Catherine O'Hara

Catherine O'Hara, the "SCTV" comedian and actress who went on to star in "Home Alone," "Best in Show," "Schitt's Creek," and many other movies and TV shows, died January 30, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles. She died of a pulmonary embolism after fighting rectal cancer at the age of 71.

Michael McKean, her co-star in "Best in Show" and other films, called the loss "heartbreaking," noting, "Only one Catherine O'Hara, and now none." Pedro Pascal, with whom she had recently worked in "The Last of Us," wrote, "Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always."

Born March 4, 1954, O'Hara grew up in Toronto, later noting in a 2019 interview with The New Yorker that her sense of humor was a natural fit in her family: "Everybody in my family’s funny. Being funny was highly encouraged in our family, I think." She got her start in comedy shortly after graduating from Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute, joining the cast of The Second City improv troupe in 1974.

O'Hara honed her comedic chops with the legendary group, making audiences laugh alongside fellow comedians like Eugene Levy, who became a close friend and a frequent co-star. In her interview with The New Yorker, she explained her approach to improv: "[W]hen in doubt, play insane. Because you didn’t have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth. It didn’t have to make sense."

She brought the silliness to television when "Second City Television (SCTV)" debuted in 1976, remaining with the show for its entire six–season run – but she almost left to pursue sketch comedy fame elsewhere. She signed on with "Saturday Night Live" in 1981, while "SCTV" was negotiating a new network deal, but she left without ever appearing on an episode of "SNL" and returned to "SCTV." (She did find her way back to three episodes of "SNL" as host, in 1988, 1991, and 1992.)

By the time the "SCTV" cast took their final bows in 1984, O'Hara was ready for something different, and within a few years, she was hitting new heights of fame in movies. A breakthrough role came with Tim Burton's 1988 comedy "Beetlejuice," in which she played the eccentric goth artist Delia Deetz. Thirty-six years later, she bookended her career with a role in the long-awaited sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." It was her final onscreen movie performance.

Many other memorable movie roles came in the years between the two "Beetlejuice" installments. Among her best-loved movies was 1990's "Home Alone," the holiday hit in which she played Kate McCallister, mother to Macaulay Culkin's Kevin. She reprised her role in the 1992 sequel, and the following year she worked with Burton again as the voice of the ragdoll Sally in "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

In 1996, O'Hara began a long and fruitful association with director Christopher Guest, appearing in his mockumentary "Waiting for Guffman." By her side was her old friend Levy, who co-wrote the film with Guest. Their "SCTV" experience was key to the movie's largely improvved vibe, and they returned to improv their way through "Best in Show" – in which they played the Norwich terrier-loving Gerry and Cookie Fleck – as well as "A Mighty Wind" and "For Your Consideration." In "A Mighty Wind," O'Hara and Levy sang as a folk music duo, and O'Hara co-wrote their song, "One More Time."

Had O'Hara retired after 2006's "For Your Consideration," she would certainly have been remembered primarily as a movie actress, despite her start on "SCTV." However, a late-career gem was waiting for her, ensuring that TV would also anchor her legacy. In 2015, she took on the role of former soap opera actress Moira Rose on the CBC/Netflix hit sitcom "Schitt's Creek," starring again opposite Levy.

Moira Rose's daffy grandeur was one of the keys to the wild success of "Schitt's Creek." And O'Hara herself deeply influenced the character, from her unplaceable accent and odd enunciation to her designer wardrobe and rotating selection of wigs. It was O'Hara's idea for Moira to change her wigs with her moods, and creators Levy and his son, Dan Levy, let her roll with the concept. She also influenced Moira's vocabulary, adding silly and pretentious touches to her lines.

O'Hara was widely praised for her work on "Schitt's Creek," and awards followed. In 2019, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and in 2020, she won that same award. It stood alongside many others, including six Canadian Screen Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series – one for each season it ran – as well as a Critic's Choice Award, a Canadian Comedy Award, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.

O'Hara's last two television credits were also memorable ones. In 2025, she starred alongside Seth Rogan in "The Studio," picking up additional nominations for Emmy and Golden Globe awards, as well as winning an Astra TV Award. The same year, she had a three-episode arc on the Netflix hit "The Last of Us," playing the cynical therapist to Pascal's character. Critics praised her rare dramatic turn in "The Last of Us."

Her many other TV appearances included "Six Feet Under," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "30 Rock," "Modern Family," and "A Series of Unfortunate Events." She had voice roles on such animated shows as "The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley," "Skylanders Academy," and "The Last Kids on Earth." She also contributed voices to movies, including "Over the Hedge," "Where the Wild Things Are," "The Addams Family," and "The Wild Robot."

O'Hara married production designer Bo Welch, whom she met on the set of "Beetlejuice," in 1992. He survives her, as do their two 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.

In a 2024 interview for Elle Canada, O'Hara commented on the oversized presence of humor in her life: "My husband and I laugh about everything all day long… My parents were blessed – they laughed until the end. That’s the best way to live, because there’s so much sadness. You’re really lucky if your sense of humor is encouraged, because I think we’re all born with it, and if it’s encouraged in your life, that’s a gift."

By Linnea Crowther

(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)