On Jan. 30, a comedic star died. 

Catherine O’Hara was a Canadian-American actress and comedian who starred in many famous films and television shows, such as “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice,” and “Schitt’s Creek.” O’Hara won a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for the latter. 

O’Hara was most notably known for her strong comedic performances. She got her start on the groundbreaking Canadian comedy sketch show “SCTV.” A Second City Television show that started at the Toronto location. “SCTV” was a very impactful sketch comedy show that helped bring comedy to the masses. O’Hara won an Emmy in 1982 for her writing work on the show. O’Hara starred alongside many comedic legends, including John Candy (“Home Alone,” “Uncle Buck”) and Eugene Levy, who also starred in “Schitt’s Creek. O’Hara was hired for the cast of “SNL” twice, but she ended up quitting before a single episode aired because she did not want to leave “SCTV.”

Catherine O’Hara was a household name. Many teenagers may know her from her role as the mom in “Home Alone” and “Beetlejuice.” Growing up, I knew O’Hara from “Beetlejuice,” but as I got older, I learned about what type of performer she was. O’Hara was one of the best comedic improvisers of our time. She was an incredibly kind, hardworking, and innovative performer. She played characters with such confidence and comedic strength that you couldn’t help but love her both as a performer and as a person. My personal favorite of her performances is Moira Rose. Her natural comedic talent is something so admirable. The art of improvisation is incredibly difficult to master and Catherine O’Hara crushes it every time. 

This past year, O’Hara starred in “The Studio”, which was created and starred in by Seth Rogen. O’Hara earned an Emmy nomination for supporting actress in a comedy series for “The Studio” in 2025. She additionally received a Creative Arts Emmy nomination for guest actress in a drama series for “The Last of Us” in 2025 as well. O’Hara was a consistent performer. She was constantly giving award-worthy performances that cemented her as a legend in both film and television. 

“Schitt’s Creek” was one of the most successful productions that O’Hara was a part of. She played the eccentric Moira Rose. When developing the role of Moira Rose, she incorporated many different dialects to make the voice for the character. She incorporated elements from Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe and also elements of many European dialects. O’Hara noted that the key to the voice of Moira Rose is inconsistency. She elongates vowels and adds a different spin to each line after every take. She worked to constantly evolve the character and show with the writers and cast members. 

Catherine O’Hara was not just a performer. She was a fabulous human being. Noted for her kindness, she was known by friends and family as a loving and caring human being. She was seen as a great mother, friend, and co-star to anyone who knew her. Both the arts and humankind lost a genuine human being. Her talents, charm, and kindness will be missed by all.