The world is mourning the loss of an iconic comedic actor. Catherine O’Hara passed away on January 30, 2026, at the age of 71. Known for numerous roles spanning television and film, the pain of her sudden death is felt by her collaborators and fans alike.
Born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Canada, O’Hara got her start in improv and sketch comedy at Second City Toronto. She was a natural; while starting as a waitress at the club, she joined Second City as a cast member in 1974—without any formal training. Eventually, she became a core ensemble member and appeared on Second City TV (SCTV). It was here that she honed her character work, appearing as Lola Heatherton, a melodramatic singer and aspiring actor, and also Dusty Towne, a bawdy lounge singer. O’Hara won an Emmy in 1982 for Outstanding Writing for SCTV, proving her talents not only as a performer but also as a creator.
After SCTV, O’Hara went on to star in films that are beloved to this day. She played the mom in Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and her performance as a high-strung yet deeply caring parent has helped make the films required viewing during Christmas, even today.
The 1990s were also when O’Hara began her collaborations with Christopher Guest, a director known for his genre-defining mockumentaries. She appeared in Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006), largely improvising her performances. The director simply gave the actors their characters’ backgrounds and scene outlines, but no scripted dialogue. Here, O’Hara had to balance the eccentricity of the characters she played—such as an obsessive dog show competitor—with portrayals that still preserved their dignity.
Later in her career, O’Hara took on a role that would introduce her to a new generation of fans and synthesize all of her years in comedy. She starred as Moira Rose in the Canadian television show Schitt’s Creek from 2015 to 2020. She starred in it alongside Eugene Levy, with whom she had a creative partnership since her SCTV days. The Moira character combined physical comedy, vocal invention, and emotional vulnerability; the character’s most notable aspects—the wig and her accent—were all created by her. The show’s last season swept all five major TV awards.
O’Hara was working until the end of her life. She had recently completed a season on the show The Studio with Seth Rogan, a comedy about a legacy movie studio trying to survive in a world where art and business are increasingly at odds.
Those she worked with in Hollywood are remembering O’Hara for her talent and kindness. Director Martin Scorsese shared a tribute to her. The two worked together on his 1985 film After Hours. “Many people know her from Schitt’s Creek. For many others, it’s the Home Alone pictures or Beetlejuice or the Christopher Guest comedies,” Scorsese shared. “For me, and for most of my friends, it’s SCTV. All I have to do is think about one of the characters she created, like Lola Heatherton or Dusty Towne, and I’m laughing. Catherine was a true comic genius, a true artist, and a wonderful human being. I was blessed to be able to work with her on After Hours, and I’m going to miss her presence and her artistry. We all are.”
Eugene Levy wrote, “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today. I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over 50 years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship. And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”
Steve Martin and Martin Short also paused their live show in Texas to pay tribute to O’Hara, whom they called “the greatest, most brilliant, kindest, sweetest angel that any of us worked with.” Among others sharing their grief is Macaulay Culkin, who played O’Hara’s son in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The two had remained close, and she had accompanied Culkin at his 2023 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. “Mama. I thought we had time,” Culkin wrote. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and their sons, Matthew and Luke.
The world is mourning an iconic comedic actor. Catherine O’Hara passed away on January 30, 2026, at the age of 71. Known for numerous roles spanning television and film, her legacy will live on. Here’s a look at some of her most memorable roles.
After getting her start in the 1980s at Second City Toronto, the 1990s were when O’Hara began her collaborations with Christopher Guest, a director known for his genre-defining mockumentaries. Here she is in Best in Show:
Later in her career, O’Hara would take on a role that would introduce her to a new generation of fans and synthesize all of her years in comedy. She starred as Moira Rose in the Canadian television show Schitt’s Creek from 2015 to 2020.
Source: ‘What a Gift’: Hollywood Remembers Catherine O’Hara, Steve Martin and Martin Short Pause Comedy Show to Honor Catherine O’Hara: ‘The Greatest, Most Brilliant, Kindest, Sweetest Angel’
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