CATHERINE O’HARA, BELOVED STAR OF BEETLEJUICE AND HOME ALONE, PASSES AWAY AT 71
Catherine O’Hara, the acclaimed Canadian-American actress and comedian, passed away on January 30, 2026, at the age of 71 at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.
Born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto as the sixth of seven children, she began her career in 1974 on the influential sketch comedy series SCTV, where she replaced Gilda Radner, showcased her impressive range through impersonations of stars like Meryl Streep and Lucille Ball, created memorable characters such as Lola Heatherton, and earned her first Primetime Emmy for outstanding writing in a variety program in 1982.
O’Hara’s breakthrough to wider fame came in 1988 with her role as the eccentric, overdramatic artist Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, followed by her heartfelt portrayal of the worried yet loving mother Kate McCallister in the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone.
She amassed over 100 roles across film and television throughout her five-decade career, but she achieved late-career pinnacle recognition for playing the flamboyant, blissfully detached Moira Rose in the hit comedy series Schitt’s Creek alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy, winning a Primetime Emmy in 2020 and a Golden Globe in 2021 for the performance.
Details about the circumstances of her death remain limited, with her manager and agency confirming the news on Friday.
