Catherine O’Hara had many memorable roles throughout her extensive acting career.
O’Hara got her start in 1975, making an appearance on the comedy show Wayne and Shuster. One year later, she had a breakthrough role on the Canadian sketch comedy show Second City Television, which won her an Emmy.
In 1980, O’Hara made her film debut in the rom-com Nothing Personal. The actress grew more popular following her roles in After Hours, Heartburn and Beetlejuice. However, in 1990, she scored one of her most iconic roles, playing Kate McCallister in Home Alone alongside Macaulay Culkin.
More than two decades later, O’Hara landed another legendary starring role as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. Her performance in the hit comedy series earned her a second Emmy in 2020.
In January 2026, Us Weekly confirmed that O’Hara died following a brief illness. She was 71.
Keep scrolling for a look back on O’Hara’s most memorable roles:
‘Second City Television’
Catherine O’Hara was a breakout star on Second City Television, also known as SCTV. The actress appeared alongside comedy greats including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Martin Short and more.
In addition to starring on seasons 1, 2 and 4 of the sketch comedy show, O’Hara was one of the writers. In 1982, O’Hara won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for her work on SCTV.
‘Beetlejuice’
Catherine O’Hara starred in Beetlejuice as Delia Deetz, the stepmom of Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder. The actress previously shared that her role in the Tim Burton cult classic was one of her “personal” favorites.
“I met my husband [Bo Welch] on Beetlejuice, he designed the sets,” she recalled in a 2023 interview with ETalk. “Tim Burton made him ask me out … and we’re still married, it’s wonderful.”
In 2024, O’Hara reprised her character for the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
‘Dick Tracy’
Catherine O’Hara made an appearance in the 1990 movie Dick Tracy as the mob member Texie Garcia. The crime action film had a star-studded cast that also included Al Pacino, Madonna, Dustin Hoffman, Mandy Patinkin, Dick Van Dyke and more. The film was not only a commercial success but also earned seven Academy Award nominations. It ended up winning Best Original Song, Best Makeup and Best Art Direction.
‘Home Alone’
Home Alone is one of Catherine O’Hara’s most well-known movie roles. She played Kate McCallister, the mother of the one and only Kevin McCallister, portrayed by Macaulay Culkin. The film, which tells the story of Kevin accidentally being left behind while his family travels during the holidays, was a blockbuster success and is now a classic Christmas film. O’Hara reprised her role for the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’
Catherine O’Hara reunited with Tim Burton to voice the character Sally in the Nightmare Before Christmas. Sally, who is modeled after a ragdoll, is the love interest of Jack Skellington, who is voiced by Chris Sarandon.
‘Schitt’s Creek’
In 2015, Catherine O’Hara made a triumphant return to the pop culture zeitgeist when she was cast as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. Moira is the matriarch of the Rose family, which also includes Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. O’Hara’s comedic delivery of epic one-liners made her a fan favorite. O’Hara was nominated for two Emmys for playing Moria, taking home Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020.
‘The Studio’
Catherine O’Hara starred as Patty Leigh in The Studio, which premiered on Apple TV in 2025. Patty, a former studio head, served as mentor for Matt, played by Seth Rogen. O’Hara was nominated for an Emmy for her performance. Ahead of her death, The Studio was renewed for season 2.
‘The Last of Us’
Catherine O’Hara had a memorable guest role on The Last of Us season 2, where she played Gail. While O’Hara was best known for her work in comedy, she showed off her range by taking on the dramatic part of a therapist struggling with alcoholism. O’Hara earned critical acclaim for the role and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
