We’ve lost another true original.
Catherine O’Hara’s death on Friday morning, at age 71, comes as a shock.
She stood out in Hollywood as a truly funny and talented performer whose memorable work entertained audiences for decades, and who was also known for being a genuinely nice person.
Many professional comedians seem driven by negative emotions like anger, insecurity, or general unhappiness, though not every one is.
Not O’Hara. She always seemed to sparkle. She reveled in being a professional kook.
‘When in doubt,’ she told The New Yorker in 2019, ‘play insane.’
In real life, she was anything but. The tributes pouring in attest to that.
Michael Keaton, a co-star of Angela O’Hara in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram. He described her as a ‘pretend wife,’ a ‘pretend nemesis,’ and, most importantly, a true friend, adding that he’s deeply saddened by her passing and will miss her greatly.
Pedro Pascal, a colleague of O’Hara’s from The Last of Us, shared a heartfelt message following her passing. He wrote, ‘My world feels dimmer without you. This fortunate world that knew you will always cherish your memory.’
Actress Rita Wilson: ‘Catherine O’Hara — a woman who was authentic and truthful in all she did.’
Craig Mazin, the creator of The Last of Us, shared a heartfelt goodbye, saying, ‘It’s incredibly painful. Farewell to a truly amazing and kind person. We felt so fortunate to have known them.’
As much as Hollywood is given to hyperbole, this all feels genuine. O’Hara was, indeed, special.
Born in Toronto on March 4, 1954, she grew up in a large family with six siblings. She once explained to The New Yorker that humor was strongly valued in her household. ‘Everyone has a sense of humor when they’re born,’ she said, ‘but life can sometimes diminish it, unless you’re fortunate enough to be raised in a funny environment.’
Oh my gosh, Catherine O’Hara! I first fell in love with her on SCTV, that hilarious Canadian sketch show. But honestly, it was Beetlejuice that sealed the deal. Seeing her opposite Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s wonderfully weird 1988 movie? Pure magic! That’s when everyone really started to notice how brilliant she is.
Let’s be honest, everyone remembers Catherine O’Hara as the mom in ‘Home Alone’! That movie was huge in the 90s, and her character – the mom who accidentally leaves her eight-year-old, Kevin, behind when the family rushes off to Paris – is what really launched her into superstardom. It’s a role that truly made her a household name, and one I still get asked about all the time!
Culkin himself took to Instagram to mourn his on-screen mother.
He wrote to his mother alongside two photos: one from the original movie he filmed with John Wayne, and a more recent picture of the two of them. His message simply said, ‘I thought we had more time… I love you.’
Most actresses couldn’t have captivated an audience like she did, and certainly couldn’t have been forgiven for leaving her young son home alone on Christmas to deal with a dangerous situation. That was simply the special talent O’Hara possessed.
She went back to her beginnings in improvisational comedy, appearing in several films with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy. She played delightfully eccentric characters in their mockumentaries, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.
In a 2019 interview with Vulture, Patton Oswalt admitted his characters often share similar traits. He described them as frequently being insecure and self-deceived, adding that he particularly enjoys portraying people who are unaware of how others perceive them.
Catherine O’Hara’s most celebrated role was undoubtedly Moira Rose, the wonderfully eccentric and formerly wealthy actress, mother, and wife from the show Schitt’s Creek.
Moira was unlike anyone the town had ever seen. She always dressed impeccably, even in that simple, out-of-the-way place, and acted like a snob, but with a kind heart. Her unusual accent was almost as strange as the collection of wigs she kept in her motel room—each one, she’d say, was a piece of herself.
O’Hara mentioned in 2020 that she was surprised anyone was interested in her appearance. She simply asked if she could change her wigs frequently, and the producers happily agreed.
Moira’s increasingly zany, dated wigs became the show’s standout running gag.
O’Hara based Moira’s style on Daphne Guinness, the famous heiress and former inspiration for designer Alexander McQueen.
Sarah Jessica Parker could never.
While performers like Parker are gaining recognition, such as with the Carol Burnett Award for her work on television, they don’t quite reach the level of comedic brilliance as Catherine O’Hara.
O’Hara always prioritized making people laugh over maintaining a perfect image. She was down-to-earth and didn’t try to present a flawless persona. She also kept her family and personal life private, never using them for publicity or self-promotion.
Unlike some newer female comedians like Amy Schumer, Nikki Glaser, and Lena Dunham, O’Hara never relied on self-deprecating humor or jokes about her body to get a reaction from the audience.
Maybe O’Hara understood, unlike people like the Parkers and Dunhams who constantly showed off and sought approval, that she was genuinely talented and authentic.
Moira Rose was a character entirely developed by Catherine O’Hara. She explained to The New Yorker how she presented the idea for Moira’s unique style to the show’s creators, Eugene and Dan Levy.
She described Guinness’s style as fantastic and over-the-top. She explained that his clothing felt protective, like armor, which she thought was fitting for his character, Moira, who had experienced a major upheaval and found herself back in a familiar, yet unwanted, environment.
O’Hara realized Moira was a woman of incredible resilience. Despite years of dedication and achievement, she’d been brought back to where she started, but she faced it with her signature wit and refused to be defeated.
Sarah Jessica Parker might benefit from taking a break from the role she’s portrayed for almost three decades.
According to O’Hara, Moira feels she has a lot of potential but isn’t sure exactly what it is yet. She explained that using things like wigs and costumes helps her feel more confident, allowing her to express different sides of herself. O’Hara also feels this way, believing she has more to offer and is still evolving.
What a lesson in being a great artist, a great comedienne, and more importantly, a good person.
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2026-01-31 04:04