Catherine O'Hara, 'Home Alone' and 'Schitt's Creek' actress, passes away at 71

Catherine O'Hara, the Emmy Award-winning actor who was popular for her comic roles, passed away on Friday. The actress who played Kevin's beleaguered mother in 'Home Alone' and the iconic Moira Rose in 'Schitt's Creek' was 71 years old at the time of passing.

Born in Canada, the actress took her last breath at her Los Angeles home. According to AP, her agency, CAA, released a statement revealing that she died "following a brief illness."


Born on March 4, 1954, Catherine O'Hara's career spanned over five decades. The actress was brought up in Toronto, Ontario. Reportedly, she was the sixth out of seven children. Her younger sister, named Mary Margaret O'Hara, is a musician and an actress. Catherine O'Hara completed her graduation from the Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institue in the year 1974.

As per the reports, her career was launched with a sketch comedy series at Second City Television in Toronto (1976-1984). This is where she worked with Eugene Levy for the first time. He went on to become her lifelong collaborator and her 'Schitt's Creek' co-star.

The actress went on to earn recognition with movies like 'After Hours' (1985), 'Heartburn' (1986), 'Beetlejuice' (1988), 'Home Alone' (1990), and 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' (1992). She received recognition after starring in 'Beetlejuice' (1988), in which she played the role of overdramatic artist and perfectionist Delia.

In 1990, she played the role of a mother, Kate McCallister, to young Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Home Alone'.

Later, her career was revived after she played the role of Moira Rose in the sitcom 'Schitt's Creek'. And for the same, she had earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.

She was recently seen in the series 'The Last of Us', which earned her an Emmy nomination, as did her recent role as a Hollywood producer in 'The Studio'.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”