The actress passed away in her Los Angeles home after a brief illness. She is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and sons Luke & Matthew Welch
The passing of Catherine O’Hara on January 30, 2026, marks the end of an era for comedy and cinema. For over half a century, she was the rare performer who could pivot from the slapstick absurdity of SCTV to the heart-wrenching (and hilarious) eccentricity of Moira Rose without ever losing her grounded humanity.
On behalf of Seniors Today, we celebrate a woman who proved that career “resurgences” aren’t just luck—they are the result of undeniable, evolving talent.
Born in 1954 in Toronto, Catherine was the sixth of seven children in a close-knit Irish Catholic family. Her journey into our living rooms began in 1974 at The Second City in Toronto. Famously, she started as a waitress there, eventually landing a spot as Gilda Radner’s understudy. When Radner left for Saturday Night Live, O’Hara stepped into the spotlight, and the world of comedy was never the same.
In 1976, she became a founding cast member of SCTV (Second City Television). Alongside legends like John Candy and Eugene Levy, she created a gallery of unforgettable eccentrics, most notably the boozy, fading starlet Lola Heatherton. It was here that she won her first Emmy for writing, proving early on that she was as sharp with a pen as she was with a punchline.
By the late 1980s, O’Hara had become the go-to actress for characters who were slightly “off” but deeply lovable. She gave us Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice (1988), a role she would joyfully reprise in 2024. Then came the role that made her a global household name: Kate McCallister in Home Alone (1990). Her frantic scream of “KEVIN!” remains one of the most iconic moments in cinema history, perfectly capturing the relatable panic of motherhood.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she became the “secret weapon” of director Christopher Guest. In his mockumentaries like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, O’Hara utilised her improv roots to create characters that were hilariously absurd yet touchingly real.
The Moira Rose Era: A Masterclass in the “Second Act”
While many actors find their opportunities narrowing as they age, O’Hara’s career reached a magnificent crescendo in her 60s. In 2015, she debuted as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. With her operatic vocabulary, an endless collection of wigs, and a truly unidentifiable accent, Moira became a cultural phenomenon.
Her performance earned her a historic “sweep” of all five major television awards in 2021—a fitting tribute to a woman who had spent 50 years honing her craft. Even in her final year, she remained a force, earning Emmy nominations for her dramatic turn in The Last of Us and her sharp comedic work in The Studio.
10 Essential Movies to Revisit
- Beetlejuice (1988) – The quintessential eccentric artist, Delia Deetz.
- Home Alone (1990) – The mother we all rooted for in the world’s most famous holiday film.
- Best in Show (2000) – Her chemistry with Eugene Levy as Cookie Fleck is improvisational gold.
- A Mighty Wind (2003) – A beautiful blend of folk music and subtle, bittersweet comedy.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – The soulful voice of Sally, the stitched-together heroine.
- Waiting for Guffman (1996) – A hilarious dive into the world of small-town community theatre.
- For Your Consideration (2006) – A sharp satire where she plays a fading actress desperate for an Oscar.
- After Hours (1985) – A darker, surreal role in a Martin Scorsese cult classic.
- The Wild Robot (2024) – A poignant voice role as Pinktail, showing her range even in animation.
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) – A triumphant return to the role that defined her early Hollywood years.
5 Best TV Shows to Binge
- Schitt’s Creek – For the definitive Moira Rose experience.
- SCTV – To see where the genius began (look for her Lola Heatherton sketches).
- The Last of Us (Season 2) – A haunting guest performance that showcased her dramatic power.
- A Series of Unfortunate Events – As Dr Georgina Orwell, she proved she could play a villain with style.
- The Studio – Her final series regular role, a biting look at the film industry she knew so well.
Catherine O’Hara once said of her career, “I get too nervous doing solo bits… with someone else, you can share the showing off.” It was that humility and collaborative spirit that made her a favourite among her peers and a legend to her fans, who remember her as a woman of sheer talent, sharp humour and pure, ever-loving personality.
