Canadian-American actress Catherine O’Hara has died at 71, according to multiple reports.
The cause of death was not clear,
. O’Hara’s manager
the death to People Magazine.
The actress was born in Toronto in 1954. She got her start while she was waitressing at Second City Toronto. Without formal training, she went on to replace comedian Gilda Radner in 1974 and ended up joining Second City Television, alongside other Canadian icons such Eugene Levy and John Candy. She was awarded with an Emmy for her writing on the program in 1982,
.
I once had the pleasure of speaking to O’Hara. Although I did have to share her with Martin Short.
The occasion was the release of the
2012 animated film Frankenweeine
. Both these Canadian icons provided voices in the film by Tim Burton.
The so-called “one-on-two” interview can be daunting for a journalist, but Short and O’Hara were a joy. And a riot.
When I asked if they did any ad-libbing, O’Hara pretended to be a diva and explained that she had seen the script and said: “‘How am I going to fix this? So much work. Must I write it as well?’”
She then continued with: “I did my own hair for this recording.”
I never got into Schitt’s Creek, but I loved her as Patty Leigh in Seth Rogen’s The Studio, and in the wonderful Christopher Guest mockumentaries, For Your Consideration, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman.
In lesser films, she was sometimes the only reason to watch. Reviewing the 2013 Canadian rom-com The Best Kind of Wrong, I lamented: “Even the comic genius of Catherine O’Hara as Colette’s opinionated mom can’t salvage the picture. Though she steals every scene she’s in, she doesn’t take the next logical step of running away and burying them.”
O’Hara also starred in such films as Beetlejuice (1988) and Home Alone (1990). For Schitt’s Creek, she won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the iconic character Moira Rose.
“I’ll be forever grateful to Eugene and Daniel for giving me that opportunity to develop the role with them and to collaborate,” O’Hara told
in 2024. The same year, she even
about a Schitt’s Creek reunion, saying that she hoped it would happen.
O’Hara is one of the few Canadians to have not one but two stars on
.
The first came in 2002 for being a cast member of SCTV. She received a second in 2007 for her solo work. Fellow SCTV cast members John Candy, Eugene Levy and Martin Short are similarly twice-recognized.
In the interview with National Post in 2012, Short, who has the Order of Canada, said with indignation. “Why doesn’t Catherine O’Hara have an Order of Canada? I wish you’d print that instead of writing about Frankenweenie.”
The Post did both. O’Hara got the Order of Canada in 2017. In 2021, she also received a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.
She leaves behind husband
.
There was an outpouring of messages of admiration for the iconic actress on Friday afternoon.
O’Hara’s Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin wrote a tribute to her on Instagram, with a photo of them on the set of the film and another one of them together decades later.
“Mama. I thought we had time. 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,” he wrote.
Prime Minster Mark Carney
: “I join Canadians and fans across the world in mourning the loss of Catherine O’Hara. Over 5 decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy — from SCTV to Schitt’s Creek. Canada has lost a legend. My thoughts are with her family, friends, and all those who loved her work on screen. She will be dearly missed.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he and his wife Anaida are “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Canadian comedic legend Catherine O’Hara,” in a post on X.
“Through decades of unforgettable performances from SCTV to Home Alone to Schitt’s Creek, she brought joy and laughter to generations of Canadians and showed the best of Canadian talent to audiences around the world. Her talent and warmth left a lasting mark on our culture,” he said.
Anaida and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Canadian comedic legend Catherine O’Hara.
Through decades of unforgettable performances from SCTV to Home Alone to Schitt’s Creek, she brought joy and laughter to generations of Canadians and showed the best of…— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 30, 2026
Canadian singer Michael Bublé said in a post on X that O’Hara was “one of a kind.”
“She wasn’t just a legendary artist, actor and comedian. She was an ambassador for Canada in the truest sense: brilliant, fearless, deeply original, and so full of humanity. She made the world laugh, but she also made people feel seen,” he wrote.
He added that O’Hara inspired him and “set the bar for what it means to represent your country with excellence and grace and all without ever losing warmth or humility.”
Heartbroken doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Catherine O’Hara was one of a kind. A rare light in this world and her passing hits with a weight I can’t fully put into words.
She wasn’t just a legendary artist,
actor and comedian. She was an ambassador for Canada in the truest… pic.twitter.com/06jGk7OyCP— Michael Bublé (@MichaelBuble) January 30, 2026
Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield said in a
that his heart goes out to O’Hara’s family.
“Such a great Canadian example of grit, talent, originality and laughter-filled optimism. All the wonderful things you have done will live on,” he said.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau said in an X post: “She made people laugh across generations and helped bring Canadian storytelling to the world in a way only she could.”
From SCTV to Home Alone to her unforgettable role as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, Catherine O’Hara was a beloved Canadian icon with a rare gift for comedy and heart. She made people laugh across generations and helped bring Canadian storytelling to the world in a way only she… pic.twitter.com/tO72Xy3yqp
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 30, 2026
American filmmaker Ron Howard said the news of O’Hara’s death was “shattering,” in
“What a wonderful person, artist and collaborator. I was lucky enough to direct, produce and act in projects with her and she was simply growing more brilliant with each year,” he said.
Comedian and actor Kevin Nealon wrote a tribute to O’Hara on X, saying how she “changed how so many of us understand comedy and humanity.”
“From the chaos and heart of Home Alone to the unforgettable precision of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she created characters we’ll rewatch again and again,” he said.
Catherine O’Hara changed how so many of us understand comedy and humanity. From the chaos and heart of Home Alone to the unforgettable precision of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she created characters we’ll rewatch again and again.
— Kevin Nealon (@kevin_nealon) January 30, 2026
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