Catherine O’Hara, Emmy-winning comic actor of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and ‘Home Alone,’ dies at 71

LOS ANGELES (JN) – Catherine O’Hara, the Canadian-born comic actor whose work spanned sketch television, blockbuster films and award-winning prestige comedy, has died at the age of 71. Her performances — precise, fearless and often deeply human beneath their eccentricity — made her one of the most respected comedic actors of her generation.

O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness, according to a statement from her representatives at Creative Artists Agency. No further details were released.

Over a career that stretched nearly five decades, O’Hara moved fluidly between improvisational comedy, mainstream Hollywood films and character-driven television, earning admiration from peers and audiences alike. While she was best known in later years for her role as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, her influence on North American comedy long predated that success.

From Second City to ‘SCTV’

O’Hara’s professional life began in Toronto in the 1970s with the Second City comedy troupe, a proving ground for some of Canada’s most influential comedic voices. There, she first worked with Eugene Levy, a collaborator who would remain central to her career for decades.

Both went on to become original cast members of SCTV (Second City Television), the sketch comedy series that aired in Canada before gaining a U.S. audience on NBC. The show developed a cult following and produced a generation-defining ensemble that included Martin Short, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Joe Flaherty.

O’Hara won her first Emmy Award for writing on SCTV, a recognition that reflected not only her on-screen performances but also her sharp instincts behind the scenes. Her work on the show established her reputation for characters that were simultaneously absurd and grounded in emotional truth.

A late-career peak with ‘Schitt’s Creek’

Four decades later, O’Hara achieved what many performers rarely experience: a late-career creative peak that introduced her to a new global audience. She won an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her portrayal of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek.

The CBC-produced series, created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy, followed a once-wealthy family forced to rebuild their lives in a small rural town. Over its six seasons, the show grew steadily before dominating the Emmy Awards in its final year.

O’Hara’s Moira Rose — a former soap opera star clinging fiercely to her sense of self — became one of modern television’s most distinctive comic creations. Speaking previously to The Associated Press, O’Hara said she imagined the character as someone determined to signal her uniqueness at every turn. Her exaggerated accent and elaborate vocabulary, built from obscure and archaic words, were carefully crafted to underline Moira’s insecurity and theatricality.

The role earned O’Hara a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, cementing her status not just as a cult favorite but as a central figure in contemporary television comedy.

Film roles and mainstream recognition

Although O’Hara was widely respected within the comedy community, Hollywood was slower to place her at the center of major studio films. She often appeared in supporting roles, including parts in Martin Scorsese’s After Hours and Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, a character she later reprised in the 2024 sequel.

Her most commercially visible film work came with the Home Alone franchise, in which she played the anxious mother of Macaulay Culkin’s character. The films were among the highest-grossing releases of the early 1990s and became seasonal television staples, exposing O’Hara to a mass audience far beyond comedy insiders.

Those performances allowed her to explore a warmer, more straightforward emotional register, balancing the heightened characters that defined much of her earlier work.

The Christopher Guest years

O’Hara found another creative home in the mockumentary films directed by Christopher Guest, a series built around improvisation and ensemble performance. Beginning with Waiting for Guffman in 1996, she appeared in several of Guest’s films, including Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration.

Best in Show became the most commercially successful of the group. O’Hara and Eugene Levy played a married couple navigating a competitive dog show circuit, with O’Hara’s character delivering some of the film’s most memorable moments through subtle physical comedy and emotional awkwardness.

Guest described O’Hara as “one of the comic giants of our age,” underscoring the esteem in which she was held by collaborators who worked closely with her improvisational style.

Tributes from colleagues

News of O’Hara’s death prompted tributes from across the entertainment industry. Macaulay Culkin shared a personal message recalling their on-screen relationship in Home Alone, expressing grief and affection.

Meryl Streep, who worked with O’Hara on Heartburn, said she brought “love and light” to the characters she portrayed, combining sharp intelligence with compassion.

Pedro Pascal, who appeared alongside O’Hara in The Last of Us, described her as a presence that brought warmth and generosity to those around her, while Seth Rogen recently shared behind-the-scenes images from their work together on The Studio.

Later work and personal life

In the final years of her career, O’Hara continued to take on varied roles, earning Emmy nominations for performances that ranged from comedy to drama. She received 10 Emmy nominations in total across acting and writing categories.

Born and raised in Toronto, O’Hara was the sixth of seven children in a Catholic family of Irish descent. She attended Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute before joining Second City in her early twenties. She was briefly hired by Saturday Night Live but left before appearing on air.

O’Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, their sons Matthew and Luke, and her siblings.