Catherine Anne O'Hara (March 4, 1954 - January 30, 2026) was a Canadian-American actress, comedian, writer, and voice performer whose career moved fluidly between improvisational comedy, television, film, and animation. Known for her expressive physical comedy, eccentric character work, and gift for finding emotional depth inside absurd personalities, she became one of the most distinctive performers to emerge from Canada's comedy scene.
O'Hara began performing professionally with Toronto's Second City in 1974. The improvisational troupe provided an important training ground for a generation of Canadian comedians, and O'Hara soon established herself as one of its leading performers. She joined the ensemble of the television sketch series *Second City Television* (SCTV) in 1976, working alongside John Candy, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, and other future stars. On SCTV, she combined celebrity impressions with original characters such as the flamboyant lounge singer Lola Heatherton and the self-important television personality Dusty Towne. She also contributed as a writer, winning a Primetime Emmy Award in 1982 for her work on the program.
During the early 1980s, O'Hara briefly joined *Saturday Night Live*, but returned to SCTV before appearing in the regular cast. Her SCTV work led to a wider range of television opportunities, including appearances on *Tales from the Crypt*, *The Larry Sanders Show*, *Six Feet Under*, *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, and *30 Rock*. She also hosted *Saturday Night Live* twice, demonstrating the versatility that had made her a standout in ensemble comedy.
O'Hara's film career expanded significantly during the 1980s. After appearing in the Canadian film *Double Negative* in 1980, she took roles in Martin Scorsese's *After Hours* and *Heartburn*, before playing the theatrical and narcissistic artist Delia Deetz in Tim Burton's *Beetlejuice* (1988). The role showcased her ability to turn vanity and self-importance into comic spectacle without reducing the character to a simple caricature.
She reached an even larger audience as Kate McCallister, the frantic but loving mother in *Home Alone* (1990) and *Home Alone 2: Lost in New York* (1992). At the same time, she became a regular presence in Christopher Guest's improvised mockumentaries, including *Waiting for Guffman* (1996), *Best in Show* (2000), *A Mighty Wind* (2003), and *For Your Consideration* (2006). Her performances in those films were marked by detailed character choices, awkward sincerity, and a willingness to let comedy emerge from uncomfortable or highly specific behavior.
O'Hara was also a prolific voice performer. She voiced Sally in *The Nightmare Before Christmas* (1993) and appeared in animated films such as *Chicken Little*, *Over the Hedge*, *Monster House*, *Frankenweenie*, *Elemental*, and *The Wild Robot*. Her screen work continued into the 2020s with appearances in *Argylle*, the second season of *The Last of Us*, and the Apple TV+ comedy *The Studio*.
A later career peak came with *Schitt's Creek* (2015-2020), created by and starring Eugene Levy. As Moira Rose, the former soap opera star adapting to life after financial ruin, O'Hara created a flamboyant but unexpectedly tender character. Her elaborate vocabulary, theatrical delivery, and shifting accents made Moira a cultural touchstone, while the character's vulnerability gave the performance lasting warmth. O'Hara won the 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe for the role.
O'Hara died in Los Angeles at the age of 71. Her work remains notable for its range and generosity: she could dominate a sketch, sharpen an ensemble, elevate a supporting film role, or build a complete comic personality from a single gesture or vocal inflection.