Actress and comedian Catherine O’Hara, known for her starring roles in “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice” and “Schitt’s Creek,” died at 71.
According to a statement from her agency, Creative Arts Agency, O’Hara died in her home after a “brief illness.” No further details on her cause of death were given at this time.
O’Hara was born in Toronto in 1954, the second youngest of seven children. After graduating from high school, she got a job as a waitress at the Second City Theater in Toronto before her debut on their sketch-comedy show “Second City Television.”
O’Hara was best known for her razor-sharp comedic timing and playing unforgettable, often over-the-top characters with surprising emotional depth. Her role as Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek” earned O’Hara an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Comedians and actors have long held O’Hara in especially high regard, citing her rare ability to combine fearless improvisation with precise character work and emotional authenticity.
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“Someone I’ve always admired is Catherine O’Hara … I think she’s one of the best actresses in the country, not only comedy,” the late comedian Fred Willard said in an April 2003 interview about their collaboration on “Best in Show.” “I just think she’s just a step aside from everybody, she’s just wonderful.”
Across four decades of film and television, O’Hara held a career defined by fearless creativity and commitment to character. Whether in sketch comedy, film or television, her performances left a lasting impression on the comedy landscape.
