Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone star Catherine O’Hara dies aged 71

Actress Catherine O’Hara has died at the age of 71, her representatives have confirmed.

According to Variety, the actress passed away following a “brief illness”, with no further details released.

The Canadian-American actor and comedian was one of the most distinctive screen performers of her generation, with a career spanning more than five decades across television, film and sketch comedy.

Born in Toronto in 1954, O’Hara began her career in Canadian theatre and improvisation, joining Toronto’s Second City in the early 1970s. She first rose to prominence later that decade as a cast member and writer on SCTV, where her character work and improvisational skills helped shape the show’s influence on North American comedy. During her time on the series, she won multiple Emmy Awards as part of the writing team.

Her transition to film brought her to international audiences. In the late 1980s, she appeared as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, followed by her role as Kate McCallister in Home Alone and its 1992 sequel. The films established her as a regular presence in major studio comedies throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Alongside her mainstream film work, O’Hara developed a long-running collaboration with director Christopher Guest. She appeared in several of his ensemble films, including Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration.

In television, O’Hara later achieved renewed acclaim through her portrayal of the iconic Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, which aired from 2015 to 2020. The role earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and introduced her to a new generation of viewers. The character became particularly popular with LGBTQ+ audiences and is frequently referenced in queer culture.

O’Hara continued to take on selective screen roles. Most recently, she appeared in series two of The Last of Us, marking one of her final on-screen performances.

O’Hara held dual Canadian and American citizenship. She was married to production designer Bo Welch from 1992, and is survived by their two sons.