known for balancing sharp comedy with emotional depth.
She was best known to mainstream audiences as Kate McCallister, the frantic but devoted mother in the first two Alone at home film, and later as the unforgettable Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creeka role that introduced her to a new generation of fans and earned her an Emmy in 2020.
Born on March 4, 1954 in Toronto, O’Hara grew up in a large Irish Catholic family as one of seven children.
Her path into comedy began through a personal connection, her brother’s relationship with the original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner, who helped introduce her to the world of improv at Toronto’s Second City Theatre.
After initially working there as a waitress, O’Hara auditioned and officially joined the troupe in 1974.
“Improv is just so liberating,” O’Hara shared ELLE Canada in September 2024.
“And if you let go, everything feeds you—every person, every character, and everything you’ve ever experienced in your life.”
She became a breakout star on Second City Television, or SCTV, in the late 1970s and early ’80s, earning her first Emmy and establishing her reputation for fearless character work and celebrity impressions.
Although she was briefly offered a place Saturday Night Live during a hiatus from SCTV, she ultimately returned to her original comedy home, a decision she later said worked out exactly as it should have.
Her film career took off in the mid-1980s with notable roles in Martin Scorsese’s After hours and Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice.
Playing the eccentric Delia Deetz proved to be a turning point.
Reflecting on the role years later, O’Hara said, “You never know how something is going to be received… If you’re lucky enough to work with people who make every day exciting, creative and stimulating, that’s the best.”
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she became a frequent collaborator with director Christopher Guest, starring in mockumentary classics including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A mighty wind and for your consideration.
Her performances earned her a reputation as what one critic called “the queen of the bittersweet”, mixing humor with quiet vulnerability.
O’Hara’s longtime creative partnership with Eugene Levy reached new heights with Schitt’s Creekwhich ran from 2015 to 2020.
What began as a small series eventually became a global hit after landing on streaming, with O’Hara’s Moira Rosem known for her dramatic wigs, unusual accent and unfiltered confidence emerging as a cultural icon.
“Schitt’s Creek is a wild example of that,” she said of the show’s success. “We made this little show for ourselves.”
Her work never slowed down. In recent years, O’Hara appeared on Apple TV+’s The Studio with Seth Rogen and HBO’s The last of uswhich earns additional Emmy nominations.
She repeated her too Beetlejuice role in the 2024 sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and lent his voice to beloved animated films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Elementary.
In interviews, O’Hara often reflected on aging with optimism rather than fear.
“When [you turn] 70… imagine you’re going to live at least 20 more years,” she said. “What are you going to do with those years? You’re looking forward to it.”
Off-screen, she met her husband Bo Welch on the set of Beetlejuice. They married in 1992 and built a family together, often crediting humor as the foundation of their relationship.
“We do a lot of it with jokes,” she shared PEOPLE in 2024. “Sarcasm helps.”
Catherine O’Hara leaves a legacy defined by originality, generosity and a rare ability to make audiences laugh and feel deeply at the same time.
From sketch comedy stages in Toronto to Hollywood films and award-winning television, her impact on entertainment is enduring.
