Actress Catherine O’Hara has died at the age of 71. The information was confirmed on Friday, January 30, 2026, by her manager.
+ Tony Dokoupil is criticized after interviewing his own mother in a CBS News report
An Emmy winner, O’Hara built one of the most respected careers in television and film, with memorable roles in productions such as Schitt’s Creek, Beetlejuice and Home Alone.
The circumstances of her death have not yet been disclosed. The Los Angeles Fire Department told ABC News that it received a medical emergency call at 4:48 a.m. at an address linked to the actress. According to the department, she was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
With more than 100 works over five decades, O’Hara was most recently celebrated for portraying the eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, a series that also starred Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. The performance earned her the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020 and a Golden Globe in 2021.
International recognition began to solidify in 1988, when she played the artist Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, opposite Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder. Two years later, she moved audiences as Kate McCallister, the mother of Macaulay Culkin’s character in Home Alone, a role that revealed her dramatic versatility.
Catherine Anne O’Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Canada. Her career began on television with the comedy program Second City Television, which she joined in 1974. On SCTV, she stood out for her impressions of stars such as Meryl Streep and Lucille Ball, as well as for creating original characters. Her work as a writer earned her her first Emmy in 1982.
Over the years, the actress also distinguished herself as a voice actress. Her voice marked characters in animated films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, in addition to productions like Chicken Little, Monster House and Frankenweenie. On television, she appeared in popular series such as 30 Rock and Curb Your Enthusiasm, maintaining a constant presence between comedy and drama.
In recent years, O’Hara remained highly active. In 2025, she had praised appearances in the HBO series The Last of Us and in The Studio, work that earned her new Emmy nominations. In 2024, she returned to the role of Delia in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, reuniting with former cast members.
Married since 1992 to Oscar-nominated production designer Bo Welch, whom she met behind the scenes of Beetlejuice, O’Hara often recalled with humor that the romance began thanks to the intervention of director Tim Burton. The couple had two sons, Matthew and Luke.
Photos: Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
