They say some people don’t just play characters; they create worlds. Today, the world feels a little less bright. Catherine O’Hara—the woman who taught us how to laugh at ourselves, the legendary matriarch of Schitt’s Creek, and the mother we all rooted for in Home Alone—has passed away at the age of 71.
From the comedy clubs of Toronto to the heights of Hollywood royalty, Catherine wasn’t just an actress. She was a force of nature.
Confirmed by her agency, Catherine passed away at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. While the world knew her as a comedic genius, many didn’t know she lived with a rare condition called dextrocardia with situs inversus—a birth defect where the organs are a mirror image of normal anatomy.
In every sense of the word, Catherine truly was one of a kind—inside and out. Her journey started in 1974, waitressing at Toronto’s Second City just so she could watch the shows for free. Little did she know, she’d soon be the one the world was watching.
She became a founding member of SCTV, forming a lifelong bond with Eugene Levy. Whether she was winning her first Emmy as a writer in the 80s or walking away from SNL because she missed her “comedy family,” Catherine always followed her heart.
To millions of Americans, she was the face of our favorite holidays. As Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, she gave us gothic comedy perfection. And as Kate McCallister in Home Alone, she gave us the definitive “Mother’s Scream.”
Macaulay Culkin, now 45, shared a heartbreaking tribute, saying: “Mama, I thought we had time. I wanted more… I love you.” It’s a sentiment we all feel today.
But then came Schitt’s Creek. In her 60s, Catherine redefined her career as Moira Rose. The wigs, the accent, the “Bebe.” She swept the Emmys, proving that brilliance has no expiration date.
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In her final years, she stayed busy—from The Wild Robot to The Last of Us. She never stopped working because she never stopped loving the craft.
Catherine leaves behind her husband of 33 years, Bo Welch, and their two sons. But she also leaves behind a “library of fun,” as she once said of her dear friend John Candy.
She once told USA Today: “It’s a beautiful gift to be able to laugh… especially at yourself.” Thank you, Catherine, for giving us that gift for fifty years. Rest in peace.
What was your favorite Catherine O’Hara moment? Was it a Moira-ism or a classic Home Alone scene? Let us know in the comments.
